Chapter 77: Do You Suspect Ji Shuping Isn’t Pregnant?

Chapter 77: Do You Suspect Ji Shuping Isn’t Pregnant?

Lin Yufan lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

The events around her were slowly diverging from her past life.

In her previous life, Zhao Zhiao and Zhao Lixiang had their accident at the beginning of 1950. Before Zhao Lixiang passed away, he had shown her considerable care.

At that time, her life hadn’t yet fallen into hardship, but Zhao Lixiang still had people deliver supplies to her several times.

Maybe because she had adopted a son and sworn to remain a widow, Zhao Lixiang had never shown any romantic interest in her.

As for whether he had married, she didn’t know, but he likely didn’t have any children. Even if he did, it would have been a child born after his death. Otherwise, she would have heard about it from the outside world.

If Ji Shuping was already pregnant now, she would have to give birth by December at the latest. But Zhao Lixiang’s accident occurred in February 1950, which doesn’t align at all.

In this life, could it be that marrying Zhao Zhiao indirectly caused Zhao Lixiang to be expelled from the Zhao family garden, speeding up his marriage to Ji Shuping, and thus changing the course of history?

It’s entirely possible.

Zhao Zhiao turned over and pulled the blanket up for her: "Can’t sleep?"

Lin Yufan voiced her confusion: "In my earlier dream, after you and Li Xiang had the accident, word got around that Second Uncle was the main beneficiary. If Zhao Lixiang marries Miss Ji and they have a child, how could Second Uncle still come out on top?"

That makes sense.

Zhao Zhiao asked: "Do you suspect Ji Shuping isn’t pregnant?"

Lin Yufan wasn’t sure either; her mind was all over the place: "Is that possible?"

Zhao Zhiao kind of hoped it was true. "If she’s not pregnant, that’d be even better."

Lin Yufan: "If Ji Shuping isn’t pregnant, how’s she going to handle it later? Wasn’t she planning to make her move next year? Over these months, her belly would grow. She might fool others, but she’d never be able to trick her husband who shares her bed."

"Don’t get too worked up about it. Whether she’s pregnant or not doesn’t really affect us."

True. They’ve already decided to nip the problem in the bud, so it doesn’t matter whether she’s pregnant or not.

Every now and then, Lin Yufan wondered if Ji Shuping might be wrongly accused. But when she thought about Ji Shuping’s ties to Xiao Zepeng and how Zhao Zhiao had nearly wiped out the Ji family, the chances of Ji Shuping being wrongly accused were slim.

Lin Yufan turned to him and said, "Tomorrow I’ll talk to Mom and invite Ji Shuping over for dinner. We’ve got to meet her before the wedding."

Zhao Zhiao: "This Saturday at noon, I’m free."

"Alright."

Zhao Zhiao urged her: "Get some sleep. It’s the most important thing for a pregnant woman."

She curled up in his arms, not sleeping, but staying still.

Cui Yuan walked out of the prison, the sun was so bright he could barely keep his eyes open.

*

A beat-up car was parked nearby, with a few people standing next to it.

"Big Brother!" Wang Liu rushed over first. "Big Brother, how’d you get so skinny?"

Cui Yuan cursed, "Damn it, the food was terrible, the sleep was worse, and I was covered in lice. How could I not lose weight?"

"Bro, you've been through a lot!"

Deng Kuan and Long Jing also came forward.

Long Jing smiled and asked, "Captain Cui Yuan, everyone else has left, why are you only coming out now?"

"I took my sweet time to see if you guys would actually wait for me!"

Wang Liu grinned, "We'd wait for you till the cows come home."

Deng Kuan laughed, "Let's head back, clean up, and grab a bite."

An hour later, after showering and changing into clean clothes, Cui Yuan followed them to a small restaurant near the dormitory.

In the innermost private room of the restaurant, they ordered a table full of dishes. Famished, Cui Yuan wolfed down a big bowl of noodles.

After that, they clinked glasses and started drinking.

Wang Liu sighed, "Brother, during the time you were away, our bureau has seen a lot of changes. Director Gao was removed and sent back to the mainland for investigation."

Cui Yuan was curious, "Why?"

They filled him in on how Director Gao was shot in the back and suspected of treason.

Cui Yuan had a pretty good idea of what went down. He looked at Deng Kuan and smiled.

Wang Liu continued, "Also, that jerk Zhuang Ziguang, the one you can't stand, has vanished—probably whacked. Now, Director Qiu sent some guy named Xiao as the new Deputy Director, strutting around..."

Changing his tone, Wang Liu lowered his voice, "All talk, no action!"

Everyone couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Long Jing asked Cui Yuan, "Captain Cui Yuan, what are your plans next?"

Cui Yuan was eating braised pork, "What kind of plans can I make? I can't go back to the bureau; the Secret Service already canned me. I'll pack my bags and see where I can land. Worst case, I'll go back to my hometown."

Wang Liu advised him, "The PLA just launched the Yangtze Crossing Campaign, and things back home are looking grim. If they lose, what future does a Nationalist agent like you have back home? I advise you not to go back. Give up."

Others also advised that finding a job in Hong Kong to get by isn't hard.

Later, Wang Liu went to the toilet, Deng Kuan handed Long Jing some cash to settle the bill, leaving only two people in the private room.

Deng Kuan then handed Cui Yuan a note, "Go look up Guang Touli; here's his address and number."

Cui Yuan crumpled the note into a ball and stuffed it into his pocket.

Deng Kuan added, "We quietly renewed your apartment lease for six months. If it's not urgent, don't go back for your stuff yet."

Cui Yuan, "All my cash is in the apartment; if I don't go back, I'm broke."

Deng Kuan, "Guang Touli will hook you up with two grand—it's from the organization, a thank-you for your work. Our advice is to stick with Guang Touli for now; it's safest to lay low with the chapter—the Nationalists won't mess with these local big shots."

Cui Yuan understood, "Okay."

The Communists have it all figured out, even planning an exit for him.

The door of the private room opened, Wang Liu came back, Deng Kuan got up to go to the bathroom.

Wang Liu plopped down next to Cui Yuan and handed him a set of keys, "Here, bro, your keys."

Cui Yuan took the keys, giving Wang Liu a quick glance.

Wang Liu didn’t dare admit he’d planned to steal Cui Yuan’s money, so he quickly explained, "Right after you went in, that jerk Zhuang Ziguang sent people to the dormitory to move all your belongings. There was a piece of your clothing in my room, and the key was still in it, so it was spared."

Cui Yuan pocketed the keys and raised his glass, lightly clinking it with Wang Liu’s. "Thanks, man."

"It’s the least I can do! I’d go to the ends of the earth for a brother in trouble!" Wang Liu downed his drink first.

Then, he discreetly handed Cui Yuan 20 Hong Kong dollars. "Big bro, I’m a bit short, but take this for now."

*

On Saturday morning, Ji Shuping drove to the Zhao family garden, where Wang Junyao and Liu Fang were waiting outside to welcome her.

"Shu Ping!"

Ji Shuping stepped out of the car, holding a bouquet of flowers, and handed it to Wang Junyao.

"We stopped by a flower shop and saw these gorgeous tulips, so we picked them up for you."

Wang Junyao smiled happily. "Thank you, thank you! These tulips are stunning—I love them! Daughters are the best—my son’s never even brought me flowers!"

Ji Shuping muttered under her breath, "He hasn’t given me any either."

Wang Junyao couldn’t help but scold Zhao Lixiang, who was following behind. "No sense at all. It’s a miracle he managed to marry someone as wonderful as you."

This made Ji Shuping somewhat embarrassed.

Zhao Lixiang awkwardly changed the subject, "Why are we standing out here..."

Liu Fang quickly said, "Miss Ji, come on in."

Ji Shuping took Liu Fang's arm. "Auntie, you’re too formal—just call me Shu Ping."

Liu Fang smiled. "Shu Ping, come on in and sit down."

Inside, Ji Shuping noticed the living room was empty and asked, "Where’s Brother Zhi Ao and his wife?"

Wang Junyao replied, "This villa’s small—there’s no room for mahjong on the first floor, so your sister-in-law and the others are upstairs playing. Zhi Ao’s probably in the study."

Ji Shuping didn’t pay much attention to whether Lin Yufan, as the sister-in-law, had slighted her by not coming to greet her, and she asked with a smile, "Has the building out front been fixed up since the fire last time?"

Wang Junyao said, "It’s been renovated, but they’re airing it out—we’ll move back next month. So for your wedding, it’s not practical to have it at home, and Lixiang mentioned you’re in mourning and don’t want a ceremony. But we can’t skip celebrating entirely, so I talked to your brother and sister-in-law—we’ll book a few tables at a hotel and invite close family. What do you think, Shu Ping?"

Ji Shuping replied, "I have no relatives in Hong Kong, I’m fine with whatever, I’ll follow your arrangements."

Wang Junyao smiled. "It’s just a bit unfair to you."

"It’s not unfair. I’m the one who didn’t want a wedding."

As they were chatting, Lin Yufan and the second concubine came down from the third floor.

Everyone greeted each other warmly.

Lin Yufan looked at Ji Shuping, but it was still unclear whether she was pregnant.

Ji Shuping, who was always good at conversation, initiated a chat with Lin Yufan. "Sister-in-law, I’ve been following your new novel 'Sorceress Legend' every issue, I can’t wait to see the ending."

Lin Yufan smiled. "It won’t be that quick—it’s estimated to serialize until next year."

"So long? Will it be published as a book after the ending?"

"It will be released."

Ji Shuping: "I’ll definitely buy a copy and get Sister-in-law to sign it."

"Sure."

Lin Yufan smiled outwardly, but inwardly, she thought, you probably won’t get to see the ending.

Around noon, Kang Nian and Lin Yuwu came back, and everyone gathered in the living room to chat. The conversation eventually turned to the recent political situation.

The peace talks between the Nationalist Party and the Communist Party had collapsed, and the People's Liberation Army had launched the Yangtze River Crossing Campaign. At the same time, Nanjing was already heavily surrounded.

Given Mi Xian's earlier prophecy and the unfavorable situation for the Nationalists, everyone believed that the Nationalist Government could not hold Nanjing.

Right at noon, the meal started. Zhao Zhiao came downstairs, chatted briefly with Ji Shuping, and then took his seat.

During the meal, Zhao Zhiao instructed his younger brother: "While the Ji family and ours aren’t exactly old friends, Shuping’s father was like a teacher to me, and her two elder brothers are also my good friends. Shuping is well-mannered and a good girl. Zhao Lixiang, once you’re married, you need to take good care of Shuping and stop being so reckless..."

Lin Yufan watched Ji Shuping quietly, amazed by her poise. Even as Zhao Zhiao spoke hypocritically, she kept a polite smile.

Zhao Lixiang was uncharacteristically compliant today and didn’t talk back when his brother scolded him.

Mostly because Zhao Zhiao also handled it tactfully, choosing his words carefully.

Later, Zhao Zhiao asked, "Where are you planning to live after the wedding?"

Hearing this, Wang Junyao gazed at Zhao Lixiang and Ji Shuping hopefully.

Indeed, Ji Shuping did not disappoint her.

"I don’t have any family in Hong Kong. Once we’re married, I feel I should do my duty as a daughter-in-law and stay close to Madam to care for her."

Whether they’d live together or not, these words delighted the mother-in-law, and Wang Junyao beamed.

"Shuping is such a dutiful daughter-in-law."

Zhao Zhiao looked at Zhao Lixiang: "What about you? What do you think?"

Zhao Lixiang didn’t have any strong opinions; since he didn’t need to work for anything, he was fine living anywhere.

"I don’t mind either way."

Zhao Zhiao's face darkened as he questioned, "You don’t mind? You’re getting married soon, and you haven’t thought about anything, haven’t made any plans. When I ask, you just say, 'I don’t mind'?"

No one expected Zhao Zhiao to suddenly lash out.

The once warm and lively mood at the table suddenly turned icy.

In front of Ji Shuping, Zhao Lixiang felt embarrassed and snapped back, "Fine, I’ll move out. Happy now?"

Ji Shuping quickly stepped in, "Li Xiang, when Big Brother asks you something, you should respond properly."

This Ji Shuping, if you didn’t know her true colors, you’d be easily fooled.

Lin Yufan couldn’t help but admire how much more virtuous Ji Shuping seemed compared to herself.

Wang Junyao also scolded him, "Zhao Lixiang, can’t you speak properly?"

Zhao Lixiang then said, "Big Brother, didn’t you say you bought the villa at Yunping Mountain No. 4 for us to live in after the wedding?"

So, Zhao Lixiang isn’t really clueless; when it comes to his own interests, he’s sharp enough to pay attention.

Zhao Zhiao snapped coldly, "If you’ve got an opinion, don’t act like you don’t care."

After speaking, Zhao Zhiao looked at Wang Junyao, "Mom, what’s your take on this?"

Villa No. 4 on Yunping Mountain is just a stone’s throw from the Zhao family garden and is worth at least two to three hundred grand. Wang Junyao naturally wanted Zhao Lixiang to have a place of his own.

Wang Junyao smiled, "Villa No. 4 on Yunping Mountain is close to us, so it’s nice for the brothers to stay close."

Zhao Zhiao nodded slightly, "Then you’ll move into Villa No. 4 on Yunping Mountain after the wedding. Shu Ping wants to live with Mom, so she can stay with them for a bit. It’s helpful for newlyweds to have a parent around. Once they’re settled, Mom, you can come back if you want."

This was basically a polite way of sending Wang Junyao away.

Lin Yufan hadn’t expected Zhao Zhiao to send Wang Junyao away too. After all, he’s usually pretty devoted to his stepmom, so he was a bit taken aback.

Wang Junyao was also surprised. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to live with her son and daughter-in-law; she just didn’t want to leave the Zhao family garden. Once she’s gone, will she ever be able to come back?

Plus, if she leaves the Zhao family garden, will she still get her monthly 2000 HKD allowance?

Two thousand HKD is no small sum—it’s half a year’s salary for Zhao Lixiang.

Lin Yufan seemed to read Wang Junyao’s mind and smiled, "Mom, if you’re worried about adjusting, Ms. Guan can send over some familiar staff to help out. Your monthly allowance will still be sent by Ms. Guan, right on schedule. During holidays, you can always come back and stay here."

Your allowance stays the same.

With Lin Yufan’s reassurance, Wang Junyao smiled, "I’m used to living here and really don’t feel like moving. But Zhi Ao’s right—the young couple is just starting out and could use an elder’s help. Since the two places are close, I’ll split my time between them."

Ji Shuping had originally planned to move into the Zhao family garden. She hadn’t expected Zhao Zhiao to have them live separately even before she married in. Not only would they live apart, but Wang Junyao would be going with them too. It’d be tough for her to find reasons to come back here more often.

If she had known this, she wouldn’t have said earlier that she wanted to live with Wang Junyao.

"Then it’s settled," Zhao Zhiao declared.

Zhao Lixiang was still waiting for his brother to continue talking about dividing the family, but Zhao Zhiao changed the topic and started discussing the current situation with Kang Nian and Lin Yuwu.

Living separately, how could Zhao Lixiang support the family with his meager salary?

Wang Junyao was also thinking about this issue. Villa No. 4 on Yunping Mountain was assigned for Zhao Lixiang to live in, but it wasn’t said to be given to him. That means they would still technically be living in Zhao Zhiao’s house.

She had originally thought Zhao Zhiao would say this was his wedding gift to his brother. But after talking around, he didn’t express anything.

This doesn’t seem like Zhao Zhiao’s usual style.

She knew Zhao Zhiao must still be angry with Zhao Lixiang.

After dinner, Wang Junyao urged Zhao Lixiang to find Zhao Zhiao, apologize first, and then clarify.

Zhao Lixiang had to go to the study to find his brother.

"Brother."

"What is it?"

Zhao Lixiang walked in without apologizing and asked in a low voice, "Are we splitting the family now?"

Zhao Zhiao replied coldly, "You could say that."

"Then... how will the property of the Fifth Branch be divided?"

Zhao Zhiao put down the document in his hand and countered, "What’s left of the Fifth Branch’s property?"

"I heard from Lin Fifth Master that you had him sell the properties and lands of the Fifth Branch last time..."

"Not bad, you’re catching on."

Zhao Zhiao: "The total was under eighty grand, and I’ve already banked it. The Fifth Branch’s money isn’t just ours—it’s Second Uncle’s too. We’ll figure it out when Second Uncle’s around."

Zhao Lixiang was slightly troubled: "If we don’t split the assets, how am I supposed to support my family on this salary?"

Zhao Zhiao couldn’t help but mock: "Now you’re feeling the heat of providing for a family? Now you get how little you make?"

Zhao Lixiang remained silent.

Zhao Zhiao: "You’re living in my house, driving my car, even the servants are on me. All you’re covering is food, and you can’t even handle that?"

Not exactly.

If his mom lived with them, she’d take care of the food bill.

Zhao Lixiang didn’t push further, knowing it would be futile.

No point stirring up trouble.

When he returned to Wang Junyao’s room, his mother scolded him harshly: "You’re just mooching off me! I told you to stay on good terms with your brother and his wife, but you didn’t listen. Now your brother’s fed up and doesn’t want to give you a thing."

Zhao Lixiang: "It’s not that he won’t give—we’ll split it when Second Uncle’s around."

"What about No. 4 Yunping Mountain? Your brother bought it for your wedding. Can’t you just swallow your pride and apologize? If he’s in a good mood, he might hand it over!"

Zhao Lixiang was stubborn and refused to lower his head, "As long as I’ve got a roof over my head."

Wang Junyao felt helpless—the thought of bankrolling her son and daughter-in-law made her head spin.

*

During their midday break, Zhao Zhiao and Lin Yufan were talking in the bedroom.

Lin Yufan sighed: "I can’t tell if she’s pregnant. She looks great—not like someone who’s expecting."

She rubbed her cheeks, noticing her skin had turned a bit yellowish lately.

Zhao Zhiao massaged her calves: "Stop worrying—just assume she’s not pregnant."

That way, there’s less to stress about.

Knock, knock, knock!

There was a knock at the door—it was Ms. Guan.

Lin Yufan, who was sitting on the sofa with her feet on Zhao Zhiao’s lap, quickly retracted her feet and put on her shoes.

Seeing her panic, Zhao Zhiao laughed and teased, "What’s there to be scared of?"

Then he called out to the door, "Come in."

Lin Yufan wouldn’t mind if it were someone else, but Ms. Guan was different.

Ms. Guan wasn’t just their housekeeper; she was also Zhao Zhiao’s liaison with the organization.

Ms. Guan entered, closed the door, and said with a soft smile, "I have two things to report today."

"Go ahead," Zhao Zhiao said, gesturing for Ms. Guan to sit.

Ms. Guan remained standing, looking at Lin Yufan with a serious expression. "The recent successful rescues of Comrade Zhang Aiming and Professor Bai Qihe were largely thanks to Ms. Lin Yufan..."

Lin Yufan, sensing the gravity of Ms. Guan’s words, quickly stood up.

"The organization has asked me to convey our deepest gratitude to Ms. Lin Yufan," Ms. Guan said, saluting her formally.

Lin Yufan felt a little shy. "I just did what I could," she said.

Zhao Zhiao felt a surge of pride for Lin Yufan. Smiling, he asked, "Will there be a commendation?"

Lin Yufan nudged her husband, thinking it was too bold to ask for a commendation.

Ms. Guan chuckled, "Yes! The commendation will come at the right time—not just for Yufan, but for you too."

Zhao Zhiao had received commendations before, so he wasn’t fazed, but it was still nice to have one.

He smiled and said, "Ah, I owe it to you."

Ms. Guan finally sat down and moved on to the second matter.

"Aside from the commendation, there’s a crucial new mission today. I think Yufan should hear this too."

Zhao Zhiao hadn’t wanted Lin Yufan involved in these matters, but circumstances had drawn her in.

He told Lin Yufan, "Just listen, but stay out of the dangerous parts."

Lin Yufan gave a small sigh. "Understood," she said.

She cherished her life—that’s why she’d practiced shooting and self-defense.

Ms. Guan continued, "This is a major mission involving many people. It’s divided into two plans: the Eagle Elimination Plan and the Fox Elimination Plan."

The Nationalists have recently moved a significant number of Secret Service Bureau and Confidential Department members to Hong Kong. The Eagle Elimination Plan targets the Secret Service Bureau, specifically their leader, Eagle, who’s currently in deep hiding. We need to locate and eliminate him, along with his key associates, including Xiao Zepeng, Dong Yushan, and others.

Xiao Zepeng? Isn’t he Ji Shuping’s lover?

Lin Yufan and Zhao Zhiao shared a look.

And the Fox Elimination Plan targets the Confidential Department’s deputy director, Fox, and his key operatives in Hong Kong, including Pei Xing, Qin Hai, and others. We’ll need to create a chart mapping everything out.

Zhao Zhiao asked, "Are we eliminating all the agents, or just the leaders?"

Ms. Guan replied, "We’ll eliminate the top leaders and key operatives who’ve committed atrocities. For the lower ranks, we’ll try to convert them; if that fails, they’ll be sent to the liberated areas for reeducation. The most stubborn will be executed."

These two plans are massive undertakings.

Zhao Zhiao thought quickly. "We need to make a chart, marking out all the branches and key nodes of Eagle and Fox."

Ms. Guan nodded. "Yes, we need to sort out all the relationships before we act."

According to this, we can’t kill Ji Shuping immediately; we need to use her to sort out the branches, find Eagle, and then act. Zhao Zhiao asked, "Are we just a few people to complete such a big plan?"

Currently, Ms. Guan only has Yang Liu and Thorn by her side, and the manpower is definitely insufficient.

Guang Touli's chapter has plenty of people, but they're just a bunch of thugs. They’re good for hired killings and robberies, but they can’t handle anything that requires finesse.

Zhao Zhiao added, "You know, Guang Touli's people are very rough in their work. Last time, they were keeping watch outside the Liwan Apartment and were actually discovered by Xiao Zepeng."

Ms. Guan nodded, "The other comrades in Hong Kong are tied up with their own missions. They can’t lend a hand. The organization will send additional support, but it's unclear when they will arrive. We can't wait for everyone to be ready; we need to start moving now."

"Alright!" Zhao Zhiao's mind was already in motion even before any action had begun.

Lin Yufan sat on the side without interrupting, but she was a little excited. Two major elimination plans—just imagine how many spies we’d have to take out!