The next day, the brother and sister took a train back to the long-missed county town. As soon as they got off, things had really changed quite a bit.

    Many of the old houses had been renovated into new ones.

    The market was extraordinarily bustling, with peopleing and going, looking quite prosperous.

    The two of them took a tricycle, spent two yuan, and got off at the entrance of Liupan Vige.

    The vige itself hadn''t changed much.

    The crooked tree at the entrance was still there, and people were still sitting under it, chatting idly.

    Seeing them walk over, someone had already looked over! After all, they were dressed smartly, unlike the people in the vige.

    "Oh dear, aren''t you Bai Yue from the Bai Family?"

    Someone had already recognized her.

    Bai Yue''s reputation was quite renowned in Liupan Vige.

    Nowadays, who in Liupan Vige doesn''t know Bai Yue has made it big, earning good money in the city, even opening restaurants all the way to the Capital.

    There''s nowhere in the country Bai Yue hasn''t opened a restaurant.

    It''s the whole country, indeed.

    Many young people from vige families work under Bai Yue, so who doesn''t know Bai Yue?

    Seeing Bai Yue, naturally, many were eager to approach.

    She was someone who left the vige and seeded; the lively ones had already stepped forward to strike up a conversation.

    Bai Yue smiled and said, "Auntie, I''m Bai Yue. I''vee back with my brother Bai Song to see my grandma."

    Immediately, a crowd gathered around the two of them, each saying a word or two, afraid Bai Yue wouldn''t remember them.

    "Your grandma''s health isn''t great. I heard she fell a few days ago and is lying at home."

    "Your second uncle is such a scoundrel. He hasn''t even looked at your grandma all these years. I heard thest time he went to see her was to ask for her house! He got chased away by your grandma."

    "It''s the first time I''ve seen such an unfilial son."

    The words of the crowd chilled Bai Yue and Bai Song''s hearts.

    Bai Jianguo really did such a thing.

    They finally reached the Bai family''s old yard, where arge crowd was gathered at the entrance.

    Everyone was pointing andmenting.

    From the yard entrance came the olddy''s wailing cries.

    "Bai Jianguo! You heartless wretch, this is my yard. Why should I move out? I''m telling you, I''m not moving, unless I''m dead. I''m definitely not moving."

    "Help! Bai Jianguo wants to take his mother''s life!"

    Bai Yue nced at Bai Song, and they both immediately recognized the voice belonged to their grandma.

    They hurriedly pushed through the crowd to get inside.

    They saw Bai Jianguo was about to carry the olddy, Li Chunhua, out, with Bai Zhuang and Bai Shan assisting him. The olddy''s hand gripped the door frame tightly, her face filled with anger, yet clearly, she was no match for the three hefty men. "Mom, I''m doing this for your good, bringing you to our ce to enjoy life. You''re my mom, how could I stand by and watch you lie here? I''m telling you I''m your son, and when ites to crucial moments, it''s this son who''s most sympathetic to you.

    That dear grandson of yours, Bai Song, hasn''t looked at you for years. That granddaughter left you money but doesn''t care about you either. It''s only me being kind; otherwise, you''d be a lonely old woman, pitifully dying here without anyone knowing."

    Bai Jianguo didn''t mind being shameless. He pried her fingers off one by one. Ever since the olddy injured her leg, Bai Jianguo started coveting the house. If he managed to bring her to his ce, Bai Zhuang and Bai Shan could move in.

    With both sons married, many conflicts arose.

    Wu Xiaoyue was a home-wrecker, urging Bai Zhuang to work in the county. The couple worked there for years, until Bai Zhuang got into a fight and ended up with huge debts, leaving them no choice but to return.

    Bai Shan married apetent wife; she handled livestock at home and even leased an orchard. Their life was lively and prosperous.

    But once Bai Zhuang and Wu Xiaoyue returned, their life immediately became chaotic.

    Bai Zhuang and Wu Xiaoyue insisted that the money Bai Shan and his wife made belonged to the family since everything was done under the family name, so they shamelessly demanded their share.

    Bai Shan refused.

    So the brothers fought frequently.

    Almost every three days a small fight, and every five days a big one.

    Eventually, Bai Jianguo couldn''t bear it anymore; he could only think of dividing the family.

    So he targeted the olddy for help.

    This house would be split for the brothers to live in, separating them, so the couple could be at peace.

    That''s how the idea came about.

    Bai Jianguo couldn''t bear to give Bai Zhuang and Bai Shan the house he built.

    Nor did he want to spend money for them to build their own, which led to this dumb idea.

    If he didn''t care for the olddy for years, Bai Jianguo had no real intention of caring now; he just wanted to move her out, andter, find an excuse to throw her in the back shed, just feeding her was enough.

    Yet it would save quite a fewrge tiled rooms.

    Besides, he knew Bai Yue sent the olddy money frequently; the olddy didn''t have anywhere to spend it, holding money in her hand.

    "Rely on you? Bah! You white-eyed wolf, you''ve lived in the same vige for years without seeing me once, even going out of your way if you met me on the road, fearing I''d implicate you. You didn''t even show a shadow during festivals; now youe running! Pah, you take me for a fool!

    I''m telling you, you want to move me out to make space for your sons, not a chance! Folks, talk some sense! An old woman is being bullied to death by this unfilial son.

    If you carried me over, today I''d rather kill myself right here, let everyone see I have such a son who pushes his mother to the brink."

    Bai Song stepped forward and pushed Bai Jianguo away. Bai Jianguo was just about to have Bai Zhuang and Bai Shan carry the olddy away when someone pushed him hard, making him furious.

    "Who''s meddling in our family''s matter?! Bastard..."

    Over the years, Bai Jianguo had walked further down the path of shamelessness,cking any of the restraint he used to have.

    He turned his head and saw Bai Song''s cold gaze, startled, and jumped aside in fright.

    Bai Song was really fierce.

    When it came to fighting, he knew Bai Song was an instructor by training; even ten of him wouldn''t be Bai Song''s match.

    He remembered clearly thest time Bai Song came back and beat the two of them up; Bai Jianguo''s mischief was calcted based on people''s nature! He dared to act only because Bai Song hadn''t been back for years.

    Seeing Bai Song, of course, made him feel guilty.

    Bai Song strode forward and picked up the olddy, "Grandma, we''ll go home, no one can kick you out of our house''s door, I''ll carry you back. Big sister, open the door. I want to see who dares to stop me."

    That demeanor, that tone, themanding presence, and the iron will, instantly intimidated the members of the Bai Family.

    Bai Zhuang and Bai Shan moved aside of their own ord, not daring not to; the two of them had been disciplined by Bai Song many times.

    They knew they were no match.

    Bai Yue pushed open the door as Bai Song carried the olddy into the house.

    Li Chunhua, with tears wetting her face, beat Bai Song''s chest, "Why did youe back? My dear grandson, grandma almost couldn''t guard the home left for you, I''m paying for my sinsmitted back then! Now retribution hase upon me, facing unfilial sons, I deserve this.

    I''m not afraid of dying; what I''m scared of is not making it until you return, and then all the house andnd will be taken by that beast. I''m unwilling! It''s really good that you''vee back, really good. Now grandma can die with peace."

    Everyone was choked up.

    Li Chunhua''s situation, what''s right and wrong, really was hard to judge.

    Perhaps heaven indeed has its retributions.

    No one whomits sins escapes heaven''s judgment.

    Unconsciously, this retribution had already fallen upon the one involved.