Time Travel & Rebirth : Prosperous Life in the 1980s

Chapter 6

At the market, Zhi Rongrong was clamoring to buy candied hawthorns. It was time to go home, but he wasn't done playing and refused to leave. Zhi Qin had to exert a lot of effort to get him back home. As soon as they arrived, the little guy's nose twitched, and he asked, "Dad, is there meat to eat?"

Zhi Qin raised an eyebrow, wondering where he would find meat at this time of year. He gave his son a gentle tap on the head and said, "I think you look more like a piece of meat yourself."

Zhi Rongrong snorted and dashed into the house, convinced there was meat.

He was so eager that he didn't even wash his hands. As soon as he entered the house, he noticed that there were a few extra people inside.

Zhuzi was sitting there, waving at Zhi Rongrong. "Rongrong, come and eat."

Zhao Weiran was sitting beside Jiang Heyan, looking determined to matchmake this "golden son-in-law" with her own daughter.

Zhi Jiaojiao moved a stool to sit between the two of them. Zhi Rongrong saw the table full of delicious dishes and didn't want to wash his hands. He just wiped them on his clothes and was about to sit at the table.

Zhi Jiaojiao tapped her chopsticks on the bowl and said, "First, wash your hands, then sit here."

Jiang Heyan glanced at the small round stool next to him. Zhao Weiran seemed unhappy, "Jiaojiao, what are you doing? Can't you see I'm talking to Xiao Jiang?"

She had automatically elevated herself to the status of Jiang Heyan's elder due to her city background, making Jiang Heyan feel uncomfortable and wanting to escape.

Zhi Jiaojiao pretended not to hear. Zhi Rongrong looked at the unfamiliar big brother with confusion. Zhi Jiaojiao cleared her throat and said, "If you don't go wash up, you won't get to eat."

"Ah, I don't want to." Zhi Rongrong squealed and ran outside to wash his hands, afraid his sister would really keep him from the table.

Zhi Qin came in after washing his hands outside. Zhi Jiaojiao handed him a towel. "Dad, Mr. Jiang is here."

Zhi Qin was taken aback. He had never met Jiang Heyan before, only Jiang Wangquan, who was a local in nearby villages and had pursued Jiaojiao's mother when he was younger. However, Jiaojiao's mother didn't reciprocate, and Jiang Wangquan left to seek his fortune elsewhere. He returned later to open a mining operation.

The last time Zhi Qin saw Jiang Wangquan was several years ago.

Zhi Qin and Jiang Heyan shook hands.

"I'm sorry for the incident. My father wanted to come back personally to handle it, but he can't leave Beijing," Jiang Heyan apologized. Zhi Qin waved it off. The compensation was satisfactory, and besides Liu Qingyang's family, all other miners' families accepted the outcome.

After all, how much is a human life worth these days? The Qinghe Cliff brothers knew they were at fault and didn't even protest. They had prepared themselves for no compensation. To their surprise, Jiang Heyan still offered them money. The elderly couple knelt in gratitude.

Jiang Heyan wanted to hold them accountable, but he regretted it. The young breadwinners were dead, and pursuing accountability would only burden the elderly.

He decided to turn a blind eye.

Zhi Qin now had a new respect for this young man. Zhi Rongrong washed his hands and sat at the table. He pushed Zhao Weiran aside and helped himself without pretense. His short arms couldn't reach the food he wanted. Jiang Heyan noticed someone tugging at his sleeve and looked down to find a round-faced little chubby boy.