Chapter 97: Extra Chapter Four

Chapter 97: Extra Chapter Four

Jin Xiuzhu and Jiang Mingchuan brought Bai Jingzhi back to S City. As for Bai Jingzhi's adoptive parents and the Production Team, Jiang Mingchuan said he would handle it, so Jin Xiuzhu didn't interfere. However, it was certain that even with his good temper, Jiang Mingchuan wouldn't be lenient about what had happened to his sister.

Bai Jingzhi had suffered greatly over the years, leaving her body extremely weak. On the way, Jin Xiuzhu casually took her pulse and found her constitution severely depleted, her blood and qi seriously deficient, and multiple internal injuries still unhealed. She looked like a broken doll, with no part of her intact inside or out.

Even though it was midsummer, her hands were as cold as winter.

Jin Xiuzhu felt heartbroken and wasn't sure how to nourish her body.

Bai Jingzhi, feeling embarrassed, withdrew her hand, worried that her dirty hands might soil Jin Xiuzhu's clothes.

The two children dared not speak, looking around timidly with their heads down.

Jin Xiuzhu didn't ask about Bai Jingzhi's past but talked about the future instead, "First, come live with us for a while. Whether you stay here to keep me company or work in S City, it's up to you. After all, things are finally looking up."

Bai Jingzhi lowered her head, her eyes welling up at these words.

Before this, she never dared to imagine such a day. She had written several letters home but received no replies. She couldn't understand why her parents ignored her? After all, she was their daughter too.

Now she understood; she wasn't their biological child, which explained their cruelty. She felt both hatred and resentment.

They had caused her immense suffering, especially when she heard from her sister-in-law that her brother had been sending money to her parents for years, yet they never spent a penny on her. Instead, they told her it was hard to raise her, even asking her brother for more money after she went to the countryside.

How could they be so shameless!

Jiang Mingchuan's eyes reddened, "It's all my fault."

Bai Jingzhi sniffled and shook her head lightly.

He Yan and Fu Yanyan sat quietly on the other side of Jin Xiuzhu, watching their aunt and cousins' pitiful appearance, suddenly realizing how fortunate they were.

Upon arriving in S City, Jiang Mingchuan took Bai Jingzhi to the police station. Jin Xiuzhu and the two children waited outside. During the wait, Jin Xiuzhu told the children, "Never let your guard down against others. See? Your aunt and uncle are too trusting, believing everything people say. In the future, if you're unsure about something, come talk to us, and we'll figure it out together."

He Yan and Fu Yanyan nodded obediently upon hearing this.

"Don't sacrifice yourself for others either. Your aunt earned her university spot through her own abilities, so why give up a good job? If someone threatens you with a knife, just ignore them."

The children stared wide-eyed at Jin Xiuzhu.

He Yan whispered, "What if they really kill you?"

"Then bury them."

He Yan didn't expect such an answer. Although it seemed strange, he felt Jin Xiuzhu was right.

Because Bai Jingzhi's situation was complex, especially when the police officer discovered that Liu Qin and his wife had accepted the house and money from Bai's mother, which they used to pay off Song Xiaoru's brother's debts.

The police officer asked Jiang Mingchuan if he wanted to reclaim the property. The property was given under the condition of raising their daughter properly, making her one of the beneficiaries. Since Liu Qin and his wife failed to do so and misused the assets, reclaiming them was highly possible.

This time, Jiang Mingchuan didn't hesitate and agreed to reclaim the property.

The police officer was very diligent, knowing Jiang Mingchuan was busy, so he acted quickly. By the third day, he handed over the property deed and some money to Jiang Mingchuan.

Not much money was recovered, as most had been spent. Jiang Mingchuan didn't press further, understanding the difficulty of recovering the assets. He thanked the police by bringing candies and cookies to the station.

As for Bai Jingzhi's adoptive parents, the outcome was pending notification. Liu Qin and Song Xiaoru's family had a falling out, blaming each other. The family Song Xiaoru's brother had killed also protested. However, it was clear that the result wouldn't be favorable. Liu Qin and Song Xiaoru had already lost their jobs, and Liu Aihua was fired from the newspaper.

Regarding Bai Jingzhi's job, the newspaper said they needed to consider it. After all, she had given it up herself, and Liu Aihua's poor performance had caused trouble several times. With Bai Jingzhi away from school for so long, it was uncertain if she could work again.

Even if she couldn't go back to the newspaper, Jiang Mingchuan could arrange a job for her in a factory, thanks to his connections.

Bai Jingzhi was not yet called Bai Jingzhi; before going to the countryside, she had changed her name to Liu Aihua at the police station. Now that everything was settled, Jin Xiuzhu asked Jiang Mingchuan to take her to change her name back.

Changing her name was quick, and this time she was called "Bai Jingzhi." However, this "Bai Jingzhi" was different from the one Jin Xiuzhu knew. She likely wouldn't have any contact with Ji Ling, nor would they live happily together with twin children.

Having seen the happy Bai Jingzhi, Jin Xiuzhu felt even more compassion for this sister.

Bai Jingzhi returned to the military base with the children. When He Yan and Yanyan started school, she proposed leaving, saying she wanted to return to S City.

Jiang Mingchuan was too busy to send her off and wanted her to stay longer. Jin Xiuzhu also tried to persuade her, but Bai Jingzhi insisted on leaving.

Having experienced evil, she cherished the kindness of her brother and sister-in-law even more, not wanting to trouble them.

Jiang Mingchuan called his comrade in S City, who had retired two years ago and was now a director at a flour mill due to his high rank.

Jin Xiuzhu didn't know how he managed it, but his comrade responded within two days, saying that once Bai Jingzhi arrived in S City, she should go directly to the factory, where a job and a single dormitory room for her and the children were arranged.

Jin Xiuzhu wanted to send her to S City, but Bai Jingzhi shook her head, "Sister-in-law, I can manage."

Jin Xiuzhu looked at Bai Jingzhi's determined eyes, feeling conflicted. Perhaps because of her experiences, Bai Jingzhi had become more decisive and resolute, knowing that only she could rely on herself.

Just like Jin Xiuzhu once was, isolated but unbreakable.

Bai Jingzhi left. Once settled in S City, she called Jiang Mingchuan, saying her job was easy and the factory had a kindergarten where she could leave the children.

As for the houses, she followed Jin Xiuzhu's advice and planned to clean them on Sunday, hoping to rent them out later.

One house was the compensation from her adoptive parents, and the other was the property deed Jiang Mingchuan gave her, saying it was left by their mother.

Bai Jingzhi initially didn't want it, but Jiang Mingchuan said he had one too.

Jin Xiuzhu overheard this and asked him about his house after seeing her off.

Jiang Mingchuan hesitantly said it was with his foster mother.

Jin Xiuzhu responded with an "oh" and then directly said, "Remember to get it back. It's something your mother left you, and you should keep it as a memento."

Jiang Mingchuan pondered for a moment and softly agreed.

Upon their return, they traversed the county town and deliberately made a stop at the meat processing facility to purchase some meat, followed by a visit to the supply and marketing cooperative to acquire flour.

Along the way, neither of them spoke much. Jin Xiuzhu felt awkward around Jiang Mingchuan; she knew he was Jiang Mingchuan, but also knew he wasn't the same person, making it hard for her to treat them as one.

Jiang Mingchuan also noticed that when she looked at him, it was as if she was seeing someone else through him. This gaze made him uncomfortable, though he couldn't quite put his finger on why.

He walked behind her, silently watching Jin Xiuzhu's back.

When they reached the residential building, he rarely took the initiative to speak, "I might be busy these next few days and won't be coming home for dinner."

Jin Xiuzhu acknowledged with a hum.

Jiang Mingchuan added, "Jingzhi told me not to send her money anymore. She said the money she's getting back is enough for her to live on."

Jin Xiuzhu's heart softened, "Listen to her. Even if you give her money, she won't take it."

Jiang Mingchuan found this strange. It sounded like she knew his sister well.

But this incident surprised him. He hadn't expected Jin Xiuzhu to care so much about Jingzhi, helping out without any complaints.

He wanted to say something but saw they had already reached their front door.

At that moment, the door next door suddenly opened, revealing Zhao Yun's fair and gentle face. She smiled warmly at Jiang Mingchuan as if she hadn't seen Jin Xiuzhu, "Captain Jiang, you're back?"

Jin Xiuzhu heard the voice and turned to glance over.

Jiang Mingchuan didn't respond. In the past, Jin Xiuzhu would have immediately frowned and berated Zhao Yun, then turned to scold him without any consideration.

This time, however, Jin Xiuzhu merely gave Zhao Yun a calm glance before opening the door and going inside, without even slamming it shut.

Jiang Mingchuan felt a mix of emotions. He nodded at Zhao Yun and followed Jin Xiuzhu inside.

The door closed, leaving Zhao Yun puzzled, wondering why Jiang Mingchuan suddenly ignored her.

Jiang Mingchuan watched Jin Xiuzhu head to the kitchen. After thinking for a moment, he changed into a different outfit in the room, then walked to the kitchen door and said, "I'm going out for a bit."

Jin Xiuzhu was kneading dough and responded with an "okay" without looking up.

Seeing this, Jiang Mingchuan couldn't help but add, "It's work-related."

Jin Xiuzhu turned to look at him and nodded, "Alright."

Jiang Mingchuan pursed his lips and left.

Jin Xiuzhu watched his figure disappear from the kitchen doorway and let out a light laugh.

That night, as they lay in bed, both were restless. Jin Xiuzhu stared at the moonlight outside the window, thinking about what the other Jiang Mingchuan and the children might be doing elsewhere.

Just as she was lost in thought, a hand suddenly rested on her waist, causing her body to stiffen.

Jiang Mingchuan was also nervous. Before he could say anything, he heard Jin Xiuzhu's calm voice, "I'm not ready yet."

He paused, understanding her meaning, and replied, "Okay, I understand."

Jin Xiuzhu didn't say anything more.

After a long while, Jiang Mingchuan quietly turned over.

Perhaps it was Jin Xiuzhu's promise that worked. A year later, He Yan was admitted to the county high school. That same year, Jiang Mingchuan was promoted to regimental commander, taking over from Commander Yan, who was transferred away.

On the day of his departure, Jin Xiuzhu went to see him off. She also saw Wang Ling, but their relationship had become lukewarm, and they only exchanged a few polite words. Wang Ling held onto Zhao Yun's hand tightly, chatting nonstop.

Jin Xiuzhu didn't pay attention and discussed dinner plans with her daughter.

Without Jin Xiuzhu's strict supervision, Fu Yanyan's grades improved significantly. She now consistently ranked among the top three in her school. She also developed a passion for painting and embroidery, learning many techniques from Jin Xiuzhu. For Jiang Mingchuan's birthday, she embroidered a red handkerchief, which he proudly showed off.

Today was Sunday, and both children were home. In the evening, Jin Xiuzhu and the two children prepared a large table of food, and the family of four enjoyed a happy meal together. Jiang Mingchuan was in a good mood and even brought out plum wine sent by his comrades, allowing everyone to have a small sip.

That night, as they lay in bed, Jin Xiuzhu quickly fell asleep. She dreamed that a few years later, Jingzhi's factory faced financial difficulties, leading her to start selling goods on the street. Eventually, people praised her baked goods, and she started a business selling flatbreads, which grew into a fast-food chain.

She also dreamed about the children: He Yan was admitted to a military academy but injured his leg while saving someone. Despite this setback, he remained strong and after retaking the exams, enrolled in Capital University, majoring in physics. Yanyan always performed well academically, but her college entrance exam results were not ideal. She did not retake the exams and instead started a clothing business during her university years, designing and selling clothes. After graduation, she used her savings to open a clothing store, which became very successful.

In her dream, Jin Xiuzhu saw many familiar faces: Qian Yufeng, Wang Ling, Yang Yingxiong, Zhong Xue...

Some were doing well, while others struggled, each having undergone significant changes.

Finally, she saw Zhao Yun's family. Zhao Yun's daughter Tang Ying married Wei Ningqing, but the marriage didn't last long. Yang Yao's past of impersonating someone else in the military was exposed, affecting the entire family, especially Tang Ying's brother Yang Chaoying, who was expelled from the military academy. Zhao Yun's hair turned white overnight, but she couldn't divorce, as Yang Yao refused.

Tang Ying, considering her mother and brother, threatened to divorce Wei Ningqing, but she didn't expect him to be principled and agree to the divorce.

In her dream, Jin Xiuzhu sighed deeply, realizing how unpredictable life can be. Who would have thought that a once-envied family would face such a crisis?

Perhaps the dream felt too real, even after waking up, Jin Xiuzhu was still dazed. She lay in bed for a long time, suddenly feeling hot. At first, she didn't mind, but gradually, she realized it was getting hotter. Sensing something, she pushed the man sleeping beside her forcefully.

Jiang Mingchuan opened his eyes sharply. In the darkness, he met Jin Xiuzhu's surprised and reluctant gaze and asked, "What's wrong?"

Jin Xiuzhu said seriously, "Take good care of the two children. Remember, always support their choices and respect them, no matter what they do. They are good kids."

She paused and added, "Also, take care of yourself and your health."

Jiang Mingchuan's heart tightened, wanting to ask what was wrong.

But Jin Xiuzhu closed her eyes and fell asleep, breathing evenly.

He frowned, reaching out to check her breathing, slightly relieved by the faint breaths.

Yet, he couldn't shake the strong sense of loss, as if he had lost something precious.