Qian Limei hadn't spoken yet, but her stomach grumbled.
"Do you have anything to eat?"
Cheng You didn't let her in but brought something out for her from the house.
Qian Hongmei devoured the food, nearly choking, and Cheng You handed her a cup of water.
"Eat and then go."
Qian Limei sat down again, curling up on the ground.
"Jiang Wanrou swindled my money. She told me you were her cousin, and you have to take responsibility for this."
Cheng You: "..."
Jiang Wanrou remembered her cousin when she was digging a hole for herself.
"I'm not close to her. If she really cheated you out of money, I suggest you report it to the police. I can't help you."
Qian Limei snorted, "I don't have money to go to the police, so of course I'm looking for you."
Cheng You was the person Jiang Wanrou mentioned the most.
She said her cousin had opened a pharmacy and had a house in Yancheng.
Qian Limei had been wandering outside for ten days, inquiring for a full ten days, before finally finding this place.
Cheng You didn't know what to do, so she went inside and closed the door.
Perhaps she would leave tomorrow.
Tomorrow she still had to arrange the move, so she needed to sleep early.
However, Cheng You didn't expect that when she woke up the next morning, Qian Limei was still at the door.
She had actually slept outside all night. She was quite determined.
"Why haven't you left yet? Didn't I tell you, I don't know where Jiang Wanrou is, and I certainly can't handle her affairs."
Qian Limei immediately knelt down in front of her, startling Cheng You.
"Besides looking for you, I have no other way. When I was in the countryside, my mother-in-law sold me. She brought my son to Yancheng with her. I only had a few dozen yuan left and managed to survive until now, only for Jiang Wanrou to steal it. I haven't found my son yet, I can't leave!"
Cheng You looked at her expression; it didn't seem like she was lying.
But she couldn't help with this matter.
"This is too complicated. You should seek help from the police station. I'm truly powerless."
However, she still returned the money that Jiang Wanrou had stolen.
This was the last time she would clean up Jiang Wanrou's mess.
"By the way, Sister Qian, do you know where Jiang Wanrou is?"
Qian Limei shook her head, "If I knew, I would definitely go ask her for money."
She took the money and left without a moment's hesitation.
After Qian Limei left, Qi Chengyan began calling people to help move things.
Cheng You really liked the canopy bed here, so he called professionals to dismantle it.
The rest of the items could be sold to the military unit, so they didn't need to be moved.
Cheng You packed her clothes while the movers worked.
She even dug up the rose bushes planted in the corner, preparing to transplant them.
After all, she had watered them so much, she couldn't bear to let them perish here.
Qi Chengyan called for a truck to be brought, which could carry everything in one go.
However, most of the space was occupied by the huanghuali canopy bed.
Closing the door, Cheng You felt a sense of emotion.
She had only lived in such a large courtyard for a few months before moving away, and she truly felt a bit reluctant.
Qi Chengyan gently stroked her head, "If you have time on the weekend, you can come back to stay."
Cheng You shook her head, "Since all the things are moved, there's no need to come back and stay."
The two of them followed the truck to the military compound.
The empty courtyard suddenly had new residents, and many people gathered outside to watch.
Especially when they realized that the person moving in was Qi Chengyan, who was currently the talk of the town in the military.
Their neighbor held the same position as Qi Chengyan, also a battalion commander.
The woman's surname was He, and everyone called her Sister-in-law He.
She was fair-skinned and plump, looking amiable and kind. She even proactively helped Cheng You move things.
As the moving was nearing completion, Zhang Fuqiang arrived, accompanied by a woman.
Sister-in-law He said, "This Deputy Regiment Commander Zhang is a widower who lost his wife. The woman beside him is the housekeeper Sister Jin from Political Commissar Luo's family. She's also a widow. I don't know when these two hit it off."
Zhang Fuqiang smiled and said, "Chengyan, I came to see if there's anything I can help with."
Cheng You smiled, "Deputy Regiment Commander Zhang, you've arrived just in time. We've just finished moving."
Zhang Fuqiang's expression stiffened. He was skilled at dissembling, and he rarely encountered a straightforward woman like Cheng You.
The woman beside him smiled and said, "The items are all moved. I'll help with the tidying up, sweeping, and wiping windows. I can do it all."
Cheng You waved her hand with a smile, "Thank you, Sister-in-law, but it's not necessary. My place is small, and Sister-in-law He's help is enough."
Sister Jin didn't say anything further.
There were two rooms, one large and one small. After placing the canopy bed in the larger one, there was still plenty of space, and the natural light was good.
The other room had a similar layout but was smaller in area.
What Cheng You liked most was the courtyard.
There was a plot of land next to it; once the weeds were cleared, it could be planted.
She first planted the rose bushes in the corner, letting them climb up the wall.
The remaining pots of ginseng and Polygonum multiflorum were placed in a sunny spot.
These didn't take up much space, leaving a large open area.
Cheng You thought about buying some seeds later to plant some small greens and tomatoes.
The kitchen wasn't ready yet, so they probably couldn't cook tonight.
Cheng You originally intended to ask Qi Chengyan to get some food from the mess hall for a simple meal.
But Qi Chengyan walked in from outside and said, "Mom and Dad are asking us to go back for dinner. Do you want to go?"
Cheng You nodded, "Then let's go."
Although she wasn't particularly fond of the Qi family.
However, after all, they were Qi Chengyan's parents, and they lived in the military compound. They would see each other often in the future, so there was no need to make things too awkward.
The two of them tidied up briefly and then went to the Qi family's house for dinner.
Qi Yang had specifically taken leave to come back.
She hadn't even seen the process of Qi Chengyan's name being cleared, so she definitely wouldn't miss this family reunion, especially with Zhou Qi no longer being an eyesore in the house.
"A friend sent some seafood. Have Sister Lin cook it."
Seafood was only available in coastal areas. The fact that Qi Yang brought it live indicated its rarity.
The family tacitly avoided mentioning past events, and the meal was quite harmonious.
When Cheng You and Qi Chengyan returned home, Qi Yang also left with them, and the house became quiet again.
Song Qinglan felt a sense of loss and asked Qi Shengwen, "Don't you think our house is too quiet?"
Sister Lin smiled and said, "A place without children is naturally quiet. Chengyan is married now; he should start thinking about having children. In our village, at Chengyan's age, children are already running around everywhere."
Song Qinglan suddenly realized that Cheng You and Qi Chengyan had been married for over a year, yet they hadn't planned for pregnancy.
"But Cheng You is still in college. Wouldn't pregnancy require a leave of absence?" Sister Lin added.
Song Qinglan felt a little uncomfortable. So Qi Chengyan wasn't planning to have children yet because of Cheng You?
"It's fine. I'll talk to them later."
Qi Shengwen glanced at her, "It's best if you don't interfere in their affairs."
Song Qinglan snorted, "Why can't I interfere? She's our Qi family's daughter-in-law, after all."