Chapter 23

Chapter 23

True to her word, Jin Xiuzhu brought a plate of red date cakes to Wang Ling the next evening. In return, Wang Ling handed her a thick stack of paper, which included plain and patterned letter sheets. Wang Ling then asked, "Do you need any fabric? Our factory had an issue with one of our recent orders, but fortunately, only half of it was completed. We've decided to sell this half internally at a discount. If you're interested, I can get some for you. It's all high-quality material that someone specially ordered for luxury bedding sets, but I think it would also be great for making clothes."

Jin Xiuzhu was intrigued. "What kind of patterns are there?"

"There are various kinds. Some are solid colors like blue or white, while others have floral designs. Buying more wouldn't be a loss, as this fabric would sell for seventy to eighty dollars per set in big city department stores. You really wouldn't be losing out, as we're selling it internally for ten dollars. If you buy more, I can give you a better deal. Not to mention, you have two children. Keeping some for a few years could come in handy when they get married. This stuff doesn't go bad, and I'm planning on stocking up four or five sets for myself."

Since Wang Ling had offered, Jin Xiuzhu couldn't refuse. She calculated her finances and agreed readily, "Alright, get me one set first. If it's good, I'll buy more. I'm used to being frugal, so I feel a bit uncertain about things I haven't seen or touched yet."

Hearing this, Wang Ling didn't feel offended or doubted by Jin Xiuzhu; instead, she admired her straightforwardness and smiled. "Sure, I'll get you one set for eight dollars, not making a penny off you."

"Thank you, Sister-in-Law. I want the one with flowers."

"Sure thing."

Jin Xiuzhu returned home with the paper, and indeed, the paper Wang Ling had given her was of excellent quality, something that would cost a lot if bought elsewhere.

Fu Yanyan followed behind and couldn't help asking, "Mom, are you now good friends with Auntie Wang?"

Jin Xiuzhu stroked the paper and nodded. "Of course."

Fu Yanyan gave her a long look.

Jin Xiuzhu turned around and looked back at her, smiling. "Do you know who reported Mom's work at the canteen?"

Fu Yanyan frowned. "Wasn't it Auntie Liu?"

Jin Xiuzhu smiled. "It was her, but not just her."

Confused, Fu Yanyan tilted her head, suddenly recalling Zhao Yun from last night's dinner.

Perhaps due to her narrow-mindedness, she had never liked Zhao Yun and her daughter. However, in her previous life, everyone praised Zhao Yun for her kindness and Tang Ying for her cleverness. In contrast, she and Jin Xiuzhu were often ridiculed as thieves and jokes.

Jin Xiuzhu explained simply, "After the incident, who did Liu Hongyue approach first?"

Zhao Yun.

Fu Yanyan answered silently.

Jin Xiuzhu thought of something and sneered. "She went straight to Zhao Yun without consulting anyone else. Why? Was it because she trusted her? But compared to Zhao Yun, isn't Auntie Wang more reliable, considering their longer acquaintance? Or is it because Liu Hongyue felt that Zhao Yun bore greater responsibility? Zhao Yun would feel guilty and help her overcome her current predicament. Zhao Yun has been here for two to three months and has interacted with Liu Hongyue. How could she not know her character? Yet, she specifically asked Liu Hongyue, doesn't that seem interesting?"

With Jin Xiuzhu's explanation, Fu Yanyan understood.

Indeed, Auntie Wang was the wife of Commander Yan and held authority among many military wives. She was easy to get along with, and most disputes among military wives were resolved through her mediation. Logically, Liu Hongyue should have sought Auntie Wang's help in such a situation, but she approached Zhao Yun instead.

When faced with difficulties, people instinctively seek those who can assist them. Why did Liu Hongyue believe Zhao Yun could help her? Was it because of Zhao Yun's kindness? No, it was because Liu Hongyue believed that Zhao Yun owed her, and Zhao Yun had to help her, or else suffer consequences.

Zhao Yun's words last night confirmed this, but she cleverly involved Auntie Wang and used the dinner to lay out the facts, downplaying her own role. Even if Liu Hongyue later spoke up, no one would suspect Zhao Yun.

Having spent so much time with Jin Xiuzhu, Fu Yanyan often listened to her gossip with Auntie Qian, becoming familiar with the military wives. She knew what kind of person Liu Hongyue was—petty, jealous, and openly malicious, like directly approaching Camp Commander Qi about the military school issue or arguing with others at their doorstep. She wasn't very smart, and it didn't seem likely that she would understand how to report someone unless someone had guided her.

Realizing this, Fu Yanyan broke out in cold sweat.

She remembered her previous life, where she and Jin Xiuzhu's reputation in the military camp worsened, and people pointed and whispered whenever they stepped outside.

Could those incidents also have been related to Zhao Yun?

Seeing her daughter silent and downcast, Jin Xiuzhu assumed she hadn't understood and gently patted her head. "You're still young, so it's okay if you don't understand. I was just talking casually."

If they were still in the Great Jing Dynasty, Jin Xiuzhu would have explained these tricks in detail. Life in the inner quarters was challenging for women, and a single misstep could cost someone their life, like the previous lady of the Lord Marquis, who raised the fourth miss to be naive and arrogant. Once she passed away, the fourth miss became vulnerable and was eventually married off to a widower right after coming of age.

But things were different here. Yanyan didn't have to deal with scheming people in the inner quarters. She could study, work outside, and live a life with one true partner, full of confidence and hope.

Understanding human nature was only necessary to prevent oneself from being taken advantage of.

Fu Yanyan softly acknowledged.

She thought that the current Jin Xiuzhu wasn't someone to be trifled with. She saw through Zhao Yun's schemes, didn't lash out in anger, but instead intentionally grew closer to Wang Ling, effectively snatching her away from Zhao Yun. This must have been more infuriating than a slap in the face.

Thinking about it, she found Jin Xiuzhu quite devious, but she liked it. Unlike the woman in her previous life, who only took out her frustrations on her children.

Indeed, Fu Yanyan's judgment proved correct. In the following days, Jin Xiuzhu and Wang Ling's interactions became more frequent. Sometimes, when Wang Ling and her husband were too busy to return home, Yan Xing would even come over for meals at the Jiang household.

Not long after, Jiang Mingchuan informed Jin Xiuzhu that Liu Hongyue had returned to her hometown.

Jin Xiuzhu was chopping vegetables when she heard this and looked up in surprise. "She left?"

Jiang Mingchuan rolled up his sleeves to help peel garlic and nodded. "She left early this morning. Someone saw her."

Jin Xiuzhu furrowed her brows. "What about the child?"

"He didn't leave. Qi Min probably wants to keep him close and educate him. The child is still young, so with proper guidance, he should improve."

Jin Xiuzhu disagreed with his assessment. Some children could be taught well, but some were inherently bad.

Moreover, wasn't it too late to start educating him now? She couldn't help but say, "What were they doing before? Did the child become like this overnight?"

Jiang Mingchuan sighed. "Who has the time to teach? They weren't stationed together before and only came here in recent years."

Jin Xiuzhu didn't understand the rules here, but she said, "I don't care about others, but you need to act like a father. I've never burdened you with household chores, but you must take charge of your children's upbringing, education, and social skills."

Jiang Mingchuan agreed, fearing that their children might turn out like Qi Kang.

That evening, after dinner, Jiang Mingchuan began supervising He Yan's homework and assigned tasks to his daughter, telling her to sweep and clean the table every morning to help lighten her mother's load.

Worried she wouldn't know how, he even fetched a basin of water to show her how to clean properly.

Distracted, He Yan glanced over twice, only to be glared at. "Are you done with your homework?"

He Yan shrank his neck and hurriedly lowered his head to continue writing.

Jin Xiuzhu took the crystal dumplings she had made in the afternoon to Captain Yan's house.

Yan Xing opened the door. Seeing Jin Xiuzhu, the boy's face lit up with a brilliant smile. "Aunt Jin, have you brought some delicious food again?"

Jin Xiuzhu also smiled. "These are the crystal dumplings your aunt made. Your mother will cook them for you tomorrow morning."

"Great, come in quickly."

Jin Xiuzhu glanced inside. "Is your mother at home?"

Yan Xing took the dumplings from her and shook his head. "No, she was called out in a hurry just now. I don't know when she'll be back. I was about to cook dinner."

"Haven't eaten yet? Then quickly boil these dumplings and eat them."

"Okay."

Yan Xing nodded happily and went to the kitchen to get a bowl to put the dumplings in. When he returned to the living room, he whispered to Jin Xiuzhu, "I heard earlier that Qi Kang was beaten badly. Uncle Qi isn't at home, and Aunt Liu isn't either, so my mother went there."

Jin Xiuzhu raised an eyebrow and couldn't help asking, "Who beat him?"

Yan Xing shook his head. "I don't know that."

Jin Xiuzhu returned home with the empty plate, planning to ask Qian Yufeng the next day. Unexpectedly, Wang Ling came over early the next morning and delivered the four-piece set Jin Xiuzhu had ordered. The fabric was indeed good; it felt soft and firm, a light yellow color with pink lotus flowers and green lotus leaves printed on it, looking very elegant.

Jin Xiuzhu paid, and Wang Ling only accepted five yuan. "I just got back and was worried that Xiao Xing hadn't eaten. Seeing the note Xiao Xing left on the table, I learned that he ate the dumplings you sent last night and this morning. Thank you so much. I'll sell this to you as a defective product. Next time, I'll charge the regular price."

Jin Xiuzhu poured her a glass of water. "Have you eaten? There's still some leftover food at home. I can stir-fry it for you."

Wang Ling drank a large glass of water. "Sure, then I won't be polite. I haven't eaten since last night."

She slumped in the chair, speaking weakly.

"You sit down for a while. It'll be ready soon."

Jin Xiuzhu went to the kitchen to stir-fry the rice, pouring all the uneaten food from the morning into the pot together. Soon, the kitchen filled with a delicious aroma.

When she brought the fried rice outside, Wang Ling's stomach was already rumbling with hunger.

Wang Ling ate the fried rice in big mouthfuls while Jin Xiuzhu sat across from her reading a book. After eating half and slightly relieving her hunger, she looked up and said, "If it weren't for Old Yan being away in the province for a meeting, I really wouldn't want to deal with this matter. That child kept crying and shouting in pain. The doctor examined him several times and said there were no bone injuries. He just needed to rest at home for a few days, but the child refused to get up and caused me a lot of trouble."

Jin Xiuzhu asked curiously, "What exactly happened?"

Wang Ling scooped a large spoonful of rice and vegetables into her mouth and shook her head. "I'm not entirely sure. When I was called over, the child was lying on the ground crying and shouting, with blood all around. It scared me to death. He said it was Yang Yingxiong who beat him, angry that his mother had arranged a marriage between Zhao Yun and his father. His father and grandmother didn't care about him anymore. Now that Liu Hongyue is gone, he took revenge by beating someone."

Jin Xiuzhu blinked. So, it was Liu Hongyue who arranged the match between Zhao Yun and Yang Yao.

This meant that Zhao Yun and Liu Hongyue must have been quite close. Now that Liu Hongyue was in trouble, she tried to distance herself coldly.

Wang Ling sighed, "I'll call the factory later to take a leave. I won't go to the meeting today and will visit the hospital in the afternoon. I need to tell Zhao Yun about this. Regardless, she should take her child to the hospital. Otherwise, it won't look good."

Jin Xiuzhu hummed in agreement and said gently, "Regardless, the child is innocent. When are you going in the afternoon? I'll go with you."

Wang Ling looked at Jin Xiuzhu with some emotion, feeling that she truly had a kind heart.

Thinking this, she said, "If Liu Hongyue were half as kind as you, she wouldn't have ended up like this."

Jiang Mingchuan smiled without saying anything. She was simply curious about what had happened.

When Jiang Mingchuan came home at noon, he brought a few small persimmons, red but not fully ripe.

"They're wild persimmons I picked from the mountain. They'll be edible after one or two days."

Jin Xiuzhu looked at them more closely, having never seen such small ones before. She found them somewhat intriguing.

During the meal, Jin Xiuzhu told him about what had happened in the morning, starting with the four-piece set. Hearing that it cost eight yuan, she winced. "That's too expensive, isn't it? You could buy several bolts of cloth with that."

"But how can they be compared? In the mall, they sell for seventy to eighty yuan. I want to buy another one or two sets and keep them for our children to use when they get married."

Jiang Mingchuan hesitated. "But aren't you planning to buy sweaters next month?"

Hearing this, Jin Xiuzhu fell silent, remaining quiet for a moment before suggesting, "Why don't you borrow some more money?"

Jiang Mingchuan: "…"

Jin Xiuzhu argued confidently, "Didn't you say you wanted me to live a good life..."

Seeing that she was about to bring up old grievances, Jiang Mingchuan hastily agreed. "Borrow, buy... "

He had already accepted the situation. With fish and meat every day, saving money was impossible. They would just muddle through. At least the money was spent on food and drink, keeping their two children healthy and robust.

Satisfied, Jin Xiuzhu then mentioned the incident involving Qi Kang's son and said she planned to go to the hospital with Wang Ling in the afternoon.

Jiang Mingchuan did not object to this and praised Jin Xiuzhu for doing the right thing. "Adults are adults, and children are children. Since Qi Min isn't in the unit these days, it's good to visit."

Jin Xiuzhu hummed in agreement.

She didn't mention that she was simply curious about what had happened.

Wang Ling took a nap at home and arrived at Jin Xiuzhu's place past two in the afternoon. Jin Xiuzhu took her two children along, as He Yan was also at home today since it was the weekend.

The two adults and one child took a boat to the county town and then transferred to a bus to the county hospital.

Upon arrival, Jin Xiuzhu bought a bag of pears at the entrance. It was the season for pears, so they were relatively cheap.

Wang Ling led her directly to the second floor of the inpatient building. Qi Kang was in Room 209. Upon entering, they saw the boy sleeping in bed, his head wrapped in bandages.

Seeing this, Wang Ling's heart softened, and she didn't disturb him. She stepped out of the room and asked the nurse standing at the door of the adjacent room about the child's condition.

The nurse said, "The doctor said there's nothing seriously wrong with this child, and they could have left long ago. The flu is pretty bad recently, so it's not good for them to stay in the hospital all the time."

Wang Ling said kindly, "Alright, alright. We'll leave after the child wakes up."

The nurse nodded and reminded her, "Remember to pay the bill."

Then she left.

Wang Ling looked at Jin Xiuzhu and whispered, "I didn't lie to you, did I? There's really nothing seriously wrong."

Jin Xiuzhu gave her a sympathetic look.

Wang Ling complained, "It cost me four dollars last night, and we haven't even paid for the room yet. This child is so heartless."

The door to the ward was open, and Jin Xiuzhu glanced at the figure on the bed behind her. She had noticed earlier that the child had been scratching their leg secretly. Although the movement was small, she still saw it.

They were pretending to sleep.

Wang Ling said to Jin Xiuzhu, "Let's wait a bit longer."

Jin Xiuzhu nodded.

The two of them entered the ward quietly. There were three beds in the ward, but only Qi Kang was staying there. Jin Xiuzhu and Wang Ling sat down on the bed near the door and chatted softly. They started by talking about Jin Xiuzhu's work, then somehow the conversation turned to Fang Min. In fact, Jin Xiuzhu had always been curious about the relationship between Fang Min and Commissioner Zhu. The age difference between the two was quite large, and they didn't have any children. It wasn't appropriate to ask directly, so she always kept a distance, afraid of touching on some sensitive topic.

She had asked Qian Yufeng before, but she didn't know much either, only saying that Fang Min was proud and didn't socialize much with others.

Wang Ling actually knew something about this and told her, "Fang Min's family is very impressive. Her maternal grandparents were both famous literary figures, and her grandfather's family were wealthy merchants. During the war, they donated all their wealth. Both her parents studied abroad and later returned to serve their country. Her mother was a war correspondent, and her father was a writer. Now, they both work in the Foreign Ministry."

Jin Xiuzhu blinked, not quite understanding some of the terms, but from Wang Ling's tone, she guessed that it must be impressive.

"However, Fang Min hasn't had the best luck. Not that it's bad, but her childhood was a bit tough. When her mother was pregnant with her, the war was still going on. Once, she got separated from the main troops and gave birth to her in a village. Later, she entrusted her to a family, but when they came back to retrieve her, the family had given their own child to them instead. She stayed in the village until she was seven or eight years old before her parents found out and took her back. However, her parents always favored that other child, and her maternal grandparents couldn't bear to see her neglected, so they took her in to raise her themselves."

Jin Xiuzhu didn't quite understand. "Why would they favor someone else's child over their own?"

Wang Ling sighed. "How do I explain this? They had raised that child as their own, and suddenly one day, they realized it wasn't their biological child. But they had spent so many years together, and the feelings they developed weren't fake."

Jin Xiuzhu still didn't understand, but she wisely didn't say anything and instead asked, "What about Commissioner Zhu?"

Wang Ling continued, "Her maternal grandparents were getting older and chose a husband for her before they passed away, which is how she met Commissioner Zhu. He used to be their student."

Then she leaned in close to Jin Xiuzhu and whispered, "Commissioner Zhu had a wife before, who ran away with someone else to a foreign country."

Jin Xiuzhu was taken aback, then nodded. She never expected that the seemingly well-off and affluent couple, Fang Min and Commissioner Zhu, had such a past.

Just as she was about to say something, the door opened from the outside.

Turning around, she saw Zhao Yun carrying a child in, followed by a little boy.

Jin Xiuzhu recognized him as Yang Yao's son, whom she had seen once before at night.

When Zhao Yun saw the two women sitting close together, her expression changed slightly, but she quickly put on an apologetic face. "We were delayed on the way."

Then she turned to the boy lying on the bed and looked at Wang Ling, looking helpless.

Wang Ling stood up, checked her watch, and seeing that it was already half past three, she walked over to the bed and called out to Qi Kang, "Wake up. Your Aunt Zhao is here, and the doctor said you can go home now."

The person remained motionless.

Seeing this, Wang Ling became a bit unhappy. She also suspected that he was pretending to sleep. "Fine, sleep if you want. We'll all leave. When your father comes back, let him deal with you."

It seemed like these words had some effect, as Qi Kang moved his body.

Zhao Yun put down the girl in her arms and hurried forward. "Kangkang, I'm your Aunt Zhao. Hero didn't mean to hurt you. He's just young and doesn't know any better. Auntie apologizes on his behalf. I'm sorry, okay?"

Qi Kang didn't say anything.

Zhao Yun immediately pulled the boy standing by the door. "Quickly apologize to Kangkang. Look at how you beat him up and made him lie in bed. I know you're upset with me, but it has nothing to do with him."

The boy looked indifferent and ignored her words.

Zhao Yun's eyes reddened, and her voice carried a hint of pleading. "Can't you just say 'I'm sorry'? Otherwise, if word gets out, it won't sound good for you. Auntie won't harm you."

The boy clenched his lips tightly and remained silent.

Seeing no apology forthcoming, Zhao Yun seemed to give up. She wiped away a tear and turned back to comfort Qi Kang. "Kangkang, your brother didn't mean it. He's just angry. Let me go pay the bill first, and later I'll buy you something nice to eat. When your father comes back, I'll talk to him, okay?"

Hearing this, Qi Kang turned his head and said, "Tell my father to bring my mother back, or I won't forgive you."

Zhao Yun's expression froze, but she didn't agree to his request. Instead, she said, "I'll go pay the bill."

Then she said to Wang Ling, "I'll go pay the bill."

With that, she left with the child.

Standing beside Jin Xiuzhu, Fu Yanyan looked at Qi Kang lying on the bed and then at the lonely boy standing by the door. The boy seemed to sense her gaze and looked up.

Fu Yanyan met his sad and aggrieved eyes and was momentarily stunned.

This look was too familiar to her. In her previous life, every time He Yan blamed her for his mistakes, Jin Xiuzhu would never listen to her explanations and would scold her without hesitation. The feeling of injustice and pain would make her nose tingle whenever she recalled it.

The boy quickly lowered his eyes. Fu Yanyan didn't really know much about him. The only impression she had of him was that in her previous life, when Jin Xiuzhu and Jiang Mingchuan were still married, he had run away from home. Later, someone spread rumors that he had behaved improperly towards his sister.

Since Zhao Yun had arrived, Wang Ling didn't bother anymore. After Zhao Yun finished paying the bill and came back, Wang Ling excused herself, saying she had something to take care of at home.

As the two of them left the hospital, Wang Ling couldn't help feeling soft-hearted. "Zhao Yun has it tough too."

Jin Xiuzhu thought to herself that if Wang Ling were to enter the Lord Marquis' harem, she wouldn't survive a month. She saw everyone as a good person.

She nodded, saying, "It's indeed not easy. Like our Xiaoyan, when he first came here, he was skinny and small, and his clothes were dirty. Now, he finally looks like an active child. Kids, you know, they understand when you genuinely treat them well."

Hearing this, Wang Ling subconsciously looked at He Yan, who was holding Jin Xiuzhu's hand. He had changed so much; if Jin Xiuzhu hadn't mentioned it, she would have almost forgotten what he used to look like. In fact, the He Yan that Jin Xiuzhu saw was already much better than before. When He Yan first arrived at the base, he was truly pitiful—skin and bones, filthy and smelly, with matted hair. Now, he was healthy and plump, with a round chin.

Thinking back to the Yang family's child she had just seen, his clothes didn't fit well, his pants were too short, and he was still dirty. If it was due to fighting, it had been a day since then.

Moreover, Zhao Yun had been married for two or three months, yet the child was still scrawny, in stark contrast to her clean and tidy biological daughter beside him.

Her heart couldn't help but tremble, feeling as though she had uncovered something.

He Yan held Jin Xiuzhu's hand tightly. Although he was young, he wasn't completely naive. He felt sorry not only for Qi Kang lying on the bed but also for Yang Yingxiong standing by the door.

They either lacked a mother's presence or had no mother at all, just like himself. But he had the best new mother in the world.