Xu Yaozu finally understood why his mother hated him. Back then, she had wanted to kill him, but his father had saved him, preventing his mother from succeeding.
Xu Yaozu couldn't let his mother have her way, nor could he kill his own child because of a so-called ancestral curse; that was utterly preposterous.
Xiao Hong had gone through great difficulty to give birth to their two children, even undergoing surgery that left a scar on her belly. Xu Yaozu was heartbroken.
After Xiao Hong recovered from her confinement period, he secretly went to the hospital for a vasectomy.
Because her milk production was low, the two children were often underfed, crying from hunger and only able to drink rice soup.
Even with Zhang Cuihua's help, the children could only be half-full.
When Fu Wenwen learned of this, she specifically sent Xiao Hong several boxes of milk powder. Xu Yaozu was so grateful he felt like kneeling before Fu Wenwen.
Xu Yaozu, who had never even left their town, knew how expensive milk powder was. Xiao Hong insisted she couldn't accept so many gifts from Fu Wenwen and wanted to write an IOU.
"Alright, consider this an advance on your salary," Fu Wenwen said with a light laugh. She then revealed her plan to open a clothing factory and expressed her desire for Xiao Hong to design clothes for her.
"Can I... can I really do it?" Xiao Hong was overcome with emotion, never imagining she would pick up a needle and thread again.
"I believe in you. If I say you can, you can!" Fu Wenwen assured her.
With Fu Wenwen's guarantee, Xiao Hong embraced her, tears of gratitude streaming down her face.
"Alright, alright, you're still in your confinement period! You mustn't cry," Fu Wenwen quickly consoled her.
Even after the children were six months old and could start eating solid food, Fu Wenwen continued to send milk powder.
The pretense was that the children could drink it indefinitely.
Now that they had the means, why should they worry?
As soon as Xiao Hong's confinement period ended, she eagerly drew up several design sketches for Fu Wenwen. Fu Wenwen reviewed them and offered a few suggestions. Upon receiving Xiao Hong's completed designs again, she specifically showed them to Luo Siqi. Luo Siqi's eyes lit up immediately, declaring she would definitely buy such clothes if they were available.
Seeing the finished products, Fu Wenwen immediately launched production.
Unsurprisingly, the clothes designed by Xiao Hong became a hit. In an era before branded clothing, she was like a dark horse, capturing women's attention.
Xiao Hong achieved financial freedom, completely transforming her status as a woman. Xu Yaozu fully supported her endeavors, with her taking the lead in external affairs and him managing the household.
A man managing the household was bound to be ridiculed, but no matter what outsiders said, Xiao Hong and Xu Yaozu's affection remained unshaken; their marital bond had been as strong as ever for decades.
With Fu Wenwen's assistance, Zou Xiaomei and Liu Fei opened a supermarket in Fengcheng. Fu Wenwen supplied them daily with fresh vegetables and fruits, delivered straight from the fields. Essential daily goods were provided by Wang Hu and others, who were already familiar with various factories.
The produce was exceptionally fresh, drawing in many customers.
Zou Xiaomei also gave birth to a pair of twins, a boy and a girl, for Liu Fei. Liu Fei was indeed a winner in life, with both a son and a daughter, whom he proudly showed off to Wang Hu and others daily.
Wang Hu moved his family to Honghe Village. With the help of the village chief, he successfully settled there, sending his younger brother and sister back to school, which changed their lives.
He himself went out to forge his own path. Years later, he returned to Fengcheng with his wife and daughter, settling down.
Zhao Zilong and others also found their significant others, earned considerable wealth, and returned home triumphantly to marry and have children. No one would ever mock them again for their youthful recklessness and the shame they brought upon their families.
What surprised Fu Wenwen the most was that Lu Chengsen's elder brother, Lu Chengyu, had fallen for her sister-in-law's best friend, Zhao Sisi.
The two rapidly entered into a relationship and soon eloped and married.
Fu Wenwen was stunned when she heard the news from Lu Chengsen while teaching Lu Xiyue how to control her abilities.
"Wait... didn't the little princess of the Zhao family like Big Brother?" Fu Wenwen stammered.
Although their names sounded similar, one was the little princess of the Fengcheng Zhao family, while the other was similar to Chu Yao. How could these two end up together?
"It seems they met because of their names..." Lu Chengsen rubbed his nose. It was precisely when Lu Chengyu came to see Lu Zean and Lu Xiyue that he happened to encounter Chu Yao and Zhao Sisi. Upon learning Zhao Sisi's name, they struck up a conversation.
From there, the spark of romance ignited.
"If Sisi finds out about this, will she still be with Big Brother?" Fu Wenwen worried.
After all, this was something girls found most taboo.
Moreover, Zhao Shishi also liked Lu Chengyu; they had been childhood sweethearts.
"I don't think you need to worry about this. I know clearly that I like Zhao Sisi, not Zhao Shishi." Lu Chengyu had specifically answered this question for Fu Wenwen when he visited Lu Zean.
At the same time, he also confessed this to Zhao Sisi, who was accompanying him, with such frankness that Zhao Sisi couldn't even stay angry with him.
"The person I love is you, Zhao Sisi, the bold woman who dared to draw on my face." Lu Chengyu took Zhao Sisi's hand and kissed her publicly.
Zhao Sisi shot him a coy glare, blushing as she didn't withdraw her hand.
"To me, she is like a younger sister I've known since childhood. I genuinely can't have any feelings for her beyond that of siblings," Lu Chengyu stated earnestly.
They were too familiar; it was truly impossible.
Their wedding was grand. As the eldest grandson of the Lu family, Lu Chengyu had always been the center of attention. Everyone expected him to marry Zhao Shishi, who was of equal social standing. However, he ended up marrying Zhao Sisi, but not the little princess of the Zhao family.
Old Master Lu simply remarked that it was his children's choice and that as parents, they would only support, not interfere.
Zhao Sisi gave birth to a son for Lu Chengyu, but due to severe postpartum hemorrhage, Zhao Sisi nearly died on the operating table.
It was only because Fu Wenwen arrived in time that Zhao Sisi's life was saved.
Afterward, Zhao Sisi, wanting a daughter as soft and adorable as Lu Xiyue, wished to have another child.
Lu Chengyu adamantly refused. He insisted that the Lu family already had their one little princess and absolutely refused to let Zhao Sisi have another.
For this reason, he secretly went and got a vasectomy, enraging Zhao Sisi to the point that she slept in a separate room for half a month. She could only hold Lu Xiyue and complain to Fu Wenwen.
Fu Wenwen replied that she too had her troubles.
By now, Lu Zean was a handsome fourteen-year-old, and Lu Xiyue was a beautiful nine-year-old.
Countless people sought to get close to Lu Xiyue, knowing she was the Lu family's pampered little princess.
However, Lu Xiyue showed a good face to no one except Lu Zean.
"Give up! I will only marry my brother, so don't you dare have any designs on me!"
Lu Xiyue fiercely put her hands on her hips, addressing the persistent suitors who flocked around her like bothersome flies.
Lu Chengsen, hearing Lu Xiyue's constant talk about Lu Zean, dismissed it as childish banter and sternly warned her never to say such things again.
Lu Xiyue, initially unconcerned, went with her father to pick up her brother from school. There, she saw a beautiful female classmate walking beside Lu Zean, and they seemed to be getting along very well.
Lu Xiyue instantly exploded.