Reborn with a Space: Building a Fortune Amidst Famine

Chapter 1262: Chapter 1262: Frightened

Finally, they came out of the platform. Zhao Qingjie carried the luggage to the corner, "Xuemei. Wait here, I’ll go check what time the train is."

Qi Xuemei nodded, pulling her son to sit on the luggage.

"Zhiping, when your dad comes over, I’ll buy you a candied hawthorn.

Next time when you see something you like, tell me, and I’ll buy it for you. Standing there silently, what if someone takes you away?

You wouldn’t be able to find your dad and us, and then you wouldn’t have a home anymore.

They kidnap children to eat them. Just like killing a pig, they kill them and then cook the meat."

Qi Xuemei was just trying to scare her little son, thinking she must make him afraid from the inside out.

If the child really got lost, Qi Xuemei figured she wouldn’t be able to live either.

Zhiping finally got scared. He burst into tears, "Mom, I won’t dare anymore from now on."

Qi Xuemei hugged her son, tears welling up. She was already unwilling to come here, and her son nearly got lost just now. Now all she felt was resentment towards Zhao Qingjie.

Zhao Tian was watching from the side. He wasn’t a fool and knew that this time his daughter-in-law would definitely hold a grudge against him.

When Zhao Qingjie returned, Qi Xuemei didn’t respond to him. She held Zhiping’s hand and went to buy candied hawthorn. Almost losing her son over a stick of candied hawthorn, no matter what, today she had to let her son have some.

Zhao Qingjie called her thrice before Qi Xuemei turned back, "I’m taking Zhiping to buy candied hawthorn."

Seeing this, Zhao Qingjie said nothing and sat on the luggage pile. These were packed in fertilizer bags. Even though they were dirty, the things inside weren’t.

Zhao Tian came over and sat beside his son, "What time is the train?"

"In the evening."

"Second, I didn’t mean it just now. I was also afraid of getting lost, so I followed you closely and forgot about Zhiping."

Zhao Qingjie kept his head down and didn’t say a word. He regretted it to death. He shouldn’t have taken this hot potato just for the money.

He was scared just a moment ago, but having spent so many days on the train, apart from eating, there was nothing he managed. Even for meals, they had to buy and bring them back.

Zhao Tian knew his son was resenting him now. He was also frightened and regretful.

Zhao Qingjie just sat waiting at the side. After a long while, Qi Xuemei finally returned with Zhiping.

Kids are like that. Once they get the candied hawthorn, they are happy.

The family of four, among them only Zhiping was happy. The other three sat with their heads down without speaking.

There were still seven or eight hours until boarding, and they could only wait here.

Hawthorns stimulate appetite; Zhiping finished the candied hawthorn and soon cried out in hunger.

Having been frightened just now, whatever her little son asked for, Qi Xuemei would satisfy.

She stood up, holding Zhiping’s hand, wanting to buy him something to eat.

At this time, Zhao Qingjie stopped them, "You two wait here, I’ll go buy food."

After asking around, he found it really expensive. But they couldn’t skip meals, so he only bought two vegetable buns for Zhiping, and ten cornbreads for the rest.

Qi Xuemei didn’t object; right now, her thought was just not to be hungry.

All afternoon, she coaxed Zhiping, not letting him out of her sight because there were so many people in the train station.

Until it was almost time to board, Qi Xuemei still tethered her son, too afraid of losing him.

It was a short-distance train starting from the Capital, packed with people, and they barely squeezed in, needing to pay extra for so much luggage.

After enduring two more days on the train, they finally got off at the county town.

Arriving there, Zhao Tian felt more confident. Even though he had only been to the county town a few times, he felt he could find his way home.

Qi Xuemei didn’t speak to him throughout the journey. After getting off, she stayed on the platform watching the luggage with Zhiping, while Zhao Qingjie carried it out bit by bit.

They had left for so many years. The train station had changed. Zhao Qingjie hoped to run into someone he knew, but upon reaching here, he realized he might not even recognize someone from his own village.

They moved all their luggage to the outside of the train station. Zhao Qingjie considered hiring a vehicle; there was no way they could go back like this.

His idea was right. After finding a horse carriage, the owner was reluctant upon seeing so much luggage, and they had to pay an additional fifty cents to set off.

The coachman was talkative and chatted with Zhao Qingjie.

"Where are you coming from? Your accent sounds strange."

"I’m from West River Village. I went to Jiangbei Farm over ten years ago, but after all these years, I thought I should come back."

"Isn’t it right to come back? Falling leaves return to roots.

You’re from West River Village. Do you know there is a distinguished official from your village?"

Zhao Qingjie knew he was talking about Su Yuanyuan.

"Yes, I am returning this time seeking her help."

"Really? Tell me about that important official?"

"Nothing much to say." Zhao Qingjie wasn’t foolish; some things weren’t for him to discuss.

"They arranged for your return, so they must have arranged a job, right?"

"Yes, that’s right."

"How nice, being able to know such a capable person. You must have a good relationship with them, right? If there’s anything, can I come to you? Don’t worry, I won’t ask for your help for nothing."

Zhao Qingjie quickly refused, "I don’t have that capability. That they helped me return was already because of being from the same village; I don’t have the face to ask for anything else."

"Why say that? Such a good opportunity, and you don’t take it? People asking you for help would give a lot of money."

Zhao Qingjie shook his head, "I really don’t have that capability." He was tempted but didn’t know where Su Yuanyuan’s family had gone, so how could he ask for help?

He knew very well that even if he did ask, Su Yuanyuan wouldn’t help; it was evident from this recent return that they weren’t close.

This was why he envied his elder brother; all the good things went to him.

After all, in their younger days, weren’t they the same? The elder brother hadn’t contacted Su Yuanyuan for so many years, so why be so close to the elder brother’s family upon returning?

"Brother, it doesn’t seem like you have a bad relationship. So I’ll be straightforward; I have a nephew who got arrested. His parents gathered a hundred yuan, just hoping to find someone to get my nephew out. It’s just a matter of you saying the word and earning a hundred yuan."

This time, Zhao Qingjie was even more tempted. But he also knew it wasn’t something he could pull off; not even for a thousand could he earn it.

The middle-aged coachman kept urging Zhao Qingjie until Zhao Qingjie stopped responding.

Entering the village, Zhao Tian felt familiar with everything, feeling close to everywhere he looked.

They had left ten years ago, and there had been significant changes. Many new houses stood in the village, and the children on the streets were unfamiliar.