32: All the money sent over the past ten years was taken by Xiao Lao Er.

"Alright, alright."

Grandma Xiao heard this and no longer refused. If it were in the past, she would definitely have declined. But Niannian was about to enlist, and they were unfamiliar with this place. Although Lu Jing was helping, they couldn't rely on him for everything. She also needed to integrate, so she could find things to do later.

As they were talking, Regiment Commander Wang walked over with two children.

One looked about twelve, and the other about seven or eight.

"Grandma."

"Godmother."

Regiment Commander Wang and the children enthusiastically called out to Grandma Wang.

"Oh."

Grandma Xiao looked at them, nodding happily. She thought of her Eldest Son and her two Grandsons at this moment.

"Godmother, my wife must have told you, from now on, you are our mother. Just live here with peace of mind, and we will take good care of you..."

Regiment Commander Wang's mother had passed away long ago. Regiment Commander Wang had tried several times to invite Grandma Xiao and Xiao Niannian over, making many phone calls. But Grandma Xiao disagreed; no matter how close Godson and his son were, she couldn't bring Niannian to add a burden to Godson and his family.

"Godmother."

Cheng Yu also supported Grandma Xiao, smiling as she called her Godmother.

"Oh."

"Godmother, please have some tea."

"Grandma, please have some tea." The family of four knelt before Grandma Xiao.

Grandma Xiao took the tea, took a sip, and said with a smile.

"You all get up quickly."

Xiao Niannian quietly took out four red envelopes. She had bought these red envelopes yesterday at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, originally thinking they might come in handy for New Year's, but unexpectedly, they were useful today.

Each red envelope contained five yuan. Xiao Niannian originally wanted to tell Grandma that she still had some money and to use it without worry. She planned to use a different approach.

"Grandma, come here."

Xiao Niannian handed the red envelopes to Grandma Xiao.

Grandma Xiao immediately understood; at a time like this, red envelopes were indeed necessary.

"Five yuan each inside."

Xiao Niannian whispered.

"Good."

Grandma Xiao nodded.

They didn't have much money left, but recognizing a Godmother was a big deal, and a one-yuan red envelope wouldn't be presentable. She could help people make clothes in the Family Courtyard then, and maybe earn some money.

Anyway, with a skill, one would never starve.

Grandma Xiao handed red envelopes to Regiment Commander Wang and Cheng Yu.

"These are for the children."

"Godmother, we can't accept the red envelopes." Regiment Commander Wang immediately refused upon seeing the red envelopes.

Godmother had lived a hard life with Niannian all these years; how could they accept red envelopes from Godmother? He had discussed with his wife last night and planned to give Godmother one hundred yuan as a filial offering. Over the years, he would prepare five yuan for Godmother every month and send the money before the New Year.

Both he and Cheng Yu had jobs, so five yuan a month wasn't much.

"Since you've all called me Godmother, this money must be accepted."

After a long refusal, Regiment Commander Wang and Cheng Yu accepted the red envelopes.

"Godmother, this is one hundred yuan, a filial offering from Cheng Yu and me."

Regiment Commander Wang took out a stack of 'Great Unity' bills and said with a smile.

"No, no, no, I don't want your money."

"Godmother, you must accept it. Old Wang used to send you five yuan every month, but now that you are our Godmother, we will give you ten yuan a month. We are your true son and daughter-in-law, and we will care for you in your old age and bury you..."

Sending five yuan every month? Caring for her in old age and burying her? Now giving ten yuan?

Grandma Xiao and Xiao Niannian were both stunned by these words.

"Sending five yuan?" Grandma Xiao was greatly surprised. She had never received this money.

Right, she remembered, more than ten years ago, a postman said she had a letter and money at the post office and told her to collect it from the County Government. At that time, Xiao the Second heard about it and said he would help her collect it.

Later, Xiao the Second ran back, saying the postman had made a mistake. Could it be?

"Uncle Wang, was it money you sent to my grandma every year before the New Year?" Xiao Niannian recalled from the original owner's memory that every year before the New Year, Xiao the Second and his wife would rush home, then rush to the County Government, saying they had something to do. But every time, they would wear new clothes and buy delicious food. Every time Xiao Yueyue and Xiao Daqing would bring pastries and canned goods to spite her, saying it was money earned by Xiao the Second and his wife and they wouldn't let them eat any.

It seems she hit Xiao the Second and his family too lightly this time; she should have let The Monkeys beat them severely.

"Yes, it was always about ten days before the New Year, sixty yuan sent every year, and sometimes some fabric and other things..."

Grandma Xiao understood everything now. Her face was pale, and she was extremely angry, swaying slightly.

Regiment Commander Wang and Cheng Yu panicked when they saw Grandma Xiao like this.

"Godmother, don't worry."

"Godmother, please sit down first. Did you not receive the money?"

"What a family misfortune, this money must have been taken by Xiao the Second and his wife..."

Grandma Xiao had thought it was truly Xiao the Second and his wife's factory that distributed year-end bonuses, which was why they lived so well during the New Year. She never expected that this money was actually claimed fraudulently by Xiao the Second and his family, and they had claimed sixty yuan every year. For over ten years, that was nearly a thousand yuan.

Cheng Yu also didn't expect things to turn out this way.

Regiment Commander Wang heard Godmother's words and remembered seeing Xiao Dong. At that time, he already felt that Xiao Dong was not a good person. But then he thought that Godmother only had this one son. He had also warned Xiao Dong to take good care of Godmother. Who knew Xiao Dong would fraudulently claim this money and keep it hidden from Godmother for so many years?

"Uncle Wang, this money must be returned." Xiao Niannian was also very angry. Xiao the Second and his wife really deserved to die; they got so much money, yet they treated Grandma like this. Even if they had been a little better to Grandma, she wouldn't be so furious.

"Godmother, I'm truly ashamed to face you and your wife..."

Grandma Xiao hadn't expected Godson to have sent her so much money over the years.

Regiment Commander Wang was also filled with remorse. He knew Grandma Xiao was a kind person, so when he wrote the letter, he also said it was for Niannian's upbringing expenses and would be given every year... He hadn't mentioned it in his letters all these years. On the contrary, Godmother had sent him many things.

"Godmother, don't worry, your son will find a way. You are my Godmother, how can you be ashamed to face us? This is our filial offering to you, and also Niannian's upbringing money..."

"Godmother, I'm sorry..."

Cheng Yu was also extremely regretful. She had originally wanted to make Godmother happy, but who knew that Godmother had been deceived for more than ten years, and she hadn't received a single cent of that money.

Her husband had come back before and said that Xiao Dong was no good, and suggested bringing Godmother over so Niannian could also study here. Godmother had written letters refusing several times, but they should have taken the time to visit Godmother's hometown back then; they hadn't done well enough.