Tian Yongyi, feeling stifled, had to ask his father for help as he couldn't read.
Just then, the Tian family, returning from the fields outside, knocked on the door. Zhang Mei opened it, let them in, and then locked it again.
"Ask your eldest brother to write it for you," Old Man Tian shook his head inwardly. He had just praised his second son, and now this trouble. Sigh~
When Tian Yongren heard he was asked to help his second brother write an IOU, he looked at his father.
"Do we have an ink pad at home? Tell your second brother to put his thumbprint on it. I won't sign for him."
"Your second brother can write his own name."
Old Man Tian's temples throbbed. His sons were being guarded against each other over eighty yuan, and outsiders had witnessed it. His family was in misfortune.
Taking the IOU, Li Zhengguo examined it carefully before handing the meticulously prepared small change to Tian Yongyi, so the Tian family would know he had indeed borrowed it from various places.
"We're even now. From now on, no more contact. You yourselves said you are two separate families from Tian Jing."
Old Man Tian nodded and also accepted fifty yuan from Tian Jing, telling Old Lady Tian to give the household registration book to Tian Jing.
Tian Jing snatched the household registration book from Old Lady Tian, who was reluctant to part with it. "I'll go to the commune police station now. I'll return it when I come back this afternoon."
Tian Jing turned and left the Tian house.
Li Zhengguo limped behind Tian Jing.
Watching their retreating figures, everyone in the Tian family felt an indescribable mix of emotions.
Especially Ding Aihua, who had personally pushed Jing Yatou towards that man. Jing Yatou probably hated her the most, right?
"Hurry up and get ready to eat, what are you all standing around for?"
Old Lady Tian's roar jolted everyone back to their senses, only for Tian Lixiang's words to unsettle them again.
"Why is Jing Jiefu limping? He's older than Ping Jie's husband."
Zhang Mei quickly pulled her youngest son away. "Wash up and eat, don't talk nonsense."
Some villagers were still watching Tian Jing. Seeing her emerge with the household registration book, and then seeing Li Zhengguo limping behind her, they couldn't help but point and whisper.
Tian Jing wanted exactly this effect. With the household registration book in hand, others would surely guess Li Zhengguo's identity. What did the Tian family's reputation have to do with her?
Once they reached the village road, Li Zhengguo resumed walking normally. No, it was abnormal walking; his limp was the norm.
"How did you guess Old Man Tian wouldn't willingly give you the household registration book?"
Li Zhengguo asked curiously. On the way, Tian Jing had asked him to count out over sixty yuan for her, as a precaution against Old Man Tian causing trouble. As expected, it had.
"Because he lost out big time."
Tian Jing smiled and whispered the wicked deeds Tian Ping had done to him.
"I pulled the rug out from under him, then framed him, and made them turn on each other. To keep the secret, Tian Ping was ordered by Old Man Tian to have Tian Yongyi drug her into silence."
"Someone so ruthless, after losing half his life's savings, would naturally try to grab wealth at any opportunity. Coupled with my precedent, when I agreed to the exchange marriage, I set three conditions with him..."
"He was forced to agree. Otherwise, why would he say he and I are two separate families? We've severed ties."
"What about those things?"
Li Zhengguo hadn't expected Tian Tian to clash with Old Man Tian even before going to Kuxan.
Fortunately, fortunately, Tian Tian's combat power was high enough. Otherwise, Old Man Tian would not have feared Tian Tian's threat, and Tian Tian wouldn't have been able to scheme against the Tian family. Those things should have been given by Tian Tian's relatives, and it was only right for Tian Tian to take them.
"They're buried underground behind Zhangshan. Don't worry. If we need them urgently, we'll dig them up. If not, we can slowly earn and spend. Isn't it fun?"
"Tian Tian likes playing the game of earning money?"
Li Zhengguo looked at the little person beside him, his eyes full of doting affection.
"So-so. It's just boring staying in the mountains. I led everyone to dabble in things, to boost morale and vitality, which is good."
Tian Jing spoke the truth. She would have a lot of the original owner's property in the future, and there would be no shortage of quadrangle courtyards.
If she were short of money, a single stalk of ginseng could solve the problem. Money was readily available to her.
Now, she couldn't reveal her true abilities openly, nor was it appropriate to bring them out. It was better to slowly carve out a path with the Li family. The sudden improvement in the Li family's circumstances would not arouse suspicion.
In an era where poverty was common, nouveau riche individuals were not suited for a peaceful life.
Having experienced the apocalypse, Tian Jing pursued a life of ease and stability, and the basic necessities of life like having enough to eat and wear. Everything else was a minor issue.
"Alright, do as you please. I'll support you in my actions."
"Of course. I'm helping you. I won't take anything when I leave."
Li Zhengguo suppressed the panic in his heart upon hearing Tian Jing's words. Some progress had already been made between him and Tian Jing. As for the rest, they would take it slowly.
After Tian Jing said this, silence fell upon the road.
Upon reaching the commune, the police station was not yet open. The two found a place to sit and eat eggs and drink water.
Seeing Tian Jing choking uncomfortably, Li Zhengguo quickly handed her the bamboo tube. "Don't you like eating boiled eggs?"
After gulping down several mouthfuls, Tian Jing finally managed to swallow the egg yolk that was blocking her esophagus. "Yes, I choke whenever I eat the yolk. I like steamed egg custard."
"From now on, when you have to eat them, you eat the whites, and I'll eat the yolks. Didn't Auntie Niu exchange eggs for you? If you want steamed egg custard, then steam it."
As Li Zhengguo spoke, he peeled the egg in his hand, gave the white to her, and ate the yolk himself.
"Those were exchanged for Mother to eat," Tian Jing took the white and put it in her mouth. Actually, the whites were the most tasteless.
"Let's eat together, and we can switch after we finish."
"Okay." Tian Jing refused a second white. "It's tasteless, unless I have pickles with it."
Li Zhengguo gave her the whole egg again. "Then chew slowly and swallow slowly."
"I'm not eating anymore, that's enough." Tian Jing continued to drink water. "Can we get some hot water from the police officers later?"
"Mhmm." Li Zhengguo saved two eggs, not eating them, to have something to eat on the way back.
They waited for a long time until the police station opened. After all, it was just a town, and there was no one on duty at the police station during lunchtime. In the afternoon, they came in rather leisurely.
Li Zhengguo led Tian Jing into the police station's gate. "Hello, comrade, we're here to transfer our household registration."
"Please present the acceptance certificate, the emigration certificate, and both household registration books."
The police officer, who had just taken a sip of water, asked for the required documents in a business-like manner.
After Li Zhengguo presented all the documents, the officer looked up at them. "Is the reason for the household registration transfer marriage?"
"Yes," Li Zhengguo nodded. "We didn't have a wedding ceremony or get a marriage certificate, but she's already living at my place. If her household registration isn't transferred, she can't earn work points."
The police officer stared at Tian Jing. "How old is the young lady?"
"I'm 18," Tian Jing pointed to the household registration book. "I haven't lied about my age. My family was too poor to support me, so they married me off."
The police officer opened the Tian family's household registration book and took a look. This book contained over a dozen people. Sigh~ It was all due to poverty.
Transferring household registration within the same commune was very convenient. With all the necessary proofs, a few minutes later, Tian Jing's name was added to the Li family's household registration book in Kuxan.