Chapter 65: Discovery

Chapter 65: Discovery

Ye Dasao's expression was serious, and there was something odd about her demeanor. She only noticed Ji Ling standing next to Ye Minshu after she spoke, "Are you on break, Xiao Ling?"

Ji Ling nodded and politely greeted her, "Aunt Ji."

Because of the tense atmosphere at the Ji family earlier, there wasn't much of a smile on her face. She simply turned to look at Ye Minshu, "I'll head to my room then."

"Go ahead, and remember to do your homework," Ye Minshu instructed before asking her sister-in-law, "What is it?"

"Let's talk inside," Ye Dasao's eyes swept around, clearly indicating that this wasn't something she wanted outsiders to overhear.

This only deepened Ye Minshu's curiosity, so she slowly walked inside, furrowing her brow. "If it's about the liquid soap, you don't need to bring it up."

"It is about the liquid soap," Ye Dasao said, looking at her ever-composed demeanor.

Ye Minshu stopped in her tracks, her frown deepening. "Do you forget why Big Brother got into trouble back then over the liquid soap incident? Why are you still fixating on this?"

"Then do you know that the boss behind Muzi Liquid Soap is Xiao Ze?"

The room fell silent at her words, and Ye Minshu looked at her sister-in-law, actually smiling. "Impossible."

She removed her scarf and coat. "Xiao Ze isn't like Chen Weiguo from the Chen family, who really had no better path. With Old Master and Second Brother still around, it's only a matter of time before Xiao Ze gets promoted. Why would he throw away a promising future to go into business?"

As she hung her clothes, she paused and looked at Ye Dasao. "Aren't you just saying this to mock me for not helping you get the formula?"

Ye Dasao had been married into the Ye family for nearly thirty years, but she had never been truly respected as an elder sister-in-law by this younger sister-in-law.

Before marriage, Ye Minshu had been the pride of their troupe, with countless suitors, always walking with her chin held high. After marriage, her background in the troupe no longer added to her value but became a burden. Yet, she had climbed to a higher position. Every time she returned to her parents' home, she wouldn't stay long, saying she needed to go back to take care of Ji Jun and the kids. She was always on guard, worried they might drag her down.

Hearing Ye Minshu's words, Ye Dasao wasn't in a hurry. "If you don't believe me, why don't you come and see for yourself?"

Ye Minshu found this amusing and rolled up her sleeves, preparing to enter the kitchen.

"Then surely you have time to make a phone call to his unit?" Ye Dasao continued, "Haven't you noticed that Xiao Ze has never picked up your calls promptly recently?"

This hit home. For the past few months, whenever Ye Minshu tried to reach Ji Ze, he hadn't answered directly but had called back later.

Seeing her pause, Ye Dasao sighed deeply. "If I hadn't found their factory and seen Xiao Ze with my own eyes, do you think I'd come and tell you this?"

Ye Minshu remained silent, so Ye Dasao gave her the address. "Go and see for yourself, as if I'm trying to deceive you."

After Ye Dasao left, Ye Minshu couldn't stop thinking about it. After preparing dinner for Ji Ling, she couldn't resist and put on her coat to leave.

She didn't go directly to the address Ye Dasao had given her but took a bus to Xiao Ze's unit first.

She asked the guard at the gate, who helped her dial an internal phone. The guard told her that Ji Ze was busy and couldn't meet her, suggesting she come back another day.

She didn't leave but continued to ask around outside. After asking a few people, she found out that Ji Ze hadn't been at the unit for months, having first taken annual leave and then sick leave.

Her heart felt as cold as the late January weather. Still unwilling to believe it, she mustered the courage to go to the address her sister-in-law had provided.

The factory wasn't very big, just a repurposed residential building, but security was tight. A retired old man was stationed at the entrance, requiring registration for entry and exit.

She asked the old man if their boss was in, and he said yes. When she asked to see him, the old man inquired about the reason for her visit.

Having no other option and not wanting to wait outside, Ye Minshu decided to fib. "I run a small shop and want to purchase liquid soap wholesale."

Honestly, she didn’t seem like the type. She was dressed and spoke in a very polished manner, the kind you’d expect from someone with a good job or a good family. But the old man still called out to someone inside.

After a short while, a man in his thirties came out and led her in. As they walked, he asked, “What’s the name of your convenience store? Where is it? Our boss said that two sales locations shouldn’t be too close to each other, or they’ll end up competing with each other and neither will sell well.”

Ye Minshu wasn’t paying attention to any of that. Her eyes scanned the room, searching for a familiar face.

The man sensed something was off and immediately stopped in his tracks, furrowing his brow. “Are you really here to purchase liquid soap?”

From the moment she entered, she was already scanning the room restlessly. Was she here to gather information and set up a competing business?

He was about to ask her to leave when, suddenly, Ye Minshu took off running in a certain direction, completely abandoning her composure. “Xiao Ze!”

Just as he was about to stop her, the young boss emerged from inside. The boss had been smiling, but his expression froze when he saw who was coming. “Mom?”

Mom?

Everyone who heard the word froze.

Ye Minshu’s mind went blank, and without thinking, she lunged forward and grabbed Ji Ze. “You’re just here for a visit, right?”

Her voice was a little shrill, and it was unclear whether she was asking Ji Ze or trying to convince herself. “You have so many friends, doing all sorts of jobs. You’re just here for a visit, right?”

Ji Ze hadn’t expected her to be here and, caught by her grip, couldn’t manage to say a word.

“You’re not like what your aunt said, giving up a good job to start a business, right?” This sentence already carried a sob.

The man caught up and, seeing the situation, couldn’t help but quietly ask Ji Ze for his opinion. “Boss?”

That single word, “boss,” completely shattered Ye Minshu’s illusion. She let go and staggered back, nearly fainting right there.

By the time Lin Qiao and Old Master Xu Li learned that Ye Minshu had fallen ill, it was already the next day.

In the morning, before they had even eaten, Ji Jun came over with Ji Ling. He said that Ye Minshu was sick and hospitalized, and Ji Ling would need to be left in their care for a few days.

“Minshu is sick?” Xu Li was quite surprised. “She was fine when she came over yesterday.”

Ji Jun hesitated for a moment. “She suddenly fell ill in the afternoon yesterday. It’s not serious; she should recover after a few days of rest.”

She’s in the hospital, and he’s saying it’s not serious? It was clear he didn’t want to talk much about it.

Xu Li decided not to ask further. “Just leave Ji Ling here then.” She took the bookbag Ji Ling was carrying and asked her softly, “Did you have breakfast this morning?”

“No,” Ji Ling replied, her lips pressed together. She seemed worried and had lost her usual energy.

Xu Li went to get her a bowl of soy milk herself and asked Ji Jun, “You haven’t eaten either, have you? Sit down and have something before you go.”

“I’ll pass, I’ll just buy something outside and bring it to Minshu as well.” Ji Jun gave Ji Ling a quick reminder to listen to her grandparents, then left.

As soon as he was gone, Old Master immediately handed his beloved granddaughter a fried dough stick. “Your Aunt Zhang stood in line for this early this morning. It’s still crispy.”

The large fried dough stick was a golden yellow, crispy to the bite. Ji Ling’s cheeks puffed up, but she still seemed down. “I think something must have happened at home.”

“Don’t overthink it, kid. Your dad said she’ll be fine after a few days of rest, right?” Xu Li chided her gently and added some pickles to her meal.

“I’m serious. My aunt came over yesterday morning and said she needed to talk to my mom about something. In the afternoon, my mom left and hasn’t come back since.”

Ji Ling was at an age where she was becoming more sensitive. A small disturbance at home couldn’t be dismissed as easily as when she was younger.

Seeing Ji Jun hesitating, Xu Li had already guessed that something was wrong, though she couldn’t say it directly. "If you're not feeling well, I'll have your dad take you to the hospital later."

The Old Master also tried to distract his granddaughter, "This oil stick looks pretty good. If you don’t want it, I’ll finish it for you."

Hearing that, Ji Ling quickly grabbed it with her chopsticks.

Once they were alone, the Old Master muttered, "What’s up with the eldest son? Look at how scared he is."

"It's definitely not the eldest who upset him. Among all the people we know, no one is more family-oriented."

"Or more obedient to his wife, you mean?" The Old Master snorted. Lowering his voice, he added, "Do you think it could be related to Xiao Ze?"

Xu Li wasn’t sure either, but if it came out, the eldest’s wife might end up in the hospital from sheer frustration.

The elderly couple fell silent again. At that moment, the phone in the living room rang, and Xu Li went to answer it, "Hello, Second Son?"

Both Xu Li and the Old Master were surprised. He came out from the inner room, saying, "Is the second son finally remembering to call home?"

In the past, this never happened. Sometimes, they wouldn’t even know Ji Duo had left and returned until after the fact.

Xu Li listened for a moment, then smiled, "Alright, I’ll get her for you." Putting down the receiver, she called out, "Qiao Qiao, it’s the second son on the phone."

Lin Qiao had been lighting firecrackers in the yard with Ji Ling, explaining the composition and origin of gunpowder due to her profession. Hearing Xu Li call her, she was surprised, "It’s Ji Duo calling?"

Ji Ling winked at her, "It’s your little uncle’s phone call~" and had her head patted.

Xu Li teased, "I gave birth to that son, and in twenty-seven years, he never called home. Now he finally does."

"Maybe he has something important," Lin Qiao said, not wanting to entertain the implication, and walked into the living room to pick up the receiver.

"I've arrived," Ji Duo’s voice was low and concise as ever, "I’ve already gotten the information. It’s the same person from last time."

Sure enough, it was official business. Lin Qiao became serious, "Have you caught the person?"

"Not yet, but we’ve narrowed down the general area."

"Is there anything you need me to do?"

Unexpectedly, Ji Duo said, "No need. I just wanted to let you know I’m safe and everything is going smoothly."

Just to say that?

Lin Qiao instinctively raised her hand and, through her sweater, touched the jade tiger around her neck. Unconsciously, she recalled the hug he gave before leaving…

Maybe he just wanted to remind her, in case she forgot.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the hospital felt a lot heavier compared to the old house.

As soon as Ji Jun entered, he saw Ye Minshu lying on the hospital bed, still crying. She’d been crying all day, "Tell me, what were you thinking? Isn’t being an officer good enough for you? You’ve already been promoted to lieutenant. In two years, you’d at least be a battalion commander, maybe even a regiment commander."

Ji Ze had been at the hospital since yesterday and was sitting silently on another bed, listening.

Ji Jun walked in and placed the lunch box he brought on the bedside table, "Alright, enough crying. Get up and eat."

"How can I eat?" Ye Minshu, holding her chest, looked sick and dejected, "After all the time we spent raising him, this is what he’s doing?"

Ji Jun didn’t know what to say either. Frowning, he looked at his son, "You were doing great in the military. Why mess with this now? Just drop it before you upset your mom any further."

Ji Ze remained silent. He had already told his mother everything he could—his pressures, his desire for change, and the achievements he had made recently…

However, Ye Minshu refused to listen, dismissing everything he said, only insisting that she had gone through so much over the years and that he was ruining his future.

When she saw he wasn’t agreeing, Ye Minshu indeed started crying again, "Are you trying to drive me to death? Look, apart from Chen Weiguo, who in our circle does this kind of work? Is this even what you call the right path?"

"It's a path sanctioned by the state and supported by policy, how is it not legitimate?" Ji Ze couldn't help but respond.

"If it's such a legitimate path, why wasn't it allowed before?" Ye Minshu cried even harder, "If it weren't for your uncle engaging in speculation and getting caught back then, do you think I would have agreed to that childhood betrothal? All these years, I've been watching over my natal family, offending everyone, all for you and your father, and now you're doing this?"

Unlike many women who support their own families at the expense of their in-laws, Ye Minshu had always prioritized her own family. Ji Ze fell silent.

Ji Jun tried to persuade his son, "Alright, if you're doing this for the novelty, you've had your fun for half a year. If you're short on money, you should have earned enough by now. It's time to quit. Your mother has had a hard time, and this really isn't a good industry. Where is the stability and future you’d have in the military?"

Ji Ze fell silent again, turning his head away, silently resisting with his silence.

Seeing this, Ye Minshu almost lost her breath again.

She even confronted Lin Qiao, lamenting Chen Weiguo, only to find out that the person making the liquid soap was her own son.

Lin Qiao must have been laughing at her in her heart, right?

And what about Old Master and the old lady—did they know about this?

Thinking of Lin Qiao, a surge of anger rose in Ye Minshu's head, and she couldn't help sitting up, "That liquid soap formula, did Lin Qiao give it to you?"

"It wasn't given by Aunt Lin," Ji Ze replied quickly this time, "I asked Uncle to get it from her."

Ye Minshu didn’t listen to the latter part, "Fine, fine, fine, I knew she was inciting you. Her husband is doing well in the military, but she comes to harm my son. I only said a few words about her..."

"Can you stop pinning everything on her?"

Before she could finish, Ji Ze had already stood up abruptly, "I said I asked her for it. She doesn't even know who asked for the formula, how could she incite me?"

This stand seemed to open the floodgates for many words and emotions, and he continued without stopping, "Our family arranged the childhood betrothal, and when we didn't want to go through with it, we pushed her off to Uncle. It's our family that owes her, not the other way around. Can you stop blaming her for everything?"

This speech, completely siding with Lin Qiao, left Ye Minshu shocked and momentarily forgetting to cry.

What upset her even more was that Ji Jun immediately changed his stance, "Xiao Qiao only sees Xiao Ze a few times a year, how could she incite him? Stop making things up."

As father and son argued, Ye Minshu was left speechless, eventually turning away to sob into her pillow, "Why is my fate so bitter?"

However, her bitter fate continued. Ever since that day when they left her house, Ye Da Sao had been keeping an eye on her situation.

With no one at home, she went to inquire at the liquid soap factory and heard that the boss hadn't come for several days because his mother was sick.

"Can you imagine what his mother is thinking? Our boss is so young and has already built such a successful business." The old man at the gate remarked to Ye Da Sao.

Ye Da Sao returned home and told Ye Da Ge, and the two went to the street to buy a bag of apples and a bag of oranges before heading to the hospital.

Ji Ze was talking to someone in the corridor, "The New Year is approaching, and our factory will also be on holiday starting the day after tomorrow, for seven days, returning to work on the seventh day of the lunar month. Arrange a schedule to have two people on duty each day. I can't leave, but I've already talked to the accountant, and bonuses will be issued tomorrow."

Seeing the two, he greeted them, "Uncle, Aunt." Due to Ye Minshu's situation, his attitude wasn't as warm as before.

Ye Da Ge and Ye Da Sao were quite enthusiastic, asking him a couple of questions, "Busy, Xiao Ze?" before heading inside with their things.

Ye Minshu's condition wasn't as bad as the previous days, but she was prolonging her hospital stay, hoping to use her health to pressure her son into closing the business.

Seeing Ye Da Sao, the person who had exposed the situation, Ye Minshu wasn't very pleased, only giving a weak nod as a greeting.

"Why are you so upset?" Ye Da Sao put the things down by the bedside, "The kids are grown up and understand things. Talk to him slowly. Don't make yourself sick like this. Wouldn't your husband be worried? Wouldn't your brother be worried?"

Ye Da Ge was also furrowing his brows and asked about her condition, "I just ran into Xiao Ze in the corridor. Why is he still planning to keep the business running after the New Year?"

If she hadn't brought it up, Ye Minshu would have been less upset. "Who knows what he's thinking? I've told him everything that could convince him, but he won't listen."

"Is he just reluctant to give up his business?" Aunt Ye guessed. "I heard he makes at least several hundred a day from it."

Ye Minshu didn't really want to listen, but Ye Da Ge seemed surprised. "That much? I didn't realize it was that profitable."

Seeing Aunt Ye nod, he pondered for a moment. "It's quite a pity. He's already built a successful business, and he has a lot of employees who depend on him for their livelihood." He furrowed his brows and consulted Ye Minshu, "How about this, you let Xiao Ze hand the factory over to me and Aunt Ye. We'll help him manage it."

"Hand it over to you and Aunt Ye?" Ye Minshu was incredulous.

Ye Da Ge dared to respond, "It's better to hand it to family than to outsiders. If someone is managing the factory, Xiao Ze can go back to his job in the military, right?"

"So that's what you're after!"

Ye Minshu slammed the bedside table, and by the time Ji Ze heard the noise and rushed back, she had already fallen off the bed, unable to pull back in time.

"Is Minshu's condition worsening?" Hearing this, Xu Li and Old Master exchanged a glance, unsure if this was real or just another excuse.

Ji Jun looked even more exhausted this time. "She wasn't paying attention and fell off the bed, injuring her arm. The doctor said it will take at least half a month to heal."

Injured her arm?

It seems like this time it's genuine.

So, out of concern, Xu Li, as the mother-in-law, and Lin Qiao, as the sister-in-law, couldn't really avoid making an appearance.

They hadn't visited before because Ji Jun seemed hesitant and didn't even bring Ji Ling, likely because he didn't want them to see Ye Minshu.

Xu Li was about to suggest something when Lin Qiao spoke up, calling her "Mom." "Let's find a time to visit Big Sister."

Clearly understanding the situation, Xu Li nodded. "Alright, we'll go this afternoon. I'll also ask Aunt Zhang to make a soup for her."

Ji Jun watched, seemingly hesitant to say something, when Old Master asked him, "What is it?"

"It's nothing," Ji Jun didn't dare meet those sharp old eyes. "I'm just a bit surprised that Xiao Qiao is still studying even though it's the holidays."

Lin Qiao indeed was studying, sharing a table with Ji Ling, who had homework to do, but that wasn't what he had originally intended to say.

Seeing Old Master's silence, the atmosphere became a bit tense, so Xu Li stepped in to smooth things over. "Qiao Qiao is reviewing to prepare for next year's college entrance exams."

"Oh? Is that so?" Ji Jun hadn't expected that, and Ji Ling corrected him, "Auntie proposed a competition and is now coaching students for it."

This surprised Ji Jun even more. "Xiao Qiao is really impressive, huh." He stood there, racking his brains for words to praise Lin Qiao.

Xu Li noticed that Ji Ling had been watching her and Lin Qiao. "If you're not in a hurry, come with me and your Aunt this afternoon. If you are, go with your dad."

"I'll go with Dad," Ji Ling immediately got up to pack, clearly worried about Ye Minshu.

After they left, Lin Qiao put away her books and returned to her room. Old Master suddenly muttered, "Big Brother is keeping us at arm's length."

Xu Li understood what he meant. Ye Minshu's illness seemed suspicious, and Ji Jun hadn't said anything after going home twice.

But she didn't want to add fuel to the fire. "Maybe it's just a quarrel between the couple. Do they have to report everything to us?"

Old Master didn't comment, picked up his teacup, and took a sip. The cup hit the table with a louder thud than usual.

Later that afternoon, Aunt Zhang had finished preparing the soup. Lin Qiao poured it into a thermos, wrapped it in a quilt, and just as she and Xu Li were leaving, they encountered Ji Duo as he stepped out of his car at the door.

The man's features were half-hidden under his military cap and coat collar, his expression calm, giving no sign that he had just returned from a long trip. Seeing the two of them come out, still holding the insulated flask, he strode over, first calling out to Xu Li, "Mom." His gaze then shifted to Lin Qiao, "Are you going out?"

He was brief, unlike when he left, but maybe he’s always like this when he’s out.

Lin Qiao nodded, "My sister-in-law is sick, so Mom and I are heading to the hospital to check on her."

"Sister-in-law is sick?"

Ji Duo furrowed his brow and took the flask from her hand. He turned to head back inside, clearly planning to join them.

Xu Li hadn’t expected to see her son at the door. After the initial shock, her face lit up with joy. "You’re right on time. How did it go? Everything okay?"

Ji Duo had been walking ahead but hesitated for a moment.

Lin Qiao noticed right away that something wasn’t right. Sure enough, the man turned back, his gaze intense and his voice low and cold, "It didn’t work out."