Chronicle of the 70s
Chapter 52 - 052 Finished the second watch

Chapter 52: 052 Finished the second watch

It turns out that this is what happened.

These two people just happen to be police officers from the Public Security Bureau, who had just finished discussing matters at the Family Planning Department and saw someone acting suspiciously, looking around from the window.

The two police officers, being new recruits eager to prove themselves, mistook Ge Sanmei, who was peeping around, as a suspect. However, Ge Sanmei explained loudly that she was there with the brigade commander and her husband to handle household registration matters.

The new police officers, adhering to the principle of not wronging a good person, still brought her over, only to find a crowd at the doorstep of the household registration office.

After clearing up the misunderstanding, the new officers hadn’t made any achievement but ended up causing trouble. The female officer asked somewhat angrily, "If you’re here to transfer household registration, just do that. Why did you sneak off to the Family Planning Department?"

Ge Sanmei’s face turned red, unable to reply immediately. She just wanted to see if Wang Xiwang was still there and to inquire if the arrangement regarding her son’s job was still valid. She knew that her daughter was no longer willing to marry into that family, which likely meant that matter was off. Yet, thinking about how her second son was unhappy at home made her heartache. Besides, she didn’t intend to sign any nonsense papers, fearing that once Xiang became successful, she might abandon their family. How could she allow that? She had to avoid it.

Hearing this, Li Dafu, standing nearby, learned that his brother’s wife had gone to the Family Planning Department without knowing why. Although he didn’t know what she was doing there, at such a critical moment, why she ran off there instead of handling household registration matters perplexed him, but he politely apologized in front of the officers, "Officers, thank you for your hard work. You are indeed vigilant. However, my sister-in-law is a bit naive, not very articulate. She just went to the restroom and got lost; we apologize for the trouble."

The two new officers, hearing their vigilance praised, instantly calmed down from the irritation, rolled their eyes, gave a brief lecture, and then left.

As the officers walked away, Li Dafu grimly scolded Ge Sanmei on the side: "What now, feeling confident? Who were you trying to meet at this critical moment? Planning to sell someone off again?"

Ge Sanmei didn’t respond, but she was furious. Just now, her uncle had called her a simpleton to the officers!

Li Erfu did not know what his wife was thinking and scoffed coldly, "Ge Sanmei, if you have decided not to continue with this, just say it outright. Big brother is here with the brigade leader and the proof. We can initiate it anytime, and we can divorce in a moment!"

Ge Sanmei’s face tensed, and she bit her teeth together without speaking.

Li Erfu, looking dashing, walked into the household registration office with Li Huai Ren.

At that time, the household registration office was still using manual records. To make changes, one would just need to amend the original documents.

Li Erfu held his grandfather’s household register, and the young female officer, after checking the documents, brought out a blue-stamped sheet for Li Erfu and Ge Sanmei to sign.

Li Erfu wrote his name and pressed his fingerprints without hesitation.

Ge Sanmei stood there without moving for a long time, and the female officer, puzzled, looked up and asked, "Why aren’t you signing?"

Ge Sanmei hesitantly asked, "Does signing this mean our daughter will no longer care for us?"

The female officer had seen earlier that the application was approved by the county, a proof of adoption, stating that Li Xianglu was adopted by Li Huai Ren as a granddaughter, and on this basis, Li Huai Ren requested to move his granddaughter’s household registration to the county, under his account.

What kind of question was this from the woman? How would she know if they would care in the future? You’re already giving your daughter away for adoption, yet you still ask if they will take care of you, is it even possible!

Thinking this, the female officer’s expression turned more serious: "Madam, this is the Public Security Household Registration Office, a formal place, not meant for handling your family affairs. If you won’t sign, then please leave!" she said, turning her head back to her work.

Li Erfu, having sensed that things wouldn’t go smoothly from the moment Ge Sanmei disappeared, very gently inquired, "Comrade, if I get divorced, do I only need my signature?"

The female officer, not expecting such a question from this seemingly honest man, took a while to respond, "In theory, yes."

Ge Sanmei quickly grabbed the paper, signed it, and pressed her fingerprint, glaring fiercely at Li Erfu before she stepped outside.

The sudden change also shocked Li Xianglu. Ge Sanmei really overestimated herself, while her own ’Daddy’ seemed to have changed his tune.

After signing, the female officer in the household registration office collected the records, updated Li Xianglu’s basic information such as her age, and then closed a household register. Householder: Li Huai Ren, male, 61 years old.

In the second page of the population registration card, Li Xianglu, female, 15 years old, relationship to the householder: granddaughter.

Li Erfu’s household register, however, was missing a page.

The old man, looking at the household register, nodded satisfied.

Li Dafu said with a smile, "It’s finally done."

Li Erfu felt hollow inside as he watched his small daughter standing there; his daughter had truly left him this time.

As they left the building, Ge Sanmei’s expression darkened outside. Seeing Li Huai Ren sorting out the household register made her heart skip a beat, a tearing pain surged through her as if something was missing, causing her to involuntarily gasp.

Li Erfu ignored his wife and addressed Li Huai Ren, "Uncle Huai Ren, we’ll head back to the west end of the county school by four in the afternoon, you can join us after you’re free."

Just now in the household registration office, Li Huai Ren mentioned that he needed to quickly move Li Xianglu’s grain ration relationship to their local community, otherwise they wouldn’t receive anything for the month.

Li Dafu and the others left first, Li Erfu glanced at his daughter and then left the County Committee compound without looking back. Ge Sanmei, the pain subsiding, wanted to say something to Li Xianglu but seeing her daughter’s cold demeanor enraged her even more. She was about to say something unpleasant, but considering that men were acting strangely lately, she decided not to provoke him.

The old man took Li Xianglu with their household register to the Food Distribution Office to manually enter their data. Normally, the Public Security Bureau would send the household registration information according to standard procedures, but the old man thought that any delay might mean they wouldn’t get food until next month. It was better to bring the documents themselves today. If it were anyone else, it wouldn’t work, but the old man knew many people in the county, especially going with He Chongguang, who wouldn’t give some face

When mealtime arrived, everything had been handled smoothly, and the old man was very happy, taking Li Xianglu to the State-owned canteen.