Zhou Mingzhu was so furious she almost laughed. She pulled the two children close, turned her head, and looked at Zhou Jianye. "We have already severed ties, and you have already sold me to the Gu Family. What are you after, waiting here for me?"
Zhou Jianye retorted with righteous indignation and biting sarcasm, "It’s because Mom and Dad spoiled you that you turned into such an ingrate! What do you mean 'sold you to the Gu Family'?"
"Didn't you take all the dowry money the Gu Family gave? My second sister and I waited for you to come home yesterday. Why did you wait until today to show up? You have no filial piety at all!"
Zhou Mingzhu looked at Zhou Jianye with cold eyes, listening to the gossip and finger-pointing from the onlookers around them.
In this era, most families had several children, and it seemed taken for granted that the older ones should do more work. This was not the 21st century, where equality among children was championed. Zhou Mingzhu knew it was useless to argue that the original owner had been starved while shouldering all the household chores.
Zhou Mingzhu sneered. "Zhou Jianye, if you really want to stop Zhou Mingyue from attending university, shout louder! I don't believe you can tamper with the county admissions office, and I certainly don't believe you can cover up the sky in the provincial capital!"
Zhou Jianye’s expression turned savage, and he moved to rush at her. However, the icy ruthlessness in Zhou Mingzhu’s eyes stopped him in his tracks. Zhou Mingyue bit her lip, stepped forward, and said in a soft, delicate voice, "Sister, Mom and Dad just want you to come home; there’s nothing else to it. My brother and I came specifically to wait for you."
Zhou Mingzhu saw right through their scheme. She sneered, "We are going to buy train tickets today and leave immediately. You know very well whether there’s 'nothing else' to it."
Zhou Mingzhu turned and pulled Lujun and Qitong toward the station. Zhou Jianye and Zhou Mingyue exchanged some hushed words and began to tail her.
Zhou Mingzhu frowned. She had briefly considered going back with them to clear out the Zhou Family house, but upon further reflection, the feasibility was low. After all, she had two children with her, and Zhou Jianye and Zhou Mingyue were still on winter break. There was no way she could empty the house without being noticed and still manage a clean escape. It seemed she would have to give up on buying cotton at the black market to make new clothes for the children.
Carrying a bag of local specialties packed by Gu Yan’s grandmother, Zhou Mingzhu took the children to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative near the station. She bought some walnut crisps and meat sauce pancakes before leading them onto the bus headed for the train station.
Zhou Jianye watched her buying items, his lips pressed together in pain as he stared at her intently.
Zhou Mingyue whispered to him, "Jianye, what if they buy tickets for today's train?"
Zhou Jianye gritted his teeth. "Then when she goes to board, we’ll grab her. If she doesn't hand over the dowry money, we won't let them get on that train!"
Zhou Mingyue bit her lip and said nothing.
Zhou Mingzhu was not far from them. Having consumed the Spirit Spring Water, she could hear every word these two wicked, dim-witted fools said. Lujun’s expression soured. He gripped Zhou Mingzhu’s hand tightly and whispered, "Mom..."
Zhou Mingzhu raised an eyebrow slightly and looked down. "What is it?"
Before Lujun could answer, they heard the conductor announce the stop. Lujun leaned in and whispered something to Qitong. As the bus came to a smooth halt, Lujun suddenly tugged at Zhou Mingzhu. "Mom, my stomach hurts."
He immediately pulled her toward the exit. Zhou Mingzhu’s eyes widened; she shielded the children from the crowd, calling out as she followed Lujun, protecting Qitong as they stepped off.
Zhou Jianye and Zhou Mingyue rushed to stand up as well, shouting to the conductor, "Wait a moment!"
But Lujun steered them around the back of the bus. When Zhou Jianye and Zhou Mingyue got off, they looked around anxiously. "Where are they?"
They rushed ahead into the crowd, while Lujun led the others in a loop around the bus, hopping back on just behind the last boarding passenger. The conductor looked at Zhou Mingzhu in surprise. She offered an awkward smile and produced the blue-and-white tickets. "Comrade, I’m so sorry. As you can see, I bought tickets to the train station. I’ve already paid for all three of us for eight stops. I just miscounted the stop and took the children off for a moment..."
The conductor’s lips twitched, but after a long pause, she simply said, "Ah... don't make that mistake again."
Zhou Mingzhu pulled Lujun aside and whispered, "Next time, don't suddenly run off with Mom like that! There aren't many cars on the road now, but if a car had been coming from the other side, do you know how dangerous that would have been?"
Lujun bit his lip, looking guilty and disappointed.
Zhou Mingzhu stroked his hair. "However, Mom must praise your courage and resourcefulness. You heard what Zhou Jianye and Zhou Mingyue were saying, didn't you? Your quick reaction was very impressive."
"I scolded you because I want you to understand that you aren't tall yet. With all the people in front of you, your view was blocked; you couldn't possibly have seen if a car was coming from the other side. You were lucky this time, but you cannot rely on luck every time. In the future, you must think things through more thoroughly before making a decision!"
Lujun’s eyes brightened, and he nodded vigorously. "I understand, Mom! I’ll remember!"
Upon arriving at the train station, Zhou Mingzhu sent off a report letter at the adjacent post office, bought their tickets, and set off for Yunnan Province.
Once she found their seats, she told the children, "You must stay close to me. Whenever I go to the bathroom, you must follow me. Unless I hand you over to a train attendant and tell you to wait, you must keep a tight grip on the attendant's hand."
Lujun and Qitong nodded.
"And if strangers offer you food or drinks, do not take them. Do you hear me?"
They nodded firmly. "We won't be that foolish, Mom."
Zhou Mingzhu divided the meat sauce pancakes between them and began to eat her own, chewing slowly. It wasn't that she was delicate, but she intended to drink as little water as possible to avoid having to carry Qitong to the bathroom, where Lujun might be snatched by human traffickers.
Furthermore, the train was packed with standing passengers. The air was thick with the smell of sweat, foot odor, and food, a sensory overload that tested her nerves.
Just as she was thinking this, she heard Zhou Jianye’s voice outside the window, shouting as he got closer: "Zhou Mingzhu!"
Zhou Mingzhu turned away, looking toward the window Lujun was leaning against, completely ignoring Zhou Jianye’s desperate cries. Qitong heard it too; she looked up at Zhou Mingzhu, then at Lujun. Seeing Lujun shake his head, she simply continued nibbling her pancake, saying nothing at all.