A charming widow in her 70s married a factory manager and raised his children.

Zhuang Qingxiang hadn't expected that her embarrassing situation had already been noticed by him. She opened her mouth, then closed it again.

She desperately needed clothes, but...

"Don't feel pressured. If you can take good care of the child, you'll still have a set of clothes for winter," Lu Congyue said casually, as if it were a very ordinary thing.

Zhuang Qingxiang didn't know what to do. She had so many words of gratitude to say, but she felt that just saying them would be insincere.

In the end, all she could do was swear that she would take good care of the child.

Lu Congyue gestured to her that she didn't need to say so much; he knew whether she was doing a good job or not.

"I'm going to the factory to return the car... Oh, by the way, the package I picked up from the post office is for you, take a look."

After Lu Congyue finished speaking, he went out, drove away, and left.

Zhuang Qingxiang went back to her room with an excited heart. She changed into her new clothes and tried them on. They were a little loose, but that was okay; they were better than being too tight.

The white color is a bit see-through, so it wouldn't be good if it were too close to the skin.

It's a pity it's a short-sleeved shirt, only suitable for summer wear, which Zhuang Qingxiang found somewhat regrettable.

She still prefers long sleeves, which she can wear all year round.

Zhuang Qingxiang changed into a clean vest and new clothes, then put the old clothes in a basin to wash after dinner.

When she came out and saw the package, she was a little confused, thinking that Lu Congyue was also hers. When she opened it, her joy and excitement suddenly turned into unease.

It turned out to be two bags of milk powder...

What does Director Lu mean by this? Does it mean she doesn't need to feed the baby anymore?

Lost in thought, I went to the kitchen to make lunch, feeling sorry for my new clothes. How could I have forgotten about them? I should have cooked in my old clothes first.

Afraid of getting her new clothes dirty, Zhuang Qingxiang chose to make the simplest noodles.

She ate a hot bowl of soup noodles herself, and made a sweet and sour cold noodle dish for Lu Congyue and Xiao Qianyue.

Lu Congyue returned quickly. Seeing Zhuang Qingxiang in the kitchen, he went into the inner room, rummaged around, and took out the glass baby bottle he had bought earlier, placing it next to the milk powder.

When Zhuang Qingxiang came out with the noodles, he saw that she was wearing a white shirt and pursed her lips.

"What are you having for lunch?" he asked.

"Cold noodles," Zhuang Qingxiang hurriedly replied.

I'm still a bit confused. Director Lu has never asked me anything; we just eat whatever's available...

She noticed the baby bottle next to the formula, bit her lip, and couldn't help but ask, "Director Lu, did you buy formula for the baby?"

"Hmm...keep it on hand." Lu Congyue replied expressionlessly, "It'll be more convenient if you need to go out or anything."

Zhuang Qingxiang then realized that she had worried for nothing; he had considered everything very thoroughly.

"Director Lu is such a good person!" she thought to herself.

It's a pity that such a good person doesn't marry or have children...

It's quite pitiful if it's due to a health problem.

Zhuang Qingxiang ate while her mind wandered.

Lu Congyue's eyes showed admiration when he took his first bite of the cold noodles, and he even ate faster.

At midday, a mouthful of sweet and sour cold noodles is truly refreshing.

"It tastes good," he said briefly.

Zhuang Qingxiang snapped out of her daze and hurriedly said, "If you like it, I'll make it often in the future."

"I'm fine with anything." Although Lu Congyue thought the taste was very good, he wasn't greedy for food.

After dinner, Lu Congyue asked Zhuang Qingxiang to take care of the child while he cleaned up the dishes.

Zhuang Qingxiang reluctantly counted her four yuan twice. When Lu Congyue returned, she took the money out and hurriedly put it on the table.

"Director Lu, the things we bought today... this money is definitely not enough. Would it be alright if the rest were deducted from my salary?"

Lu Congyue frowned, the relaxed expression on his face vanishing instantly: "Did I ask you to pay? Take it back!"

Seeing his dark expression, Zhuang Qingxiang nervously swallowed and mustered her courage to say, "Those things are for me to buy to make some snacks for Teacher Sun. It's my own business, and I can't take advantage of you."

She didn't dare look at Lu Congyue's expression after she finished speaking, and quickly went back to the inner room.

Looking at the closed door, and then at the four yuan notes ranging from one yuan to ten cents, Lu Congyue laughed in anger.

Does he lack her money?

Don't think he doesn't know what she does all day.

With just four yuan, she would sew or embroider at night by the light. It was only at his house that she didn't have to worry about electricity. If it were at her own house, she would probably have to stay up late with the light on.

It's annoying to look at.

Lu Congyue didn't touch the four yuan, but instead took out the thick envelope and opened it to look at it.

Inside was the information he had someone investigate about Zhuang Qingxiang's background.

It is clearly written above that she is a descendant of the Zhuang family in Beijing. Her mother is named Zhuang Qingmiao, who was a concubine of the Zhuang family. Originally, she was a maid in the Zhuang family without a surname and was called Qingmiao from childhood to adulthood. She was only allowed to take the surname Zhuang after becoming a concubine.

Later, a rule was introduced prohibiting polygamy, so the Zhuang family did not hesitate to process the paperwork for Zhuang Qingmiao to leave the family. They probably didn't think much of the child she had, so Zhuang Qingmiao left with her daughter, Zhuang Qingxiang.

It all happened twenty years ago. For those twenty years, Zhuang Qingxiang lived in Dongya Village.

After Lu Congyue finished reading all the documents, he went to the kitchen and burned them all. Then he went out to Dongya Village to find Village Chief Qian.

Most of the previous suspicions about Zhuang Qingxiang have been dispelled.

Let alone twenty years ago, even two years ago, no one would have known that a factory would be built here. Even if enemy agents were planting spies, they wouldn't have chosen this place.

When Village Chief Qian saw Lu Congyue coming over, he thought Zhuang Qingxiang had caused trouble, so he quickly asked what was going on.

Lu Congyue said in a deep voice, "She didn't cause any trouble. I'm mainly here to ask about her specific situation."

The details were so specific, down to when Zhuang Qingxiang came to Dongya Village, how she lived, and what the situation was like in her parents' and husband's families... it was all very detailed.

Village Chief Qian felt a pang of panic. After answering, he couldn't help but ask, "Director Lu, why are you suddenly asking so many questions? Is there something wrong?"

"I'll feel more at ease if I find out the details," Lu Congyue said calmly. "You know our factory's rules; everything must be kept secret, so we need to find out everyone's background."

Village Chief Qian swallowed hard and said dryly, "I've told you everything about her, without hiding a single word. You can ask around the village if you don't believe me!"

He paused, then continued, "Director Lu, she has no bad intentions, she's not a bad person, I can vouch for that! Everyone in our village knows she's honest and hardworking, and she's especially good at housework. It's just that good people don't always get good rewards, sigh..."

"What's the story with her brother?" Lu Congyue asked again.

Village Chief Qian: "Which younger brother? She has three younger brothers, and she raised them all."

Lu Congyue thought for a moment: "My younger brother?"

Village Chief Qian slapped his thigh: "Hey, Qian Haoqing, he really is her biological brother. All her other brothers were born to her stepmother, but that one was born to her mother, though he doesn't share the same father with her."

"They don't get along?" Lu Congyue asked.

Village Chief Qian snorted coldly: "If she were any better, I wouldn't have brought her to your place. Please, I beg you, let her stay and give her some food. She was kicked out by her husband's family, and the only place she has left is her younger brother's house. As you know, her family can hardly be considered her maternal family."

"But Qian Haoqing was unwilling to take her in at all, saying that she was unlucky, that she had killed her mother and husband, and that she had two burdens with her, which would be a hindrance to him and his family. He didn't even let her in the door."