353: The cabbage was eaten by the pig

Crippled Wang abruptly stood up from his chair, scrutinizing Jiang Fei in surprise: "Am I not dreaming?"

"Boss, not only are you standing alive in front of me, but you're also exactly the same as before, not a single change."

Jiang Fei took out a mini pistol from her pocket: "Do you need me to help you sober up?"

"No, that's not necessary." Crippled Wang chuckled, tossing the gold ingot in his hand into the trash can.

"Why did you throw it away after folding it?" Jiang Fei suddenly realized something, her expression subtle: "Was this folded for me?"

"Yeah, I thought since you hadn't sent any news for so long, you had died. I was afraid Uncle Jiang and the others would be sad, so I secretly folded them in the shop."

Crippled Wang scratched his head: "If you weren't dead, then your death anniversary would be in two months. Gold paper is hard to find, so I thought I'd fold a few for you first when I found some, so you wouldn't be short of money down there."

Jiang Fei: "..."

You're actually quite kind.

Always thinking of burning paper money and making burial offerings for her.

Sensing Jiang Fei's helplessness, Crippled Wang changed the subject: "Boss, when did you arrive at Huaxia Base? Have you gone to see Uncle Jiang and the others?"

"Yes, they were the ones who told me your shop's address." Jiang Fei surveyed the hardware and building materials store.

Unlike the grocery store, there was no lounge.

As far as her eyes could see, there was only Crippled Wang.

"Where are Dao Rong and your subordinates?"

"Some died, some are missing, and Xiao Rong is resting at home." Crippled Wang sighed: "Last year's tsunami killed many people, and I lost more than half of my subordinates."

"Scar also died saving Xiao Rong."

"Fortunately, we encountered military forces while drifting at sea."

"We followed the military back to Huaxia Base, and heard they needed help retrieving and transporting supplies from other cities, so we went to help... cough, cough, cough."

Perhaps he had talked too much, as Crippled Wang couldn't stop coughing.

It wasn't until he drank half a glass of water that he felt better, then he continued: "As compensation, the military would give us a certain amount of supplies after each delivery."

"I saved up a batch and then quit. During the tsunami, I almost died from a cold and fever. I couldn't handle the exertion anymore, and my body was left with problems, coughing every day."

"I used the supplies to open a shop for Uncle Jiang and the others, and I also opened a building materials store, going back to my old profession."

"On the surface, I sell hardware and building materials, but in reality, I'm still a middleman."

Crippled Wang pursed his lips: "I'm sorry, Boss. You entrusted the Wu Brothers to me, but I failed to protect them."

"The Wu Brothers are missing..."

Jiang Fei: "They're alive. We met them in Mos City in Country F."

"Wu Dayong and Wu Xiaowei are currently living in Unit 6-01, Building 6, Unity Community."

"That's great!" Crippled Wang said happily: "Boss, I'll host tonight. I'll treat you and Brother Lu and the others to dinner. I'll also call the Wu Brothers so everyone can have a lively gathering."

"Xiao Rong happens to be off these two days and doesn't have to go to the Agricultural Park for work."

"Not today, I have to meet Director Ning tonight." Jiang Fei thought for a moment: "How about tomorrow noon?"

"Okay." Crippled Wang told Jiang Fei his home address.

"Oh, by the way, Boss, you can open a shop for free at Huaxia Base. Do you want to open one?"

"To be honest, the base doesn't have much gold right now, so opening a shop won't make you money."

Even if there was gold, Jiang Fei currently had no intention of opening a shop.

Having finally returned home, she naturally wanted to rest for a while first.

"Not for now. I'm going back. See you tomorrow night."

Before leaving, Jiang Fei, under the cover of her pocket, took out a box of medicine researched by the Underground City from the Supermarket warehouse and gave it to Crippled Wang.

"It's more effective than the base's new special medicine. Try taking one pill a day for three consecutive days."

Crippled Wang opened the medicine box without hesitation and took a pill.

Watching Jiang Fei leave, he smiled and shed tears.

It was really good; he had once again clung to the Boss's strong leg.

—

Jiang Fei returned to the grocery store.

Lu Yu and the others had already come out of the lounge and were sitting in the store.

Xiao Chuxia, Su Liuyuan, and Ling Zhaorui looked at Cao Xiuhong and Jiang Zhengkang with ambiguous smiles.

Seeing Jiang Fei return, Xiao Chuxia quickly ran over to share gossip: "Miss, we just found out something: Aunt Cao and Uncle Jiang are together!"

"Aunt Cao said that Uncle Jiang risked his life to save her and took care of her on the island, which changed her view of men and made her feel something different, so she confessed first."

"Uncle Jiang initially disagreed, thinking he was disabled and a burden, but he also liked Aunt Cao deep down."

"They went back and forth for a long time before confirming their relationship."

Jiang Fei was very surprised.

She didn't expect to go out and come back with a new aunt.

However, Jiang Fei liked this aunt very much.

Cao Xiuhong was quick to work, grateful, not only intelligent and responsible but also protective of her own.

It was just that sometimes her temper was quite fiery, and she would directly resort to violence.

Compared to Li Yanping, she was infinitely better.

Jiang Fei rarely joked: "Uncle, should I continue to call her Aunt Cao, or Aunt?"

Jiang Zhengkang's old face flushed at the question: "Call her Aunt."

"Although the civil affairs bureau is gone now, and there are no conditions for a wedding, she is the person I want to spend my life with."

Hearing this, Jiang Fei smiled and looked at Cao Xiuhong, calling out: "Aunt."

Cao Xiuhong froze, gripping the hem of her clothes, a little flustered.

"You, you don't blame me?"

"After all, it was my fault that Zhengkang became disabled..."

"This was Uncle's choice. Any consequences that arise have nothing to do with you, Aunt. Don't overthink it." Jiang Fei comforted Cao Xiuhong.

Jiang Zhengkang held Cao Xiuhong's hand: "Giving you the cotton shoes was my business. I wanted to save you."

"My disability has nothing to do with you. Don't take responsibility for it yourself."

Tears welled up in Cao Xiuhong's eyes: "Okay..."

Lu Yu, who was closest, took a tissue and handed it to Cao Xiuhong.

"Aunt, here you go."

"Thank you..." Cao Xiuhong suddenly looked up at Lu Yu, not even wiping away her tears: "Xiao Yu, did you call me wrong?"

"I'm your aunt."

Lu Yu: "I didn't call you wrong. You are Fei Fei's Aunt, and also my Aunt."

Saying that, Lu Yu smiled at Jiang Zhengkang: "Uncle."

Jiang Zhengkang: "...?!"

"What did you just call me???"

"Uncle." Lu Yu repeated again, walking over and taking Jiang Fei's hand: "I am Fei Fei's boyfriend now."

"A relationship with the intention of marriage."

Jiang Zhengkang and Cao Xiuhong were dumbfounded.

Cao Xiuhong was the first to recover, looking at Jiang Fei and Lu Yu with relief: "I used to think your interactions didn't seem like ordinary friends. I also heard Liu Yuan and Zhao Rui talking about 'old married couples' and 'shipping.'"

"Now their ship has become real. You two are finally together."

Su Liuyuan asked in surprise: "Aunt Cao, you also understand 'shipping'?"

"Of course! My daughter used to constantly talk about 'shipping' in front of me. I learned all about it from her."

Mentioning her daughter, a hint of melancholy flashed in Cao Xiuhong's eyes, but she quickly adjusted her emotions.

Xing Ying had never left her.

She had just become a star in the sky.

Meanwhile, Jiang Zhengkang had not yet recovered from the shock.

"Fei Fei, you said you wouldn't date..."

Jiang Fei couldn't help but touch her nose: "People change."

Jiang Zhengkang stared at Lu Yu.

Before, he thought Lu Yu was good in every way—handsome and capable. Now, no matter how he looked, he found him displeasing.

It was as if his own cabbage was doing well in the field, and then a pig came along and rooted it up.

And this pig came to the field to wander around every day.

Jiang Zhengkang couldn't help but find fault:

"Xiao Yu is too tall. Fei Fei, you have to look up at him, which can easily lead to cervical spondylosis."

"He can fight and kill. What if he abuses you and you can't beat him..."

Before he could finish, Cao Xiuhong covered his mouth.

"The children are grown. They have freedom in love."

"You can date, why can't Fei Fei?"

Jiang Zhengkang obediently shut his mouth.

Then Lu Yu spoke.

"Uncle, Fei Fei won't get cervical spondylosis because I will bend down."

"And I would never harm her, but she has the right to kill me at any time."

Lu Yu spoke with firm eyes, and Jiang Zhengkang could no longer find fault. He cleared his throat: "Just don't bully Fei Fei."

"I won't interfere with your affairs."

Jiang Zhengkang secretly glanced at Cao Xiuhong.

Stop secretly pinching my thigh. I've already agreed to them being together.

Cao Xiuhong then discreetly withdrew her hand.

She got up and returned to the lounge, taking out two cloth bags.

"Fei Fei, we exchanged some gold during these past few months at the base."

"This large blue cloth bag was exchanged by Zhengkang and the others."

"The grey one is what I saved up separately. It's not a lot, it's your 'change-of-address' fee from Aunt."

"Thank you, Aunt." Jiang Fei took the two cloth bags.

She could roughly estimate the weight.

The blue one weighed one catty, and the grey one was half its weight.

"Captain Xu is coming to pick me up tonight to see Director Ning. Uncle, we're going home first. We'll come to the shop to see you tomorrow."

"We live in Grandma Xu's building, very close to you."

Jiang Zhengkang: "Hurry back. It's almost dark."

After leaving the grocery store, Jiang Fei put the cloth bags into the Supermarket.

System: [Ding—Gold detected: 762 grams]

[Current unlock progress: 29%]