"I'll go with you."
"No, no, I can go by myself. I'll be back soon."
It wouldn't be appropriate for someone of his status to make a public appearance in the countryside.
Afterward, Tang Xiaomin boarded a bus to Haizhou.
As the bus drove onto the highway, gradually leaving behind the bustling metropolis of Modu, the scenery along the way put her in a particularly relaxed mood.
Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep, only to be woken by someone nudging her.
"Wake up, let me in."
Tang Xiaomin's eyes snapped open to see a woman, about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old with very small eyes, speaking to her.
Tang Xiaomin picked up her bag and stood, making way for the woman.
The woman was carrying several shopping bags and looked like she was returning from shopping in the city.
With sharp eyes, she noticed the backpack Tang Xiaomin was holding and said in surprise.
"Oh my, that's an LV backpack, must be tens of thousands, right?"
Tang Xiaomin disliked people who commented on her belongings upon first meeting. She replied politely.
"Uh… it's a high-quality imitation, one hundred and fifty yuan."
Upon hearing it was an imitation, the woman's gaze shifted from admiration to contempt.
"An imitation, huh? Young people these days are so vain. You can't afford the real thing, but you insist on buying a fake to show off."
Tang Xiaomin couldn't be bothered to engage with the insipid woman and closed her eyes to sleep.
Normally, she was fine driving herself, but for some reason today, the long-distance bus made her feel unwell. If she guessed correctly, she was likely carsick.
She slept again, only to be jolted awake by the bumping of the bus.
Looking out at the scattered, low-lying houses, she figured she must be close to her destination.
"Driver, please let me on the bus. It's almost dark, and with all these things I bought, how long will it take me to walk?"
"It's not that I'm not letting you on, it's just that the bus is already over capacity. I really can't. Please don't make it difficult for me."
This voice was all too familiar to Tang Xiaomin. It was her mother, Zhou Xiaolan.
Without a second thought, Tang Xiaomin grabbed her bag and ran to the front. As expected, it was her.
"Mom."
Upon seeing Tang Xiaomin, Zhou Xiaolan froze for a few seconds, making sure she wasn't mistaken.
"Xiaomin, what are you doing here?"
"I came to see you and Dad. I didn't expect to run into you here."
"I went to the market in town today and I'm just coming back. This is the only road back to Hetang Village…"
The driver reminded her, "Young lady, if you're going to keep walking, go back and sit down."
There were no more seats, so Zhou Xiaolan couldn't get on. Tang Xiaomin didn't hesitate and got off the bus.
The bus kicked up dust and drove away, leaving Tang Xiaomin and Zhou Xiaolan standing on the roadside in the setting sun, surrounded by a pile of goods.
A quick glance revealed mostly food items and some daily necessities.
This was the first time in Tang Xiaomin's life that she had seen Zhou Xiaolan buy so many things at once.
"Oh dear, it's almost five o'clock. The buses are long gone. We won't be able to get back," Zhou Xiaolan said worriedly.
"Mom, it's okay. I'll try to call a car with my phone."
She wondered if it would work in this rural area.
Tang Xiaomin tried, but there was no such service available at this location.
But it didn't matter, she still had her money.
She flagged down a Wuling Hongguang, gave the driver three hundred yuan, and had them take her and the goods to Hetang Village.
Coincidentally, the car could drive directly to the doorstep of her "uncle" whom she had never met.
As soon as they got out of the car, Li Changchun saw Tang Xiaomin. He had been watching at the door, worried about Zhou Xiaolan.
"Xiaomin, you're here. Why didn't you say anything beforehand?"
After a long time, Tang Xiaomin missed them dearly.
"Dad, I miss you."
"Hey, you little rascal…"
Li Changchun patted Tang Xiaomin's shoulder.
"Let's not talk now, hurry and help carry the things inside," Zhou Xiaolan said.
So, Tang Xiaomin helped them move the items into the house.
It was a two-story building with a footprint of about a hundred square meters, five bedrooms, and a kitchen and bathroom.
A man, who appeared slightly older than Li Changchun, was sitting on the sofa. He was likely Li Changchun's elder brother, Li Dali.
There was also another young woman, who turned out to be the woman Tang Xiaomin had sat next to on the bus earlier that day.
She was likely their cousin, Li Youyou, whom her mother had mentioned.
Watching Tang Xiaomin's family move things in and out, Li Dali and Li Youyou offered no help.
At this moment, a middle-aged woman came down from upstairs and immediately said, "Sister-in-law, it's good that you're back. Our whole family has been taking care of the old man, and we haven't had dinner yet. You go make dinner, and I'll go rest, I'm exhausted."
She was Li Dali's wife, Zhao E.
Zhou Xiaolan's expression changed, and she wanted to say something, but Li Changchun stopped her.
"If you're tired, sit down and have a cup of water. Xiaomin too. I'll cook."
With that, Li Changchun disappeared into the small kitchen to get busy.
Zhao E walked downstairs and sized up Tang Xiaomin.
"Sister-in-law, this is the adopted girl from the city you mentioned?"
"Xiaomin, this is your aunt," Zhou Xiaolan said.
"Aunt."
Tang Xiaomin said the word reluctantly.
Zhao E rolled her eyes and muttered as she walked away.
"Tch, who's your aunt."
"You..."
Zhou Xiaolan was furious. She shouldn't have bothered being polite to Zhao E.
After this incident, she decided not to introduce Tang Xiaomin to Li Dali and Li Youyou.
Instead, she took Tang Xiaomin's hand and led her upstairs, wanting to avoid any further unpleasantness. There was a small living room upstairs where no one was present, so they sat down to rest.
Zhou Xiaolan poured herself and Tang Xiaomin a cup of water. Tang Xiaomin drank hers down in a few gulps.
From this brief encounter, Tang Xiaomin understood what kind of people Li Dali's family were.
"Mom, you came to the countryside last year. When are you going back to Modu? I've already bought you a new house, you can move in when you return."
Zhou Xiaolan's head hurt when this was brought up.
"Xiaomin, to be honest, Mom has wanted to go back for a long time. But the old man's illness has been dragging on, and we really can't leave."
"Don't your uncle and his family take care of him?"
"Sigh, don't even mention it. None of your uncle's family wants to take care of him. The old man is afraid of them and calls your dad for everything. I'm not convenient, and your dad has been exhausted lately."
"This is outrageous!" Tang Xiaomin was furious.
"Xiaomin, keep your voice down. Don't let them hear you, it'll be a disaster."
Tang Xiaomin finally understood. Her parents not only had to take care of a half-dead old man in the countryside, but they also had to serve Li Dali's entire family.
Her parents were normally frugal people, but since moving to Modu, their expenses had increased manifold.
At first, Tang Xiaomin didn't pay much attention.
But after seeing the large pile of things her mother bought today, she understood everything.
Li Dali's family was clearly treating her parents as free labor and an ATM.
They thought her parents had no one to rely on and could be bullied as they pleased.