The Sweetness of the Seventies-Chapter 936 - 905: Framing, Escape

Huo Yingjie pondered for a moment. He knew Zhou Bing wouldn’t have contacted him without a reason, so he wanted to get some clarity.

"Did your mother admit that he was your biological uncle?" Huo Yingjie asked. The Huo Family and the Zhou Family shared a deep-seated hatred, and he truly hoped he wouldn’t become enemies with Zhou Yuanchao one day.

"My mother already said he is my biological uncle. However, he and my father are half-siblings," Zhou Yuanchao said. "He visited me a few times and said some things. But what he said today was strange. He warned me to be cautious of the Huo Family, saying that there is deep-seated hatred between the Huo and Zhou families."

On the other side, although Yan Cui was talking to He Tiantian, she overheard her son’s words.

Her son’s accomplishments today were largely due to Huo Yingjie’s help. One could say that without Huo Yingjie, her son wouldn’t have achieved what he has now.

Yan Cui, though not a woman of many words, was aware of the situation. She couldn’t just watch her son being misled by those with ulterior motives.

Back when the Zhou Family was prosperous, they hadn’t received any benefits from them. Now that her son had finally made something of himself, the Zhou Family came forward to claim that the Huo Family were their enemies and that he should not work for Huo Yingjie.

She thought to herself, back when their family couldn’t make ends meet in Nan City, she didn’t see them coming to acknowledge kinship!

And now they come to recognize kinship - where were they before?

"Yuanchao, don’t take what that person said to heart," Yan Cui said. "Today, Yingjie and Tiantian are also here, so I will tell you about our family’s past."

Zhou Yuanchao had long wanted to know, but whenever he asked, his mother had always remained silent.

"Mom, please tell me. I also want to understand how I suddenly have an uncle who wants me to oppose the Boss. What grudge does our family have with the Huo Family? I don’t understand," he said.

Wang Ying and He Tiantian looked at each other, unaware that there was a hidden story.

Yan Cui gave a wry smile and said, "My son, all that was in the past. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to worry or hold a grudge."

"Mom, just hurry up and tell me," Zhou Yuanchao urged, his impatient temper getting the better of him.

From his mother’s tone, it seemed quite serious.

This could be a big issue!

Yan Cui, seeing her son’s urgency, wiped her tears and said, "This all began with your grandmother; your grandfather left for work after your father was born. He did not return for many years, and there was no news of him. After the liberation, a fellow villager who had worked with your grandfather returned and informed your grandmother that your grandfather had become a high-ranking official in Yanjing. Your grandmother, along with your father, went to Yanjing only to find that your grandfather had remarried and had another child, your Uncle Zhou Bing. Your grandmother, being a woman of strong character, made a scene and then returned to Nan City with your father. Later, I married your father, and everything was fine at first, but then your father died from severe injuries sustained in a truck accident. The factory contributed some money, but it wasn’t enough; we sold everything we could, but still, it wasn’t sufficient. To save your father, your grandmother traveled again to Yanjing but failed to get any money. Overwhelmed by grief and the indignity she suffered in Yanjing, the proud old lady couldn’t bear it and passed away six months after your father died."

By then, Yan Cui was sobbing uncontrollably.

"Mom, then that Zhou Bing who came these past few days isn’t really my uncle; he is our family’s enemy!" Zhou Yuanchao exclaimed. "I won’t talk about my dad, he was injured after all. But grandmother, you said she was strong, yet she also died within half a year; she was surely angered to death!"

"I... I..." Overcome by her son’s reproach and the painful memories, Yan Cui found herself at a loss for words.

Huo Yingjie frowned and said, "Yuanchao, don’t rush things. Let your aunt calm down for a while, then she can talk slowly. There must be a reason she hasn’t spoken about it."

Although Zhou Yuanchao was very anxious, he didn’t want to press his mother further.

All these years, his mother had endured so much hardship, raising him alone after leaving her hometown; there must be deeper reasons behind it.

"Woo woo woo..." Yan Cui wept softly, fighting back her tears.

Wang Ying took a handkerchief from her bag and handed it to Yan Cui, saying, "Mom, wipe your tears. The past is behind us; we need to look forward. Don’t be afraid; we have support now. The Boss won’t neglect us, and you needn’t fear; things will eventually get better."

Her mother-in-law had been distraught these past few days, and Wang Ying had sensed something was amiss.

But when she asked her mother-in-law, the latter declined to speak, so she stopped asking.

She never imagined that her mother-in-law harbored so many secrets.

After a while, Yan Cui finally composed herself a bit and slowly said, "After your father and grandmother passed away, I was left alone to support Yuanchao. Initially, I was an accountant at the factory, but I was framed and lost my job. I pleaded with the leaders for work, and out of pity, they transferred me to the agricultural department to clean, warning me not to make trouble since I had offended someone. They said that if I caused more trouble, even the cleaning job would be gone."

Zhou Yuanchao could imagine how tough it was for his mother alone back then.

"Then what happened?" Zhou Yuanchao couldn’t help but feel his nose sting.

"After a long time, I realized I was not someone who talked much, nor had I offended anyone. Thinking back to what your grandmother told me before she died, to raise you well and not to seek justice in Yanjing, I decided to just stay in Nan City. Later, I speculated that perhaps people from Yanjing were targeting me. Us being alone, a mother and child, could never stand against those powerful figures. Then, your stepfather came with his leader to deliver some bulls, working here for six months. That’s when we met; he often saw me struggling with heavy work and helped me. Realizing that I wouldn’t last here and might collapse from exhaustion, I feared not for myself, but for you, Yuanchao, who was only three years old then. With no relatives on my side, should I die, who would protect you from the people in Yanjing? That’s why I went with your stepfather to Mongolia. Although life was harsh there, at least we didn’t have to worry about being bullied or marginalized. Your stepfather is a good man; he treated you as his own, and after Qiqige was born, our family felt even warmer."

"Mom, why didn’t you tell me?" Zhou Yuanchao choked up, "How could you bear keeping so many secrets alone?"

Yan Cui gave a bitter smile and said, "All these years, we have been doing well, and I didn’t want hatred to blind you. As long as you were fine, I was reassured. That day, when I ran into Zhou Bing, he recognized me and tracked you down, so he came looking. Don’t blame me, Yuanchao, I never expected this to happen."