Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Jiang Mingchuan had been gone for over ten days without any news. Jin Xiuzhu was somewhat worried and took her daughter to Old Yan's house.

Old Yan, the regiment commander, had also been busy and hadn't returned home for several days. Wang Ling had been at home for the past few days. The snow was too heavy, and the factory had been closed for a few days. Wang Ling used to work at the city's Textile Factory, but last year, the county factory's performance wasn't good, so she voluntarily transferred. She thought that if she worked in the city, she could only go home once a week, but if she worked in the county, she could come back every day. Currently, she held the position of deputy factory manager.

The factory's performance was poor, and the factory manager would retire in another year, so he didn't manage much. These past few days, the snow had been too heavy, and many places had experienced incidents. The factory manager simply ordered a shutdown and let all the workers go home to rest. Of course, there was also the reason that the factory couldn't pay wages, which allowed them to save a considerable amount of money.

When Jin Xiuzhu arrived, Wang Ling was at home altering clothes. She was making her son's clothes smaller using her husband's old clothes. She used an old sewing machine discarded by the factory. Boys around twelve or thirteen years old grew very quickly, and Wang Ling didn't want to buy new clothes, so she altered adult clothes instead.

Jin Xiuzhu sat beside her, watching curiously. This was her first time seeing such a tool, and she found it quite interesting.

Wang Ling was very skilled with the sewing machine. Holding the fabric with both hands, she pedaled quickly while still able to talk to Jin Xiuzhu. "Don't worry. Those who go out for disaster relief won't return for at least a month. Last summer during the floods, my Old Yan led his troops away for two months. When he came back, he had lost an arm. They not only have to rescue people but also help with flood diversion and building houses. As People's Liberation Army soldiers, they serve the people."

Jin Xiuzhu frowned, not expecting Jiang Mingchuan and the others to do so much. In the Great Jing Dynasty, the soldiers never cared about the lives of commoners; they only regretted not being able to loot more.

After leaving Wang Ling's house, Jin Xiuzhu went to the entrance of the military compound to check. Seeing no letters for her, she left.

The snow on the road was deep. Seeing her daughter struggling with her short legs, Jin Xiuzhu couldn't help but laugh. "I told you to stay at home."

Fu Yanyan pursed her lips and said nothing, stubbornly staggering forward.

Jin Xiuzhu laughed and said, "I wonder whose temper this is?"

Then, she squatted down in front. "Come on, get on. Mom will carry you."

Fu Yanyan stood rooted to the spot, staring at her back.

Jin Xiuzhu turned her head and looked at her, thinking she was worried. She smiled. "Come on. The snow is so thick, you won't hurt yourself even if you fall."

Fu Yanyan clenched her fists at her sides before slowly stepping forward. Reaching Jin Xiuzhu's back, she lifted her arms awkwardly.

Jin Xiuzhu had never carried anyone before, but she often saw parents carrying their children around the family quarters. Mimicking what she had seen, she stretched her arms behind her to hook the child's legs.

Fu Yanyan, unsteady on her feet, leaned forward, and her small hands instinctively gripped Jin Xiuzhu's shoulders.

Jin Xiuzhu reminded her, "I'm standing up now."

Then, she slowly rose. The child was heavy, and Jin Xiuzhu had to use all her strength to stand straight. She swayed a bit, but once she steadied herself, it became easier. Adjusting her grip, she started walking forward.

Fu Yanyan kept her body stiff. After walking for a while, she gradually relaxed. The wind had made her face hurt, but now Jin Xiuzhu blocked it for her.

She looked up at the back of Jin Xiuzhu's head. On impulse, she carefully pressed her face against the woman's back. The woman's cool, smooth hair emitted a faint fragrance, and Fu Yanyan could even hear Jin Xiuzhu's heavy breathing.

This was the first time Jin Xiuzhu had carried her, and it felt strange yet intimate.

Jin Xiuzhu asked why she hadn't stayed at home.

Fu Yanyan felt a pang of sadness. Even though she had hated Jin Xiuzhu in the past, deep down, she wanted to be closer to her when they met again in this world.

Back home, He Yan was already busy preparing lunch in the kitchen. Hearing the commotion outside, he ran out with a spatula in hand. Seeing his mother and sister covered in snow, he hurriedly helped brush it off and told Jin Xiuzhu, "Auntie Fang just brought a letter. It's addressed to our family, and I put it in the big room."

Jin Xiuzhu took off her coat and hung it on the wooden rack by the door. She put on a thinner cotton jacket from the rack and nodded. "Okay."

He Yan returned to the kitchen to continue cooking, while Jin Xiuzhu went to the big room to read the letter.

She initially thought it was from the newspaper office, but upon reading it, she realized it wasn't. The recipient was Jiang Mingchuan, and the sender was his adoptive parents in the capital.

In the living room, her daughter held a small bowl of braised radish and pork. He Yan had specially prepared a small portion for her to eat first. Previously, Jin Xiuzhu wouldn't have approved, but now, she usually turned a blind eye. At home, things could be more casual.

As they spent more time together, Jin Xiuzhu was willing to abandon some rules. She gradually realized that the most important thing was for the family to live happily together.

Jin Xiuzhu opened the letter. The tone of the letter-writer seemed more sincere this time. They mentioned the heavy snow and cold weather this year and expressed great longing for their son who was enduring hardships far away. They invited Jiang Mingchuan to return to the capital for the New Year and said they were eager to meet his wife and two children. They also mentioned that his adoptive father was getting older and his legs weren't as strong, and recently, his knee pain had become so severe that he couldn't walk...

These words didn't affect Jin Xiuzhu much, but if Jiang Mingchuan read them, he would likely feel extremely guilty.

Jin Xiuzhu curled the corners of her mouth and said to the little head peeking over, "They're not his biological parents after all."

Fu Yanyan raised her head, puzzled.

Jin Xiuzhu smiled. "If they truly cared for their child, they wouldn't tell him about their ailments. Look at Auntie Qian. Whenever she gets something good, doesn't she always save it for her son? It's the same principle."

Fu Yanyan fell into deep thought, suddenly recalling a long-forgotten memory. In her previous life, after "Jin Xiuzhu" divorced and took her south, their early days were tough. Once, they were cheated and squeezed into a tiny shed. One rainy night, Fu Yanyan woke up to the sound of rain and saw "Jin Xiuzhu" sitting beside her, holding an umbrella to shield her from the rain.

Although "Jin Xiuzhu" hadn't treated her well in her previous life, she had given her warmth at times.

For dinner, they had two dishes and one soup: braised radish and pork, shredded potatoes stir-fried with chili, and tofu and cabbage soup.

Fang Min had been eating here these past few days. Every time she saw He Yan prepare so many dishes, she couldn't help but marvel inwardly. Political Commissar Zhu had taught her how to cook before, but she never did well and even ruined a pot. Later, the commissar stopped letting her cook.

Hearing that Fang Min's hometown was also the capital, Jin Xiuzhu couldn't resist asking, "Are you going back to the capital for the New Year?"

She wondered if they could go together if Fang Min was returning.

Fang Min shook her head. "I probably won't go back. I went back once this year."

She had returned on the anniversary of her grandparents' deaths. That was the only time she went back to the capital each year. She wasn't close to her family, and her parents favored her older sister.

However, in recent years, perhaps because her parents were getting older, they paid more attention to her. But she didn't like it.

Jin Xiuzhu nodded and mentioned receiving the letter from the capital today. "I don't really understand. If we go back for the New Year, is there anything we should pay attention to?"

Feeling Jin Xiuzhu's kindness towards her, Fang Min wanted to repay it. After some thought, she shared what she knew. "Just bring some gifts when you go back. You can make some pastries and bring some candy. There aren't many customs in the capital."

Pausing, she seemed to recall something and hesitantly glanced at Jin Xiuzhu before adding, "I heard that Jiang Mingchuan's parents arranged a marriage for him when he was young, but after they left, no one mentioned it anymore. Later, the girl who was supposed to marry him married his younger brother, the child of his adoptive parents. They have a son and a daughter."

Jin Xiuzhu was surprised and raised her eyebrows.

Her grandmother had once wanted to introduce Jiang Mingchuan to her, but her grandfather disagreed, saying that Jiang Mingchuan was a quiet person who didn't talk much, and neither did she. If they were together, wouldn't they just become a pair of mute people? Moreover, there were a lot of troubles in the household of Jiang Mingchuan's adoptive parents, and she had a simple personality, making it easy for her to be bullied.

Grandma thought about it and found it to be true. In the end, she picked Commissioner Zhu for her.

Thinking about it now, the elderly couple worried about her despite their age. She was truly being filial.

Fang Min told Jin Xiuzhu everything she knew. To others, Jiang Mingchuan's adoptive parents seemed especially good, but her grandparents apparently didn't think so. Thus, she added, "If you go, you'd better keep your eyes open."

Fang Min never spoke ill of others, so after saying this, she lowered her head, feeling a little embarrassed.

Jin Xiuzhu understood her good intentions and smiled. "Don't worry, I never let myself be at a disadvantage."

Fang Min nodded, thinking about what she had seen last time. It made sense; Jin Xiuzhu was much more capable than her.

When they were almost done eating, an argument suddenly came from upstairs. The four people at the table all subconsciously stopped eating.

The voices were too loud to ignore. They heard the old lady screeching—

"You only know how to take advantage of my kindness. Tell me, you've been married for so long, yet there's no sign of a child. You even dare to give me attitude. Where do you get the nerve?"

"This is my home. You're already freeloading here, but you also brought along a brat. My grandson doesn't even have any candy to eat, but she's always sucking on sweets. Using my son's money to raise someone else's child, how shameless can you be?"

"That Liu Hongyue is a wicked woman. She can't bear to see our family prosper. Now she's getting what she deserves, right? You heartless thing, you didn't even dare to fart when something happened. Only that silly Jin Xiuzhu believed your lies. From my perspective, it wasn't Liu Hongyue who reported you. It was clearly you causing trouble behind the scenes..."

Before she could finish, a loud bang echoed from upstairs, accompanied by the old lady's frightened scream.

Something must have hit the ground. Jin Xiuzhu and the others, who lived downstairs, felt it most acutely. He Yan was so startled that he dropped his chopsticks.

Fang Min widened her eyes.

Jin Xiuzhu calmly comforted her. "Get used to it. Let's continue eating."

Fang Min: "…"

After dinner, Jin Xiuzhu saw Fang Min off. When she saw the door next door close, she prepared to shut her own door. However, she then heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Looking up, she saw Zhao Yun with a grim expression, carrying a child as she stomped down.

The old lady upstairs opened the door and yelled, "Do you think you can scare me by leaving? If you have the guts, don't come back. You're a jinx."

Zhao Yun noticed Jin Xiuzhu, paused for a moment, then quickly lowered her head and continued walking.

The girl in her arms whimpered, "Grandma doesn't like me."

Even from a distance, Jin Xiuzhu could hear Zhao Yun whisper, "She's not your grandma…"

Jin Xiuzhu closed the door and chased the two children who had been watching the commotion back to their homework. Then, she went to clean up the dishes.

---

In the middle of the night, Jin Xiuzhu was woken up by someone shaking her. She opened her eyes in confusion and looked towards the side of the bed, recognizing her daughter. With a hoarse voice, she asked, "What's wrong?"

Fu Yanyan frowned. "Someone was knocking on the door just now."

Jin Xiuzhu was taken aback and sat up, straining her ears to listen. Hearing nothing, she looked at her daughter.

Fu Yanyan confirmed, "I'm sure someone was there."

Jin Xiuzhu thought for a moment and got out of bed to investigate.

She threw on a coat, and Fu Yanyan followed behind her. As they reached the living room, the door was indeed knocked on again, intermittently and weakly.

Jin Xiuzhu instantly became alert and cautiously approached the door. "Who is it? What are you doing awake in the middle of the night? If you have something to say, just say it."

Fu Yanyan pulled the light switch on the wall, illuminating the living room.

Jin Xiuzhu's courage grew, and she asked again, "Who's outside? Stop playing tricks. Otherwise, I'll call for help."

In response, a weak voice came from outside. "Auntie... It's me... Yang Yingxiong…"

Jin Xiuzhu and Fu Yanyan exchanged glances. Fu Yanyan furrowed her brows. "It sounds like him."

Just as she was about to open the door, Jin Xiuzhu asked again, "Are you alone?"

Fu Yanyan paused.

After a while, Yang Yingxiong replied, "Alone, Auntie... I feel terrible… My head hurts so much…"

Jin Xiuzhu's expression turned serious. She pulled Fu Yanyan, who was standing in front of her, behind her and opened the door herself.

Fu Yanyan stared blankly at her mother's back.

As soon as the door opened, the light from the living room illuminated the entrance, revealing Yang Yingxiong sitting on the ground. His face was flushed, and he could barely keep his eyes open.

Jin Xiuzhu hurried over to support him and touched his forehead, finding it burning hot. "You have a fever?"

Yang Yingxiong was barely conscious. "I don't know… I feel terrible… Grandma ignored me, so I could only come downstairs to find you…"

Jin Xiuzhu helped him sit on a chair. "Wait here. Auntie will get dressed and take you to the doctor."

Yang Yingxiong mumbled in response.

Jin Xiuzhu rushed back to her room to get dressed, grabbed some money, and stuffed it into her pocket. She called out to Fu Yanyan, "Wake up your brother and have him bring a flashlight."

From outside, Fu Yanyan said, "I'll go with you."

"You stay home and watch the door. Have your brother accompany me. The road isn't easy to walk on at night."

Fu Yanyan went to wake He Yan.

Upon hearing that Yang Yingxiong was sick, He Yan immediately sat up and got dressed. When he arrived in the living room, he took the flashlight from his sister. Fu Yanyan reminded him, "Put on a scarf and hat."

He Yan obediently put on his scarf and hat again.

Jin Xiuzhu struggled to carry Yang Yingxiong on her back. She had expected him to be heavy, but he wasn't much heavier than her daughter.

If it were the old Jin Xiuzhu, she wouldn't have been able to carry him. But perhaps the original "Jin Xiuzhu" had been in good health. Although she felt a bit of weight, she could still manage.

Mother and son walked side by side through the snow. He Yan held a flashlight in one hand and tried to support Yang Yingxiong's bottom with the other, hoping to lighten the load for his mother.

Jin Xiuzhu gritted her teeth and struggled forward, occasionally shifting the weight. The feverish Yang Yingxiong, who was on her back, mumbled something incoherently.

When they arrived at the clinic, He Yan knocked on the door to wake up the doctor. The doctor opened the door and let them in, then instructed Jin Xiuzhu to lay the child down on the bed.

Jin Xiuzhu carefully laid the child down, and as Yang Yingxiong slid off her back, he suddenly mustered the strength to grab onto her sleeve and cried out, "Mom... Mom... Don't go..."

Tears streamed down his face.

Jin Xiuzhu paused in her attempt to free her sleeve. Softening, she gently stroked his head and said tenderly, "Mom won't go, Mom will stay here with you, be good."

Yang Yingxiong seemed to hear this, as he stopped crying but continued to hold onto her sleeve.

The doctor, seeing that Yang Yingxiong was delirious from the fever, assumed Jin Xiuzhu was his parent and remarked, "This is quite serious. You should have come earlier."

The doctor placed a thermometer under Yang Yingxiong's armpit.

Jin Xiuzhu sat nearby, watching. Seeing He Yan standing there, she asked, "Are you sleepy?"

He Yan shook his head.

Jin Xiuzhu told him to bring a chair over and sit next to her, which he did.

After a while, the doctor took out the thermometer, checked it, and left the room. A moment later, he returned with a stand and an IV bag to administer fluids to Yang Yingxiong.

Unfamiliar with the local medical practices, Jin Xiuzhu listened attentively to the doctor's instructions, nodding continuously. After the doctor left, noticing how slow the drip was, she said to He Yan, "Why don't you lean against me and get some sleep?"

He Yan shook his head. "I'm not sleepy, Mom, you sleep."

Jin Xiuzhu's heart softened once more.

She didn't sleep. After a while, He Yan couldn't keep his head up any longer, and Jin Xiuzhu gently laid him down on the edge of the bed so he could rest.

Yang Yingxiong, lying on the bed, gradually became more peaceful, his brows relaxing.

Time passed, but Jin Xiuzhu had forgotten her watch and didn't know what time it was. When she noticed the IV fluid running low, she quickly called the doctor. The doctor waited a moment, then removed the needle from Yang Yingxiong's hand and prescribed some medication for Jin Xiuzhu, instructing her on how to administer it.

"If the high fever persists tomorrow, come back."

"Okay."

Jin Xiuzhu paid the fee, then picked up Yang Yingxiong again and headed home with He Yan.

On their way back, they weren't as rushed. Mother and son even chatted a bit. He Yan mentioned, "Mom, Yang Yingxiong called you 'Mom' earlier."

Jin Xiuzhu hummed in acknowledgment, explaining, "He probably just misses his own mom."

He Yan said somewhat dejectedly, "Yang Yingxiong said he doesn't know what his mom looks like. There aren't any pictures of her at his house."

He didn't have any photos of his birth mother either. It had been so long since he'd seen her that he was starting to forget what she looked like. He used to fantasize about her coming back for him, but eventually, he dared not dream anymore.

Jin Xiuzhu softly said, "Don't mention this to him when he wakes up. It'll upset him."

He Yan nodded. "Okay."

The next morning, Yang Yingxiong woke up in He Yan's bed, disoriented for a moment. The warm blankets and quiet room made him feel like he had slept for a very long time, better than he ever had before.

Blinking, he slowly sat up and recognized that he was in He Yan's room. He had been there a couple of times before, and the thing that stood out most to him was the framed certificate hanging on the wall. He Yan had explained that his mother had his father make a frame for it so it would last longer.

He used to have certificates too, but his grandmother burned them.

He couldn't recall what had happened the previous night, only remembering feeling terrible and calling out to his grandmother, who was lying in bed. After a few calls, she turned away impatiently. Then, he remembered leaving the house...

As he pondered this, the door opened, and He Yan entered. Seeing that Yang Yingxiong was awake, his eyes lit up. "Did you sleep well? How do you feel? Still uncomfortable?"

Yang Yingxiong shook his head, and He Yan came closer, touching his forehead and then his own. Frowning thoughtfully, he said, "You're still a bit warm. Get up and have some porridge and take your medicine, as the doctor instructed."

Yang Yingxiong paused before getting out of bed and dressing. Then, he cautiously asked, "Did you take me to see the doctor?"

He Yan replied, "It was my mom who took you."

He recounted the events of the previous night and added, "Mom went to visit our aunt with my sister, but she left some porridge for you."

Yang Yingxiong silently finished dressing, feeling guilty for causing such a disturbance for Aunt Jin.

While eating porridge, Yang Yingxiong couldn't help whispering, "When my dad comes back, I'll ask him to pay you."

He Yan, knowing his character, agreed.

Yang Yingxiong added, "Also, thank you." And thank Aunt Jin too.

He Yan smiled. "I'm glad you're okay."

Yang Yingxiong lowered his head and quietly acknowledged, then after a moment, he whispered to He Yan, "Last night, I think I dreamed about my mom. She was so gentle, and she touched my head, telling me to be good."

He Yan was taken aback.

"I couldn't see her face clearly, but I sensed that she was very beautiful, just like Aunt Jin."

At this point, Yang Yingxiong sounded a bit proud.

Recalling what Jin Xiuzhu had said the previous night, He Yan paused before saying, "That's wonderful. It must mean that your mom misses you too and can't bear to leave you behind."

Yang Yingxiong nodded slightly, feeling it was indeed so.

He also had a mother who loved him dearly; she was just no longer around.

In the following days, Jin Xiuzhu asked Yang Yingxiong to stay and live with He Yan, as for the expenses, they would discuss that when his father returned.

Thus, Yang Yingxiong settled into He Yan's room with unease. Once, he saw Jin Xiuzhu painting and told her, "Aunt Zhao writes at home too, and she's sent her work out several times, but there's never been any response."

Jin Xiuzhu found this surprising but didn't think much of it.

In early January, Jiang Mingchuan returned.

When he first walked in, Jin Xiuzhu almost didn't recognize him. He had lost a significant amount of weight and was covered in dirt.

Jin Xiuzhu and the two children didn't dare approach him. It was Jiang Mingchuan who spoke up first, somewhat helplessly, "Could you heat some water for me? I want to take a bath."

Jin Xiuzhu quickly instructed He Yan to heat the water and went to find clean clothes for him.

After Jiang Mingchuan finished bathing, Jin Xiuzhu noticed many scratches on his face and hands. She took his hand for a closer look and saw that it was cracked from the cold, causing her to frown in concern. "How did it get so bad?"

Jiang Mingchuan, fearing her worry, pulled his hand back. "It's nothing. It'll be fine in a couple of days."

Jin Xiuzhu fell silent and went into the kitchen to prepare food for him.

Jiang Mingchuan followed to help.

He Yan wanted to join them but was held back by Fu Yanyan. "Mom and Dad need to talk."

He Yan didn't understand. "I have things to say too. There's so much I want to tell Dad."

Fu Yanyan: "..."