"The washing machine—this washing machine looks quite nice. Where should we put it?"
Yang Yufen glanced around the house.
"How about the hallway? I’ll install an extra light there later to make it brighter. It’ll be nice and breezy when the wind blows through the courtyard."
Her daughter-in-law mentioned dismantling something, but Yang Yufen didn’t ask further. She cleared the hallway, and the driver unloaded the washing machine and carried it into the yard.
"Mom, don’t worry about the light for now. Do we have an extension cord at home? I’d like to test this washing machine first."
"I’ll find one for you. I remember we have one. Have you eaten yet? Why don’t you have a meal first?"
Yang Yufen turned to look for the extension cord, but Qin Nian wasn’t in the mood to eat. She stared at the washing machine—all the tests showed no issues, so where exactly was the problem?
"Nian Nian, see if this extension cord works. Last time, a peddler was selling them cheap, and they looked sturdy. I bought one for myself and one for Auntie Wang, thinking they’d come in handy eventually."
"It’s fine, Mom. You go ahead with your work. I can handle this myself."
Qin Nian took the extension cord, plugged it in, and Yang Yufen hesitated before heading to the kitchen. No one could skip meals—it must be the heat making her picky about food.
Yang Yufen scooped flour into a bowl, preparing to make hand-pulled noodles. She cracked two eggs into the flour and was about to add water when suddenly, the kitchen light flickered and went out.
A commotion came from outside, and Yang Yufen hurried out.
Qin Nian quickly unplugged the cord, but it was too late—the house’s wiring had short-circuited.
"What happened? Are you hurt? This extension cord is such poor quality—it actually caught fire!"
Yang Yufen kicked the smoking cord in disgust.
Qin Nian stood frozen, still holding the washing machine’s plug.
"That damn peddler must’ve sold us fakes! The cord looks thick, but there’s barely any wire inside."
Yang Yfen inspected it, tossed the cord aside, and went to check if the fuse had blown.
"Mom, I know where the problem is now. Thank you so much!"
Yang Yufen was caught off guard when Qin Nian suddenly hugged her.
"What? As long as you’re happy. Let me replace the fuse first."
"Mom, I’ll do it. There’s something else I need to confirm."
Qin Nian took the initiative to help. Yang Yufen handed her the fuse, and Qin Nian climbed onto a stool to replace it before flipping the switch back on.
The lights came back on.
Qin Nian unplugged the old washing machine and connected the new one. This time, the extension cord held up.
She pressed the start button, holding her breath as the washing machine began operating normally. Gritting her teeth, she went inside to fetch bedsheets and pillowcases, tossing them into the machine.
The washing machine ran smoothly through the entire cycle, including the spin cycle, without any issues.
Qin Nian finally smiled—the problem wasn’t with the machine after all.
"Mom, I need to go out."
"Where to? I’ll take you. Xianjun’s new motorized tricycle is faster than a bicycle and doesn’t tire you out."
She had just kneaded the dough, which still needed time to rest.
"I’m going to the supply and marketing cooperative."
"I’ll take you."
Yang Yufen started the vehicle efficiently, and Qin Nian closed the door behind her before hopping on. They sped off toward the cooperative.
"Any later and they’d be closed. What’s so urgent?"
The sales clerk at the cooperative knew Yang Yufen well—if it were anyone else, she’d have already locked the door.
"What kinds of extension cords do you have in stock? Give me one of each."
"Why so many? That’s quite a few."
The clerk went to gather them, and Qin Nian patted her pockets, realizing she’d forgotten to bring money.
"I’ll pay. Would the department store have more? They might still be open. Are these enough?"
Yang Yufen saw only five or six types and couldn’t spot any difference, but if her daughter-in-law was in such a hurry, it must be important.
"No need, Mom. These are enough. Most households buy from the cooperative anyway. If these pass the test, there shouldn’t be any major issues."
If compatibility was too low, they might need to consider reducing the washing machine’s power output.
On the way back, Qin Nian finally noticed how skillfully her mother-in-law handled the tricycle.
"Mom, have you driven one of these before?"
"Never. Xianjun taught me today. It’s not hard at all—just twist the handle to go, press the pedal to shift gears, and hit the brakes if something’s in the way. Much simpler than a tractor. You young folks are quick learners—you’d pick it up even faster."
Yang Yufen smiled warmly. Back home, she headed straight to the kitchen to cook, stir-frying some pickled vegetables when the sound of children echoed outside.
"Grandma! Grandma! We’re back! Mom!"
"Hello, Auntie Qin!"
The kids’ excited voices surrounded Qin Nian in an instant.
"Mom, is this the new washing machine?"
The children immediately crowded around the machine, marveling at it.
"Mom, don’t use that extension cord anymore. That peddler must’ve been selling counterfeit goods. We’ll keep this washing machine for home use."
Qin Nian cheerfully packed things away.
"If I ever see that peddler again, I’ll drag him straight to the police station. Our old washing machine worked fine, but this one’s even more convenient—no need to manually change the water. Much easier."
Yang Yufen adjusted the positioning of both washing machines, lining them up side by side.
"I think we still have a piece of coarse cloth. I’ll cover the machine with it."
"Kids, I have a question for you. Would you like to know what your parents and their colleagues do at work every day?"
After dinner, Qin Nian suddenly brought it up once the children finished their homework.
"Yes!"
Li Wu reacted the fastest, and Li Wen nodded too.
"But kids aren’t allowed where Mom and Dad work."
Wang Xing spoke from experience. If not for befriending Li Wen and Li Wu, he’d have spent every day waiting alone for his parents to come home, eating at the canteen by himself, and enduring his uncle’s family’s bullying during holidays.
Qin Nian reached out and ruffled Wang Xing’s hair. Li Wu also nudged his head forward, asking for the same affection, and Qin Nian laughed, patting both boys.
"There’s a chance for you to see for yourselves now, but you’ll have to follow a few rules."
Similar conversations weren’t limited to just this household.
"You’ve never understood why your parents are always so busy, right? Here’s your chance to see for yourself. This is a special exception—if you can meet my conditions, I’ll take you to see what we’re actually doing and why we push you to study things you don’t like."
The date was set for Sunday, when the children had no school. This wasn’t just an opportunity for the kids of Qin Nian’s team—every child of suitable age in the residential compound was invited.
They weren’t taken straight to the lab. Instead, they were first shown a series of slides.
Outdated equipment. Tragic outcomes. The sacrifices and losses—each life laid bare in blood and tears.
