Chapter 355: Jiang Shiying’s Trial

Hospital. Inpatient Ward!

When Li Yi and the others rushed into the ward, they saw Tang Xue clutching Ye Lingyun’s hand tightly, holding her close to her chest as she wept uncontrollably.

Ye Lingyun, meanwhile, lay on the bed, weeping just as uncontrollably.

Seeing this scene, everyone was both shocked and delighted, yet also felt heartbroken for the mother and daughter.

They were happy that the young woman had managed to rouse her comatose mother—truly, a mother and daughter are connected by a special bond.

It was heartbreaking to see such a wonderful family having to endure the torment of being separated.

If not for that incident years ago, what a happy family of three they would have been.

Li Yi didn’t just stand there like the others. Seeing that Ye Lingyun had woken up, he immediately said to the nurse who had followed in, “Nurse, the patient is awake. Hurry and get a doctor over here!”

Hearing this, everyone finally snapped to attention and began urging the nurse to call a doctor immediately.

Fortunately, the hospital was aware of Ye Lingyun’s status, and her attending physician had been on standby at the hospital the entire time.

Soon, an elderly doctor in his fifties or sixties arrived in a hurry, accompanied by two younger doctors.

He first asked everyone to wait outside, then began examining Ye Lingyun.

After the examination, the senior doctor stepped out of the ward.

As soon as he emerged, Jiang Shiying hurried forward and asked, “Professor Zhao, how is my wife?”

“Now that she’s awake, the danger has passed. We’ve gotten past the critical stage!”

The senior doctor then changed the subject and continued, “However, the patient urgently needs rest. I’m going to administer some medication to help her relax and sleep. Please try not to disturb her for the time being!”

“Understood!”

The senior doctor then exchanged a few words with Old Mr. Jiang and Old Mr. Ye before leaving the ward.

Once the doctor had left, Old Master Jiang immediately said, “Shiying, you stay here tonight. Everyone else should go home!”

Then he turned to Tang Xue and said, “Sweetheart, you’ve had a long day too. Come back to the old family home with Grandpa and get some rest!”

Tang Xue shook her head and said, “Grandpa, I want to stay here with Mom. I’m afraid she’ll wake up and look for me!”

“You silly girl, you’re expecting now—you need to take care of yourself!” the old man said.

At that moment, Li Yi immediately chimed in, “Grandpa, let’s let Xue’er stay at the hospital. I want to take her for a prenatal checkup tomorrow!”

Jiang Shiying added, “Father, just let Xue’er stay here. Otherwise, we’ll have to make the trip back and forth again after dawn!”

“Alright then!”

No sooner had he finished speaking than Old Master Ye said, “Xue’er, once you’re done with your work here, you must come visit us at home!”

“Okay, I know, Grandpa!” Tang Xue replied immediately.

“Great!”

The other members of the Jiang and Ye families also greeted Tang Xue one after another. After a brief introduction, they surrounded the two elders and left the hospital together.

However, aside from Jiang Shiying, Li Yi, and Tang Xue, Jiang Longcheng also stayed behind.

After seeing the others off, Li Yi immediately had Jiang Longcheng find a bed for Tang Xue in the hospital and had her lie down to rest for a while.

Fearing she might not be able to sleep alone, Li Yi asked his third sister, Li Na, to stay in the room with her, while he went outside the ward to keep his father-in-law company.

Back outside Ye Lingyun’s ward, Jiang Shiying and Jiang Longcheng, uncle and nephew, were crouched on the floor, looking utterly exhausted.

In fact, it wasn’t just the two of them—Li Yi felt the same way.

They’d been running around since early morning, and now, not only were their bodies exhausted, but their hearts were even more so—even the toughest person would have struggled to hold on.

Seeing Li Yi crouch down beside him, Jiang Shiying suddenly said, “Thank you!”

“Uh… Uncle Jiang, you’re too kind. It’s only what I should do!” Li Yi replied.

“I was actually starting to like you a little earlier, but now that you’ve called me ‘Uncle,’ I feel like slapping you again!” Jiang Shiying said with a frown.

Li Yi, of course, caught the implication in Jiang Shiying’s words and immediately replied, “Father-in-law!”

“Now we’re talking!”

Jiang Shiying continued, “A lot has happened these past few days, and I haven’t had time to sit down and talk with you properly.”

“Father-in-law, just say what’s on your mind—I’m all ears!” Li Yi said.

“Admittedly, your background isn’t the best, and you haven’t had much formal education. Normally, you wouldn’t be a good match for my daughter!”

Then, changing the subject, Jiang Shiying continued, “But you’re a clever young man, and you’ve got plenty of guts. Most importantly, you’ve been truly good to Xue’er, so I’ve accepted you as my son-in-law!”

“Thank you, Father-in-law!”

In truth, Li Yi really wanted to ask, “Aren’t you accepting me as your son-in-law simply because the die has been cast and there’s no turning back?”

“What are your plans for the future? Are you going to keep running that little restaurant of yours?” Jiang Shiying asked again.

Now that he had accepted this son-in-law, Jiang Shiying had to think about his future; after all, his daughter’s happiness rested entirely on Li Yi.

“From the sound of it, do you have other plans for me?” Li Yi asked with a smile.

“If you’re willing, I can arrange for you to attend university. After graduation, you could pursue a career in government. With the Jiang and Ye families backing you, your future prospects won’t be too bad!” Jiang Shiying said.

However, Li Yi shook his head and said, “I’m not interested in becoming a government official or pursuing a career in politics!”

Hearing this, Jiang Shiying couldn’t help but furrow his brow.

Li Yi immediately explained, “Please don’t get upset just yet. Why don’t you let me finish my reasoning before you judge?”

“Go ahead!”

“I know that, in your view, a career in government or joining the military is the best path for a man. You want me to either become an official or enlist—is that what you mean?” Li Yi said.

“Yes!”

“But have you ever considered this: can a family truly grow and become powerful by relying solely on a career in government?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“The economic base determines the superstructure—you should understand that principle. Whether it’s the Jiang family or the Ye family, if you want greater development, relying solely on those of you in high positions won’t work. You need one more thing!”

“Money?”

“Exactly. Money isn’t everything, but without it, you’re absolutely stuck!”

Li Yi continued, “The Jiang and Ye families are classic political clans. Your strengths lie in having people in high positions, access to resources, and a network of connections. Your weakness is a lack of money!”

“We’re paid by the state—what do we need so much money for?” Jiang Shiying frowned.

“Father-in-law, you have your own means and certainly enough to live on, but what about the others?”

“What do you mean?”

Li Yi glanced at Jiang Longcheng beside him and said, “Third Brother, how much do you make a month?”

“A little over a hundred. Why do you ask?”

“Is that enough to get by each month?” Li Yi asked again.

“I guess so…”

Before he could finish, Li Yi cut in: “No, it definitely isn’t enough. You spend over 600 yuan a month just at my shop—and that’s after I’ve already given you a 50% discount.”

Hearing this, Jiang Shiying immediately glared at Jiang Longcheng and said, “You spend that much money every month?”

“It’s more than that. A conservative estimate puts Third Brother’s monthly spending at at least 1,000 yuan—maybe even more!”

Then Li Yi added, “But his monthly salary is only 100 yuan. Where does the rest of the money come from?”

“Did you embezzle money from the factory?” Jiang Shiying asked, frowning.

“No… I just had the factory reimburse me for most of the money I spent on treating people to meals!” Jiang Longcheng said, sounding a bit sheepish.

“Isn’t that exactly the same thing?” Jiang Shiying said in a stern voice.

Seeing that his father-in-law was about to continue scolding Jiang Longcheng, Li Yi immediately interjected, “I’m not telling you this to tattle on Third Brother, but to let you know that not everyone in this family is as law-abiding, honest, and upright as you are. Right now, Third Brother is just inflating some expenses, but in the future, there will be others in this family who go even further than him!”

“Who dares?”

After saying this, Jiang Shiying sighed and added, “Go on.”

“For a political family to go far, it must first be financially sound enough to withstand scrutiny. It’s not enough for just one person to stay clean—everyone must be above board and able to stand up to scrutiny!”

Li Yi continued, “Moreover, times are changing. Money may not mean much now, but in the near future, its influence will be second only to power!”

“So you want to go into business?”

“Yes, I want to go into business. I need to address the Jiang family’s weaknesses!” Li Yi said.

“But the policies from above are still unclear…”

Before he could finish, Li Yi smiled and said, “Policies may fluctuate, but ultimately, they’re moving forward!”

“Are you sure you want to go into business?” Jiang Shiying asked again for confirmation.

“Yes! I’m certain!”

Jiang Shiying replied immediately, “This is my first time being a father-in-law, so I don’t have much experience, but I won’t make things difficult for you!”

“As long as you can make a million within three years, I’ll let you go into business. Otherwise, you’ll just have to go work for me!”

“Alright!”

…….

“Click!”

The hospital room door was opened from the inside, and immediately, everyone saw Jiang Shiying emerge with reddened eyes.

She then approached Tang Xue and said slowly, “Xue’er, go in and see your mother. She…”

At that point, Jiang Shiying’s voice choked up so badly he could say no more.

“Okay!”

Tang Xue gave a soft nod and walked toward the hospital room.

The moment the door closed, Jiang Shiying suddenly collapsed to the floor, then bowed his head and wept silently.

He had spoken to his wife at her bedside for over half an hour, but she had not responded at all.

Jiang Shiying knew that this time, his wife was truly hanging by a thread; she was really about to give up.

They had grown up together in an orphanage during the war and had weathered the ups and downs of life together over the past few decades. It could be said that they had spent more time together than they had with their own parents.

He simply couldn’t accept the idea of her leaving him like this…

Li Yi fully understood Jiang Shiying’s feelings; only someone who truly loved her to the very core could feel such heart-wrenching pain.

In his past life, perhaps it was the loss of his beloved that ultimately turned him into the “White-Haired Butcher”—a figure who terrorized the land and struck fear into the hearts of corrupt officials.

Li Yi didn’t try to comfort his father-in-law; he knew full well that in this situation, any words would ring hollow.

He could only hope that the words he had imparted to Tang Xue would prove useful, awakening his mother-in-law’s inner will to survive.

Otherwise, today’s situation would be truly dire!

As for Tang Xue, upon entering the hospital room, she felt a mix of nervousness and fear, but above all, a deep sense of dread.

Ever since learning she wasn’t the biological daughter of Tang Jizhong and Li Hongmei, she’d been wondering what her biological parents looked like—and what they might think if they knew she was still alive.

She had already met her father—wise and stern, yet deeply caring toward her.

Although he was occasionally a bit impulsive, overall he was a wonderful man who fulfilled most of her fantasies and expectations of a father.

Now she was finally about to meet her mother. Li Yi had told her that when she was young, she looked almost exactly like her—the only difference was their style of dress.

He also said her mother was very gentle and had a particularly elegant demeanor.

So Tang Xue was especially looking forward to meeting her mother, but she never imagined that their first meeting would take place in a hospital.

At the same time, she was even more worried that her mother might be gravely ill, and that this meeting would become a final farewell.

With a heavy heart, Tang Xue approached the hospital bed.

Under the soft light, a frail woman lay in bed.

Her face was so gaunt it was barely recognizable; her dry, yellow hair had a dull, ashen hue, making her look much older than her forty years.

Even so, one could still vaguely tell that she must have been a great beauty in her youth.

Her arms were exceptionally thin, her skin somewhat sagging, with veins standing out prominently.

An IV drip was attached to her hand, and the fluid from the bag was slowly flowing into her body.

Looking at the woman before her, Tang Xue couldn’t help but shed tears.

She didn’t know why!

Logically speaking, she and the woman before her were nothing more than blood relatives.

Although she had known of her biological mother’s existence before this, she had never met her, so there should have been no mother-daughter bond.

Yet she simply couldn’t hold back her tears, letting them spill from her eyes like a flood breaking through a dam!

It took quite a while before Tang Xue finally managed to steady her emotions and slowly sat down in the chair beside her mother’s hospital bed.

She gently took her mother’s hand—the one not holding an IV—and placed it against her face, rubbing it softly.

“Mom… do you know how overwhelmed I felt when I found out you existed?”

“It turns out my parents weren’t those two scum who wanted to throw me into the fire. I have my own biological parents. They didn’t stop loving me—they just didn’t know I was still alive!”

“So I searched and searched… I went to the Xinjing Town Health Center where you gave birth to me, and to the cotton mill where you used to work. I even met Aunt Wang, who shared a dormitory with you…”

“But all I could find out was that your name is Ye Lingwan—after that, the trail went cold… Do you have any idea how anxious I was? I wanted to see you as soon as possible and tell you I’m still alive!”

“A few days ago, Li Yi rushed back from Beijing… Let me tell you this in confidence: Li Yi is my husband, and he’s also your son-in-law. He told me he’d found my biological parents and asked if I wanted to meet them!”

“Do you know what I told him? I said I wanted to meet them, because I know it wasn’t your fault or Dad’s. You’re a victim of this situation just like I am…”

At first, Tang Xue was a little nervous, and she did indeed speak exactly as Li Yi had instructed her to.

But since she was speaking from the heart, she soon became fully immersed in the moment, sharing her truest feelings with her mother lying in the hospital bed.

There were things she might not even have shared with others under normal circumstances, but in that moment, she poured them all out, speaking with heartfelt sincerity.

What she didn’t notice was that when she mentioned wanting to reunite with her parents, a single tear suddenly trickled down the corner of Ye Lingyun’s eye as she lay in her hospital bed…

Deep within her consciousness, Ye Lingyun felt as though she had reached a dead end.

She could vaguely sense some movement from the outside world, but it wasn’t very clear.

A moment ago, she had sensed that her husband had arrived; he seemed to be crying, and his tears felt cool as they fell onto her hand.

She longed to comfort him, but she was so, so tired—she truly couldn’t hold on any longer.

And just a moment ago, she sensed that the person beside her had changed.

This time, it seemed to be a young girl. Her voice was lovely, and she… she seemed to be calling her “Mom”!

Suddenly, Ye Lingyun realized something—this girl was her daughter.

That’s right—her daughter was still alive. It was her daughter who had come to see her.

No, I have to wake up!

Even if I really am going to die, I have to see my daughter before I go!

Ye Lingyun’s consciousness was struggling; her will to live had been reawakened, and along with it, her perception of the outside world grew clearer and clearer!

She could now hear every word her daughter spoke clearly. When she heard her daughter say she didn’t blame her for losing her, Ye Lingyun could no longer hold back her tears, and they streamed down her face.

At that moment, Tang Xue, who was pouring out her heart to her mother, didn’t notice any of this. She continued speaking her mind.

“Yesterday, Father and my cousin came to Nianzi Mountain Village to find me. Li Yi sent them… I saw Father. Even though he’s sometimes very stern, it’s strange—I’m actually not afraid of him!”

“Father said he’d bring me to see you today. I’m so looking forward to meeting you and being recognized by you. I want to call you ‘Mother’ with my own mouth, and I also want to tell you that I’m going to be a mother myself!”

“The doctor said I’m having twins. I really hope you’ll wake up soon so you can take care of me during my postpartum confinement. Will you promise me that…?”

“Okay!” a faint voice replied.

Lost in her own thoughts, Tang Xue didn’t notice anything amiss and continued, “Thank you, Mom…”

Suddenly, she realized something was wrong!

She looked up at her mother’s face and saw her mother staring at her with tears streaming down her cheeks.

In that moment, the world seemed to stand still!

After a long moment, Tang Xue suddenly grabbed Ye Lingyun’s hand and cried out, “Mother… Mother… Xue’er misses you so much!”

Outside the hospital room, everyone stood in silence, the atmosphere heavy and somber.

Although separated by a door, they could hear every word Tang Xue spoke clearly.

Hearing these heartfelt words, everyone outside couldn’t help but shed tears.

Whether they were from the Jiang family or the Ye family, as they wept, they all clenched their fists in anger.

Those despicable scum—not only had they ruined Shiying and Lingyun, but they had nearly destroyed this kind-hearted child as well.

This matter must be severely punished!

But just then, Tang Xue’s demeanor in the hospital room suddenly changed.

As everyone stood there in bewilderment, Li Yi—who had been prepared all along—walked right past the nurse at the door and pushed his way inside.

Seeing this, the others didn’t hesitate either; they all followed him inside.

Beijing. Train Station!

As the green-painted train slowly pulled up to the platform, Li Yi and Jiang Shiying helped Tang Xue step down from the soft-sleeper car.

None of them were carrying luggage; only Li Yi had a small shoulder bag containing some money and identification.

As for the rest of their luggage, Jiang Longcheng had already taken it back earlier.

As soon as they stepped off the train, Li Yi immediately reminded Tang Xue to wrap her scarf tightly—it was freezing cold.

At the same time, Li Yi couldn’t help but grumble a bit about the train’s arrival time.

It was always 12:30 a.m.—arriving at this hour was a real ordeal for all the passengers.

Especially in winter!

Although there were quite a few passengers getting off, it was a bit crowded as they made their way out of the station.

But with her husband and her own father by her side to protect her, plus her noticeably large belly, people gave her a wide berth, so Tang Xue’s walk through the station went smoothly.

As soon as they reached the exit, Li Yi heard Jiang Longcheng’s voice.

Looking in the direction the voice came from, he easily spotted the guy, with Ye Jianhua by his side.

For some reason, however, Li Yi noticed from a distance that Jiang Longcheng’s expression seemed off—he looked somewhat anxious.

Without hesitation, he led Tang Xue and Jiang Shiying over to the two men.

“Uncle, Xiao Xue, Li Yi, you’re back!”

Instead of the warm welcome he’d expected, he was met with nothing but anxiety and gloom on their faces.

“What’s with the looks on your faces?” Li Yi asked, frowning.

Ye Jianhua hesitated, as if he wanted to speak but couldn’t bring himself to, while Jiang Longcheng was just about to say something when he couldn’t help but glance at Tang Xue.

Their gestures and expressions completely baffled Tang Xue, and she immediately grew tense.

Li Yi squeezed her hand and whispered, “It’s okay, I’m here.”

At that moment, Jiang Shiying spoke up, “If you two have something to say, just say it. Xue’er isn’t an outsider—there’s no need to hold back!”

“Third Uncle, Little Xue certainly isn’t an outsider, it’s just…”

Before he could finish, Li Yi cut in directly, “Has something happened to my mother-in-law?”

As soon as those words were spoken, everyone fell silent, their eyes fixed on Li Yi.

“Why are you all looking at me? Is it or isn’t it?” Li Yi glared at Jiang Longcheng.

“Yes…”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Jiang Shiying and Tang Xue both grew tense.

“What exactly happened? How is Yun’er now?”

Ye Jianhua hurriedly said, “Uncle, please don’t worry. My aunt suddenly fainted today, and we rushed her to the hospital for emergency treatment…”

“Just tell me the results!” Jiang Shiying said in a low voice.

“She’s out of danger now, but…”

“But what? Can’t you just get to the point?” Jiang Shiying said, sounding a bit annoyed.

“Well… my aunt is still in a coma. The doctors say they don’t know when she’ll wake up—or even if she’ll wake up at all!” Ye Jianhua said.

Hearing this, Jiang Shiying and Tang Xue both felt as if they’d been struck by a bolt from the blue; they both froze in shock.

Li Yi was the quickest to react. He immediately said, “Where’s the car? Let’s get to the hospital right away!”

“Oh… over here…”

Immediately, the group headed to the parking lot and rushed to the hospital!

…….

Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Inpatient Ward!

When Li Yi and the others arrived at the inpatient ward, they found it was quite crowded.

Apart from Old Master Jiang, Jiang Shirong, Jiang Shiming, and Jiang Longyin, all the main members of the Ye family were present. Li Yi even spotted his third older sister, Li Na, in the crowd.

The moment he saw his third older sister, Li Yi didn’t know what to say.

On the way to the hospital, Ye Jianhua had already explained the entire situation to them in detail.

Li Yi and Tang Xuezhen never would have imagined that their mother-in-law’s fainting spell was actually related to Third Sister.

Although Third Sister hadn’t meant to do it—it was purely an accident—the consequences were severe.

And considering his third sister’s usual way of doing things—she often meant well but ended up making things worse—she was definitely a liability.

Now, Li Yi could only pray that his mother-in-law was blessed with good fortune and a strong constitution, and that she would ultimately pull through this ordeal.

Otherwise, his third sister’s position would become rather awkward, and he might end up being looked down upon as well.

Although Li Yi didn’t care much about such things—he’d never intended to leverage the influence of the Jiang or Ye families for his own advancement—he still found the whole situation rather disheartening.

As the crowd approached, the eyes of everyone from the Jiang and Ye families were fixed on Tang Xue.

Now that everyone knew this young girl was the long-lost daughter of Shiying and Lingyun—and the only female descendant of the Jiang and Ye families across three generations—they naturally treated her with special care.

Especially

when the two groups met, Jiang Dingfang and Old Master Ye looked at Tang Xue and were instantly overcome with tears.

They felt heartbroken that this poor child had been adrift for twenty years, and at the same time, their hearts ached for the suffering Yun’er had endured all those years.

Then, Old Master Jiang took Tang Xue’s arm and said, “My dear child, it’s good that you’re back. It’s so good that you’re back…”

Although Jiang Shiying was thinking of his wife, he still turned to his daughter and said, “Xue’er, this is your grandfather, Jiang Dingfang!”

“Grand… Grandpa, hello!”

Tang Xue couldn’t help but choke up at that moment; the scene was truly heart-wrenching.

Jiang Shiying pointed to Old Man Ye standing nearby and said, “Xue’er, this is your maternal grandfather, Ye Changsheng!”

“Hello, Grandpa!”

After introducing the two elders, Jiang Shiying didn’t continue introducing others. Instead, he turned directly to them and asked, “How is Yun’er doing now? Has she woken up yet?”

Jiang Dingfang sighed and said, “She hasn’t woken up yet.”

“What did the doctor say?”

“The doctor said Yun’er’s condition isn’t looking good. If she wakes up, it’ll be manageable, but if she doesn’t, then this time it’s really touch-and-go!”

Hearing this, Jiang Shiying staggered slightly, but Li Yi stepped forward in time to steady him, preventing him from falling.

“Which ward?”

Jiang Longyin immediately said, “Third Uncle, come with me!”

Jiang Shiying turned to Tang Xue and said, “Xue’er, Father… Father is going to check on your mother…”

“Father, I’ll go with you!”

“Alright!”

With that, the group surrounded the father and daughter and hurried together to the nearby hospital room.

Two young nurses were standing at the door of the ward.

Seeing the group approach, they stepped forward and said, “The patient isn’t doing well. You must go in one at a time!”

Hearing the nurses’ words, Jiang Shiying patted Tang Xue’s hand and hurried inside.

Tang Xue, supported by Li Yi, stood nervously outside the door, waiting.

At that moment, Li Yi’s mind was replaying the events of the day, while also analyzing his mother-in-law’s state of mind and thoughts.

Normally, upon learning that her daughter—whom she had believed dead for many years—was actually still alive, she should have been overjoyed.

If she were truly happy, she wouldn’t have reacted so strongly.

Therefore, besides joy, there must be another emotion in her heart—guilt!

She felt guilty toward her daughter, because her own negligence had allowed others to take advantage of the situation, leading to her daughter being stranded for twenty years.

She feels guilty toward her daughter for never having returned to that place of sorrow all these years, let alone investigated the matter.

Compounded by her own depression, her thoughts had spiraled into extremes, leaving her unable to snap out of it.

With that in mind, Li Yi quietly whispered instructions into Tang Xue’s ear!

…….

Beijing. Peking Union Medical College Hospital!

Outside the emergency room, Ye Jianhua anxiously stared at the tightly closed door while looking at the palm-sized photo in his hand.

His aunt suddenly fainted—this was a serious matter.

Given her health condition, every time she fainted, it was like she’d narrowly escaped death.

So while Ye Jianhua rushed his aunt to the hospital, he had his fiancée, Lin Ying, call the Jiang and Ye families to report the situation.

Realizing that his aunt’s fainting was related to Li Yi’s older sister, he brought Li Na along to the hospital under the pretext of needing her help.

The doctors were currently performing emergency treatment on his aunt, and only then did Ye Jianhua begin to wonder why she had suddenly fainted.

When he took the photo from Li Na’s hands, he was completely stunned.

The young woman in the photo, smiling radiantly, looked exactly like his aunt when she was young.

If it weren’t for the fact that Li Na was standing next to the girl in the photo, he would have genuinely mistaken it for a picture of his aunt.

Immediately, Ye Jianhua asked Li Na about the girl in the photo.

By this point, Li Na was already completely flustered; she answered every question Ye Jianhua asked, including details about Tang Xue’s background.

The more Ye Jianhua asked, the more alarmed he became. The girl in the photo—Li Yi’s wife—was from Yong County in Qin Province and wasn’t even 20 years old yet.

More importantly, she had actually been stolen by her adoptive parents…

Ye Jianhua wasn’t stupid. After hearing what Li Na had to say, he instantly understood why his sister-in-law had fainted.

If all went according to plan, this girl should be his sister-in-law’s child.

In other words, his sister-in-law hadn’t given birth to a stillborn baby all those years ago—she’d given birth to a healthy child who had simply been switched at birth!

At the thought of this truth, Ye Jianhua felt his heart was about to leap out of his throat.

Li Na was also terrified. She never imagined that simply showing her sister-in-law’s photo to that older woman would cause her to faint.

Although she didn’t know the reason, she had a vague feeling that she was in trouble—and it was serious trouble.

She could tell that this woman was no ordinary person.

If anything were to happen to her, her family would tear her to pieces.

With that thought, Li Na looked at Ye Jianhua in a panic and said, “This has nothing to do with me! You can’t pin this on me!”

Ye Jianhua looked at Li Na and replied, “Who says it has nothing to do with you!”

“I just showed her the photo—what’s the big deal…?”

“Exactly—it’s this photo that’s the problem!” Ye Jianhua said.

“You’re talking nonsense. How could two grown women like us scare your aunt into fainting?”

Ye Jianhua sighed and said, “If I’m not mistaken, my aunt is your sister-in-law’s biological mother!”

Hearing this, Li Na froze in shock!

Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from outside the hospital.

Immediately, a large group of people, escorted by several security guards, hurried toward the emergency room.

Ye Jianhua looked up and saw that his grandfather and the old patriarch of the Jiang family had both rushed over.

In addition, his father, his eldest uncle, and several uncles from the Jiang family had all arrived.

He immediately stood up from the bench and went to meet them.

“Grandpa, Grandpa Jiang, you all…”

Before he could finish, Old Master Ye asked in a grave tone, “Jianhua, how is your aunt?”

“She’s still in the emergency room!”

“What on earth happened? How could she suddenly faint out of the blue?” Old Master Jiang asked, furrowing his brow.

“Exactly. Your wife said on the phone that your aunt fainted after looking at a photo. How could she just collapse out of the blue?” Old Master Ye asked as well.

Ye Jianhua didn’t say much; instead, he simply handed over the photo he was holding.

With a hint of puzzlement, Old Man Ye took the photo.

When he saw the young woman in the photo, he immediately frowned and said, “What are you doing with a photo of your aunt? Who’s that girl next to her? I’ve never seen her before!”

“Grandpa, this isn’t my aunt’s photo—it’s Li Yi’s wife!”

“Huh?”

Seeing the look of shock on his grandfather’s face, Ye Jianhua immediately recounted the information he’d just pried out of Li Na.

After listening to Ye Jianhua, Old Master Ye said in a grave tone, “So you’re saying that back then, Yun’er gave birth to a healthy child, but someone swapped it out for a stillborn baby?”

“That must be it!” said Ye Jianhua.

Meanwhile, Old Man Jiang, standing nearby, slammed his cane hard against the ground and shouted angrily, “What a classic case of swapping the prince for a cat! Investigate—get to the bottom of this!”

The secretary standing nearby hurriedly nodded in response and then rushed out of the hospital.

Then, Jiang Dingfang turned to his eldest son and said, “Shirong, call Shiying immediately and tell him to come back right away!”

“Yes!”

……..

While chaos reigned in the capital, Li Yi and his group had just boarded the train bound for Beijing.

To ensure his wife had a comfortable journey, Li Yi had specially secured three soft-sleeper tickets.

Of course, he’d asked Wang Anguo for help with this; for him, as a captain of the criminal investigation team, securing a few train tickets was no trouble at all.

Besides, if he couldn’t pull it off, there was always Wang Anmin, the deputy director of the regional committee.

In short, by the time Li Yi and his group arrived at Ning City Railway Station, Wang Anguo was already there waiting for them with the tickets in hand.

When Jiang Shiying saw that Li Yi had actually managed to secure three soft-sleeper tickets without her having to pull any strings, her regard for him grew even more.

Don’t let a few train tickets fool you—these days, it’s really tough to pull that off without some solid connections.

After all, sleeper berths—especially soft sleeper berths—were reserved for leading officials and foreign dignitaries; ordinary people couldn’t buy them even if they had the money.

Yet not only had Li Yi managed to get them, but he’d done so with remarkable ease.

Jiang Shiying had seen with her own eyes that he had only made the call to Ning City from Qing Shan County a few hours earlier.

To get things sorted out in such a short time showed that his local connections were far more powerful than he had realized.

With a son-in-law who was young, capable, remarkably resourceful, and kind to his own daughter, what more could he possibly ask for?

His only complaint was that the young man had moved too quickly.

His daughter was barely twenty years old—not even twenty by the lunar calendar—and she’d already married him and was expecting twins.

He hadn’t even been a father for a few days, and now he was about to become a grandfather—how infuriating was that!

If it weren’t for the fact that the young man treated his daughter reasonably well, he’d have wanted to give him a good whipping.

That’s why Jiang Shiying’s feelings were a bit mixed right now.

He both thought Li Yi was a decent guy and felt a bit angry.

These mixed feelings were directly reflected in his attitude toward Li Yi, which was hot and cold.

One moment he’s satisfied with everything, the next he finds fault with everything.

This made Tang Xue a bit nervous. What was wrong with her own father? He seemed… a bit unstable!

Li Yi, however, understood his mindset—it was exactly the feeling of having his own cabbage trampled by a pig.

Consequently, he remained calm throughout the journey, listening to everything Jiang Shiying had to say.

He neither argued nor offered explanations.

He even took the time to carefully go over the details of how to deceive his mother-in-law with Jiang Shiying and Tang Xue, to avoid any slip-ups.

Little did they know, however, that Third Sister Li Na had already completely exposed Tang Xue’s true identity—meaning the plan they’d painstakingly devised was doomed to fail before it even began!

Qingshan County, Nianzishan Village!

“Cock-a-doodle-doo!”

As the sound of roosters crowing drifted in from the distance, Li Yi slowly opened his eyes.

His head ached slightly; he didn’t want to get up!

But Li Yi still reached for the light switch and turned on the light!

After resting for a moment in the warm, cozy bed, Li Yi finally climbed out of the kang, got dressed, and got up.

Tang Xue, lying beside him, felt the glare of the light and rolled over with some difficulty.

Then, still half-asleep, she said, “It’s not even dawn yet. You should go back to sleep!”

“You go back to sleep. I’ll get up and make some breakfast for everyone!”

“Okay!”

Then, Tang Xue pulled the blanket tighter and fell back asleep.

Li Yi watched as her little head peeked out from under the covers; she looked so adorable that he couldn’t help but smile, though he also felt a pang of concern.

Perhaps Tang Xue had been a bit emotional yesterday, and that had affected the baby in her womb.

After she fell asleep, the two little ones in her belly were especially restless, keeping her up until past two in the morning before finally settling down.

So Tang Xue must be extremely tired right now.

Without disturbing Tang Xue, Li Yi got dressed and got out of bed. First, he stuffed a few corn cobs into the stove, then added a few fist-sized pieces of coal.

After doing that, he filled the empty cast-iron teapot with water, set it on the stove to boil, and set it aside to use for washing his face later.

Then, carrying a shoulder pole and a bucket, he set off to fetch water from the well.

By the time Li Yi returned from the well carrying the bucket, the light in the next room had come on. Jiang Shiying, Jiang Longcheng, and Li Gang were all up, clumsily folding their quilts.

It wasn’t that they were too clumsy to fold a blanket; rather, the rural method of folding blankets differed from the urban one, and those unaccustomed to it found it difficult to fold them neatly.

After pouring the water into the water jar, the water on the stove had also warmed up, so Li Yi quickly washed up himself.

He then called out to Jiang Shiying and the others to wash their faces quickly, while he busied himself by the stove!

By eight o’clock in the morning, it was already broad daylight!

Breakfast was ready, and Li Yi was packing his bags.

After all, they were heading to the capital, and since they didn’t know how long they’d be staying, they had to make sure their luggage was fully prepared!

Fortunately, with Jiang Longcheng’s jeep, there was no need to worry about any trouble!

While Li Yi was packing, Tang Xue had already gotten up; having just finished her morning routine, she was chatting with Jiang Shiying!

“Xue’er, is this young man always this hardworking at home? He isn’t just putting on a show because your third brother and I are here, is he?” Jiang Shiying asked quietly.

Tang Xue glanced at Li Yi, who was bustling about, and a tender look flashed in her eyes.

“No, he basically handles all the big and small tasks at home. I hardly ever have to lift a finger!”

“So, it sounds like this young man treats you pretty well!” Jiang Shiying remarked again.

“Dad, he really is good to me—actually, he’s exceptionally good to me!” Tang Xue said earnestly.

“That’s more like it!”

Jiang Shiying then asked again, “What about your in-laws? How do they treat you? And what about your sisters-in-law?”

“Father, I know you’re worried I might be mistreated, but rest assured—everyone in the family treats me exceptionally well!”

Perhaps to prove she wasn’t lying, Tang Xue pointed to the clothes she was wearing and said, “Father, look at these clothes I’m wearing—Li Yi bought them all for me from the city.”

“This one he bought on his last trip to Qingcheng, this one he bought in the capital, and that down jacket over there was sent by his friend from Guangdong Province!”

Jiang Shiying took a close look at the clothes his daughter was wearing. Every single item was of excellent style and quality—nothing a village girl could possibly afford.

Seeing how Li Yi had been running around all morning without a moment’s rest, while his own daughter hadn’t had to lift a finger, he couldn’t help but nod approvingly at Li Yi.

However, appearances alone weren’t enough; he’d have to send someone to investigate this young man.

While the father and daughter were chatting, Li Yi had already packed their luggage, filling two large suitcases.

Just then, Li Shankui and his wife, along with Li Lan, arrived from the old family home, bringing along some of Tang Xue’s identification documents.

Immediately afterward, Li Yi invited everyone to dinner!

After the meal, Li Gang drove the Jeep to take Li Yi, Tang Xue, and Jiang Shiying to Ning City, while Jiang Longcheng drove back to Beijing alone.

What they didn’t know was that a major mess was waiting for them back in Beijing!

…….

Beijing. A hot pot restaurant!

At 10:10 a.m., Li Na was helping out in the kitchen.

Business had been booming lately, and even though they’d hired a few more female staff members, they were still short-handed.

So, even though Li Na was Li Yi’s older sister, most of the time she worked just like any other server, pitching in with whatever needed to be done.

Just then, Long Zhanjun rushed into the kitchen and said to Li Na, “Na Na, someone’s looking for you!”

Hearing his voice, Li Na immediately asked, “Who is it?”

“It’s Comrade Jiang’s wife—she was here last time!” Long Zhanjun replied.

“Okay, please ask her to wait a moment. I’ll just wash my hands and be right there!”

“Got it!”

At a table by the window in the dining hall, Ye Lingyun was staring out the window in a daze, while two young people sat across from her.

One was her nephew from her husband’s side, Ye Jianhua, and the other was her future niece-in-law, Lin Ying.

Her being here was a coincidence!

This morning, after waking up, she suddenly felt like going out for a walk—she didn’t know why.

But having not been out in a long time, she didn’t know where to go.

Her husband wasn’t home, so she called her nephew from her parents’ side and asked him to accompany her out for a change of scenery.

Ye Jianhua had already made plans with his fiancée, Lin Ying, to go shopping for wedding supplies.

After receiving the call from his sister-in-law, he naturally didn’t want to keep her waiting, so he simply took both her and his fiancée out with him and walked around the mall for a while.

Around noon, Ye Lingyun, who was feeling a bit tired, suggested they go home for lunch.

But Ye Jianhua had a sudden idea: he wanted to treat his aunt to a nice meal, so he immediately took Ye Lingyun to Li Yi’s shop.

Once they arrived at the shop, Ye Lingyun remembered Li Yi’s third older sister.

Recalling how well she’d hit it off with the young woman that day, she asked Long Zhanjun to call her over so they could chat.

When Li Na came out of the kitchen into the dining area, she indeed saw the young woman she had met that day.

Beside her were two young people, a man and a woman.

“Big Sis, you’re here!”

Hearing Li Na’s voice, Ye Lingyun snapped back to reality and said with a smile, “Miss Li Na, I hope I’m not disturbing you?”

“Not at all. The shop isn’t busy yet!”

“Then have a seat and chat with me!” Ye Lingyun said.

“Sure!”

Li Na then sat down right next to Ye Lingyun.

They had only exchanged a few words when, as Ye Lingyun turned slightly, Li Na couldn’t help but say, “Sis, I don’t know why, but whenever I look at you, I’m reminded of my sister-in-law. I just feel like you two really look so much alike!”

“Do we really look that much alike?” Ye Lingyun asked with a smile.

“Yeah!”

At that moment, Ye Jianhua, who was standing nearby, realized that the tall young woman in front of him was actually Li Yi’s older sister. He immediately asked, “Comrade Li Na, when you say ‘my brother-in-law’s wife,’ you’re referring to Li Yi’s wife, aren’t you?”

“That’s right! My sister-in-law looks just like Sister Ye!”

“Hahaha, do you have a photo? I’d love to see what she looks like!” Ye Jianhua said with a laugh.

Hearing this, Li Na was taken aback for a moment, then said, “Actually, I do have some with me!”

Saying this, she walked straight over to the front desk and retrieved the military shoulder bag she usually used to carry her things.

Then, in front of everyone, she took out a small notebook.

She took out a palm-sized black-and-white photo and handed it to Ye Lingyun, who was standing nearby.

When Ye Lingyun saw the girl in the photo, her heart couldn’t help but race a little.

Then, her voice trembling slightly, she asked, “Where… is this young woman from?”

“My sister-in-law is from Qin Province…”

Before he could finish, Ye Lingyun asked, her face turning pale, “Qin… which county in Qin Province?”

“Yong County!”

Upon hearing those two words, Ye Lingyun suddenly jumped to her feet.

Just as everyone was wondering what had come over her, Ye Lingyun’s body suddenly went limp, and she collapsed to the ground!

In an instant, Ye Jianhua and the others were thrown into a panic!

The shop instantly descended into chaos…

…….

PS: Today’s update is late. There’s one more chapter; I’ll try to upload it before midnight!

Under Jiang Shiying’s scrutinizing gaze, Li Yi was panicking like crazy.

This was a father-in-law sizing up his son-in-law—surely he found fault with everything!

He hadn’t even had a chance to nurture his own “little flower,” yet it had bloomed and borne fruit in someone else’s garden—who could stand that?

More importantly, Li Yi felt guilty!

He had far too many secrets. If his father-in-law set his sights on him, what good would come of it?

So, for him, today was like facing a trial by fire!

“Uncle Jiang, just say what’s on your mind. Staring at me like that is pretty intimidating!”

Jiang Shiying was quite pleased with Li Yi’s slightly timid demeanor. Not bad—he wasn’t as defiant as he used to be.

This showed that the kid was treating him as an elder and was genuinely sincere toward his daughter; otherwise, he wouldn’t have this attitude.

“Did you already know that Xue’er was my daughter?” Jiang Shiying asked.

“Not really. I just realized it when I saw the photo during dinner that day!”

Li Yi continued, “You guys did such a great job with the records. Once we hit the name ‘Ye Lingwan,’ the trail went cold. If I hadn’t happened to see a photo of my mother-in-law from her younger days that day, I wouldn’t have dared to confirm that Xue’er was your child!”

Jiang Shiying nodded. Back then, it wasn’t just their Jiang family—all the prominent families that had suffered misfortune had been relocated under aliases.

His wife was no exception. At the time, Ye Lingyun’s real name had been changed to Ye Lingwan, and she’d been sent to the Yong County Cotton Mill.

Once the turmoil had subsided, the old patriarch had someone specifically seal away his wife’s files.

Not to mention an ordinary person like Li Yi—even provincial or ministerial-level officials would find it difficult to uncover his wife’s true identity.

“No wonder you said Yun’er and I would have a house full of children and grandchildren. So you already knew the truth, and you’ve even given us a grandson?”

“Um…”

Li Yi gave an awkward smile but offered no explanation.

“It’s one thing that you know Xue’er is our daughter, but what were you thinking saying all that? Don’t you realize that because of your words, Yun’er has been planning to adopt a child lately!” Jiang Shiying frowned.

Li Yi was instantly dumbfounded; he hadn’t expected his words to lead to such consequences.

“I was just trying to prepare for their reunion, who would’ve thought you two would get the wrong idea!”

“How exactly do you plan to have them reunite?” Jiang Shiying asked in a stern voice.

He’d been thinking about this very thing just moments ago, but he still hadn’t come up with a good solution.

He was well aware of his wife’s health condition; it had only just stabilized, and she simply couldn’t handle such a major shock.

If her condition were to worsen because of this, that would be the last thing anyone wanted to see.

Li Yi said, “I plan to have Xiaoxue meet her mother-in-law first!”

“Meet?”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Shiying froze in shock!

Standing nearby, Jiang Longcheng interjected, “Brother Li Yi… no, brother-in-law, won’t that give the game away?”

However, Li Yi just smiled and said, “It’s fine. I’ll do Xue’er’s makeup later; I guarantee she won’t look nearly as much like her now!”

“Makeup? Do you think that’ll work? Do you think it’s some kind of disguise?” Jiang Longcheng said with a laugh.

Li Yi thought of all the amazing makeup techniques used by beauty bloggers in his past life; the so-called art of disguise was nothing more than that.

Although he couldn’t achieve that level of skill—and didn’t have that many cosmetics—giving Tang Xue a slight makeover shouldn’t be a problem.

“Whether it’s makeup or a disguise, as long as my mother-in-law doesn’t recognize her, that’s all that matters!” Li Yi said.

“And then?” Jiang Shiying asked again.

“Then it’s all up to you and Xue’s performance!” Li Yi said.

“What kind of performance?”

“Put on a big show of adopting a godchild!”

Upon hearing Li Yi’s words, Jiang Shiying’s eyes lit up instantly!

“So you mean I should adopt Xue’er as my goddaughter, so she can rightfully call Yun’er ‘Mom’!”

“Exactly. That way, they’ll be reunited as mother and daughter, and the shock to your mother-in-law won’t be as great. It’s a win-win!” Li Yi said.

“But what about later? We can’t keep this up forever, can we?” Jiang Longcheng interjected immediately.

Second Sister Li Lan, standing nearby, added, “Exactly. If you pull this stunt, how will Xue’er ever be able to meet Auntie as her true self in the future?”

“I’ve thought that through as well. After this meeting, the next time they see each other will be after Xue’er gives birth. We’ll assess Mother-in-law’s physical condition then.”

Li Yi continued, “If my mother-in-law has recovered reasonably well, then I’ll have Xiaoxue meet her as she really is. We’ll just say she lost weight after giving birth and was swollen from the pregnancy before. That’s a reasonable excuse, right?”

“If she hasn’t fully recovered yet, we’ll just wait a little longer!”

Jiang Shiying nodded and said, “That’s a good idea. If mother and daughter see each other more often, maybe Yun’er’s illness will get better faster!”

At that moment, Li Yi glanced at Tang Xue and said, “I’m a bit worried about Xiao Xue’s health right now, and I’m also afraid she might not be able to control her emotions when the time comes!”

Hearing this, Jiang Shiying immediately frowned and said, “Then why don’t we just wait until Xue’er has given birth before going to the capital…”

Before she could finish, Tang Xue spoke up, “I… I want to go see my mother!”

“But what about your health?” Jiang Shiying asked, frowning.

Tang Xue replied, “I don’t think it’ll be much of a problem if we take the train!”

She had traveled by train before, especially in sleeper cars, and found it quite smooth.

As long as she was careful getting on and off and had someone there to look after her, there shouldn’t be any problems.

After saying this, Tang Xue turned her gaze toward Li Yi.

Jiang Shiying, Jiang Longcheng, her parents, and her second older sister all looked at him as well; after all, he was Tang Xue’s partner, so it was up to him to make the decision at this moment.

Li Yi thought for a moment, then said, “As for a sleeper train, it shouldn’t be a problem!”

Just then, Jiang Shiying suddenly said, “Conditions in the village are still a bit poor. Why not let Xiao Xue give birth in Beijing?”

“Let’s discuss that later. For now, should we let Xiao Xue go to Beijing to meet her mother-in-law?” Li Yi asked.

“I want to go!” Tang Xue reiterated her wish.

“Then let’s go!” Li Yi said firmly.

Just then, Jiang Shiying suddenly suggested, “Why don’t I arrange for a helicopter?”

Li Yi immediately shook his head and said, “Forget the helicopter. That thing isn’t nearly as comfortable as a train, and since Xiaoxue has never flown before, she’ll probably get airsick.”

“If we’re really going, let’s drive to Ningbo tomorrow and get some soft-sleeper train tickets!”

Jiang Shiying immediately replied, “Alright, I’ll take care of the tickets!”

“No need. There’s no need to owe anyone a favor over something like this. Leave it to me!” Li Yi said.

“Alright!”

After discussing this matter, it had grown completely dark, so Li Yi finally called everyone to prepare for dinner.

The Li family members immediately set out the bowls and chopsticks, while Li Yi carried a basin to serve the lamb from the pot and the pork bones and chicken from the stove.

He then washed the pot, heated the oil, and began frying the oil cakes.

Soon, the fragrant stewed meat, golden-brown fried cakes, and rich, aromatic wine were all served!

Though the selection was modest, every dish was a hearty main course, and even the wine was top-quality Moutai.

Seeing all this, Jiang Longcheng felt quite satisfied.

It was clear that the Li family took their visit very seriously!

Since today marked the reunion between Jiang Shiying and Tang Xue—a joyous occasion—everyone was in high spirits.

Consequently, the Jiang uncle and nephew, Li Gang, and even the Li family father and son—who never usually drank—all raised their glasses.

The end result was a complete defeat for the Li family father and son—after just two glasses, both of them were completely out of commission!

Jiang Shiying and Li Gang came out slightly ahead, each downing half a pound to their hearts’ content!

Only Jiang Longcheng dominated the table, single-handedly polishing off a bottle of Maotai and towering above the rest!

The meal was a complete success, with both hosts and guests thoroughly enjoying themselves!

Nianzi Mountain Village. The Li Family!

Just as Jiang Shiying pushed the door open, Tang Xue had just stepped down from the heated bed and was about to put on her shoes to go to the front door to greet him.

But the moment she looked up, their eyes met.

For a moment, time seemed to stand still!

Staring at Tang Xue, who was looking right back at him, Jiang Shiying’s mind went completely blank.

All the way here, his emotions had been a whirlwind of tension, excitement, and anxiety.

Although he trusted the findings of his friend in Qinsheng and believed in Li Yi’s character,

But the whole situation was still hard to believe. He was terrified that this was all just a dream—that fate had played a cruel joke on him.

At the same time, he had been wondering all the way here how he could confirm that she was indeed his daughter.

But the moment he saw Tang Xue, he knew this was his daughter—that face, almost identical to his wife’s when she was young, was proof enough.

Tang Xue’s emotions were equally complex at that moment—she felt both nervous and excited… and a touch of resentment!

Looking at the gray-haired man before her, she could hardly believe it. Was this really her biological father?

Wasn’t he a high-ranking official in Beijing? Why did he look so weathered?

Was it because of her mother, whom she had never met, or was it because…

She wanted to call out “Dad,” but her throat felt as if something were blocking it, and she simply couldn’t make a sound.

In her distress, tears began to stream down her face!

Seeing his daughter suddenly in tears, Jiang Shiying snapped back to his senses and said with a trembling voice, “Xiaoxue… my daughter… I’m your father!”

As he spoke, Jiang Shiying’s eyes reddened.

He tried to maintain his composure, telling himself not to shed tears, not to cry.

But the tears in his eyes were like a burst dam, flowing uncontrollably and growing more and more!

“Dad…”

After calling out “Dad,” Tang Xue suddenly crouched down on the ground and burst into loud, heart-wrenching sobs.

She had never felt so wronged in her life!

Even when she was forcibly sent here by Tang Jizhong and his wife to join the commune—stranded in a strange place where she was bullied, and even nearly sold off by the Tang family as if she were merchandise—she had never felt this wronged.

But today, after meeting Jiang Shiying, all the injustices she had suffered in the past instantly welled up in her heart…

Jiang Shiying, meanwhile, was completely overwhelmed by Tang Xue’s cry of “Dad.” He immediately knelt down and pulled the sobbing Tang Xue into his arms.

Then, he began to cry as well!

When Li Yi, Jiang Longcheng, Li Gang, and the others entered the room, this was the scene they witnessed: the father and daughter crouched on the floor, weeping loudly, while Li Lan and Zhang Yuehong wiped away their own tears.

Meanwhile, little Zhang Ning stood nearby with a pout on her face, her eyes already glistening with tears; the little girl had clearly been startled by the scene.

Seeing Tang Xue so emotionally distraught and still crouched on the floor,

Worried that it might upset her stomach, he hurried over and said, “Uncle Jiang, Xue, stop crying. Let’s go up on the bed and talk!”

Then Li Yi whispered in Jiang Shiying’s ear, “Uncle Jiang, Xiao Xue is still pregnant!”

Hearing this, Jiang Shiying immediately wiped away his tears and helped Tang Xue to her feet.

Li Yi immediately stepped forward, gently patting her back to help her catch her breath.

After a long while, Tang Xue finally recovered and looked at Jiang Shiying, asking, “Are you really my father?”

“Yes! My name is Jiang Shiying, and I am your biological father!” Jiang Shiying declared with absolute certainty.

Just then, Tang Xue suddenly pulled something out of her pocket, held it out to Jiang Shiying, and asked, “Do you recognize this?”

When Jiang Shiying saw the jade pendant in Tang Xue’s hand, his eyes welled up with tears as he nodded.

“This was the token of my love for your mother, and it was also your grandmother’s dowry. But how did this jade pendant end up in your hands? I heard from your mother that…”

Before he could finish, Li Yi spoke up from the side: “Uncle Jiang, let’s talk about this later. You and Xue’er should get up on the kang first—it’s not comfortable standing on the floor!”

Jiang Shiying first helped Tang Xue onto the kang, then wiped away his tears and turned to Li Shankui and Zhang Yuehong. “Old brother, sister-in-law, I am Xue’er’s biological father. Thank you for taking care of her!”

With that, Jiang Shiying bowed deeply to Li Shankui and his wife.

Li Shankui and Zhang Yuehong were taken aback by his outburst; they stammered, unsure of what to say, and could only look anxiously at their son for help.

Li Yi immediately said, “Uncle Jiang, Xiaoxue is my wife. It’s only natural for me to treat her well—there’s no need for such a grand gesture!”

Li Shankui caught on and hurriedly said, “Right, it’s not worth it… Come on up to the bed, son-in-law!”

Jiang Shiying nodded, then climbed onto the bed and sat down next to Tang Xue.

As he looked at Tang Xue with her swollen belly, he felt a mix of regret and heartache, but above all, guilt.

“Xue’er, it’s all my fault. You’ve suffered so much!”

Jiang Shiying truly hated himself. Why hadn’t he investigated the events of those years? If he’d looked into it sooner, perhaps he would have found some clues long ago.

If he had, his daughter wouldn’t have been left to fend for herself all these years!

Tang Xue shook her head and said, “Father, this isn’t your fault. It’s those people who are so despicable!”

“Tell your father exactly what happened. Although I’ve had people look into it, I still don’t have a complete picture of everything!” Jiang Shiying said.

“Alright!”

Immediately, Tang Xue recounted in detail everything that had happened when she and Li Yi returned to Yong County to visit relatives.

As Tang Xue spoke, Li Yi listened quietly by her side, occasionally adding a few words.

After hearing Tang Xue’s account, Jiang Shiying couldn’t help but clench his fists, his eyes turning slightly red—whether from crying earlier or from anger, he wasn’t sure.

Although he had anticipated that his daughter might not have had an easy life these past years, he never imagined she had suffered so much at the Tang family’s home—and had even nearly been sold off like a piece of merchandise.

At that moment, his heart felt as if it were being sliced open stroke by stroke with a dull knife—the pain was excruciating!

The Tang family, the Tan family, and those worthless leaders at the Yongxian Steel Plant!

Good… very good indeed!

Standing nearby, Jiang Longcheng and Li Gang were both stunned by what they’d heard. They truly hadn’t imagined the story would be so convoluted and bizarre, involving so many people.

What surprised them even more was just how ruthless Li Yi’s methods were.

To avenge his wife, this outsider had single-handedly sent so many members of the Tang family to prison.

At the same time, they knew that someone was bound to be in trouble next.

After all, Li Yi had been in a strange place back then; many matters could only be resolved within the framework of the law, and there was little he could do about certain people.

But things were different now; Jiang Shiying certainly wouldn’t stand idly by.

Whether they had already been sentenced or were still at large, anyone who had ever bullied Tang Xue would likely face the wrath of this powerful figure standing before them.

As for Jiang Shiying, having weathered many storms, his initial agitation quickly subsided.

He then shifted his gaze to Li Yi.

Seeing the scrutinizing gaze of his future father-in-law, Li Yi knew he was about to face a trial by fire!

County Bureau, Criminal Investigation Division!

In the office, Li Gang was reviewing the files his subordinates had rushed to compile.

After all, these documents would eventually be subject to a county-level inspection, and if they didn’t pass, he’d face a formal reprimand.

He had just been promoted to captain of the Criminal Investigation Division and certainly didn’t want to be publicly reprimanded.

Just then, the roar of a car engine echoed from outside!

The deafening roar of the engine shook the glass windows of the offices at the front of the County Bureau, catching the attention of many.

Li Gang looked out the window and immediately saw an olive-green jeep drive into the county bureau’s courtyard, blocking the entrance to the main office building!

Seeing this, Li Gang couldn’t take it anymore. He was about to go out and ask who this person was, acting so brazenly.

Even the top official in the county wouldn’t dare do something like this, would he?

Upon closer inspection, however, he realized the license plate wasn’t local—it was from Beijing.

Instantly, he realized it might be Director Jiang, and immediately ran out of his office.

After Jiang Longcheng and Jiang Shiying got out of the car, they were about to ask someone where Li Gang’s office was when a young man of about seventeen or eighteen ran over.

“You two must be friends of Brother Li Yi. I’m Li Gang!”

Jiang Longcheng replied immediately, “Brother Li Gang, I’m Jiang Longcheng. We’ve finally met today!”

“Hahaha, you’re absolutely right. After all those phone calls, we’ve finally met…”

Before he could finish, Jiang Shiying suddenly spoke up from the side: “Comrade Li Gang, I’d like to borrow your office phone. Here’s my ID!”

Saying this, Jiang Shiying pulled out her work ID.

Although Li Gang trusted that Li Yi’s friend wasn’t a criminal, this was, after all, an internal police department phone, so he had to be cautious about who used it.

He immediately took Jiang Shiying’s ID and began examining it. Upon seeing the details and the embossed photo, Li Gang’s whole body went rigid.

Wow, he really hadn’t expected that the person standing right in front of him was actually a department-level official.

Although he wasn’t from their province of Sebei, it still sent a shiver down his spine!

What Li Gang didn’t know was that Jiang Shiying’s position had already been adjusted; he simply hadn’t had time to get a new ID card yet.

The person standing before him wasn’t just a department-level official—he was, without a doubt, a provincial-ministerial-level official.

“Director Jiang, please follow me!”

With that, Li Gang immediately led Jiang Shiying to the county bureau’s telecommunications room.

Jiang Shiying didn’t stand on ceremony; as soon as he entered, he asked a staff member to dial an outgoing number for him.

While Uncle San was on the phone, Jiang Longcheng called Li Gang out and struck up a conversation with him.

The two had been acquaintances for quite some time, so they were naturally delighted to meet in person.

Moreover, both men were the carefree, easygoing type, and since Jiang Longcheng was naturally outgoing, they hit it off immediately after just a few words. Before long, they were calling each other “brother” this and “brother” that.

Just as they were getting into the swing of things, Jiang Longcheng saw Uncle San emerge from the communications room with red eyes!

“Third Uncle, how’s it going?”

Jiang Shiying took a few deep breaths before nodding and saying, “I’ve confirmed it with the people in Qin Province. Tang Xue is my child with Yun’er—our only child!”

Hearing this, both Jiang Longcheng and Li Gang were stunned!

Li Gang, in particular, thought his ears must be playing tricks on him.

Li Yi’s wife, Tang Xue, was Director Jiang’s daughter—how could that be possible… Setting aside the fact that one bore the surname Tang and the other Jiang, how could the daughter of a high-ranking official possibly marry into a remote, impoverished village like Nianzi Mountain?

But when he thought back to the unrest of a few years ago—anything could happen—he felt a little more at ease.

“Comrade Li Gang, do you know Nianzishan Village…”

Before Jiang Shiying could finish, Li Gang hurriedly said, “Brother Li Yi made sure to tell me before he left to see you both safely to the village!”

“So can we go now? I… I want to see my daughter as soon as possible!” Jiang Shiying said, his voice trembling with emotion.

“Sure!”

With that, Li Gang took out his car keys and led the way toward the courtyard!

……

Nianzishan Village. The Li Family’s New Home!

By the stove, Li Yi was pumping the bellows to stoke the fire, while a pot of lamb stew simmered on the stove.

On the heated brick bed, Tang Xue was telling a story to her eldest nephew, Zhang Ning.

Beside the stove, her father, Li Shankui, was tending to a cast-iron pot filled with braised pork ribs and chicken.

Meanwhile, on the cutting board on the other side, his mother, Zhang Yuehong, and his second older sister, Li Lan, were shaping dough for cakes to be deep-fried later.

It is a tradition in this northern region to eat fried dumplings during festivals, holidays, and on occasions of great importance or celebration.

The arrival of Tang Xue’s biological father was a major event—and a joyous occasion—for both Tang Xue herself and the entire Li family.

So, with the exception of eldest sister Li Mei—who was still in her postpartum confinement—and her young nephew, the entire Li family had gathered.

Although the people in the room never stopped talking—someone was always speaking—it was clear that everyone’s mind was elsewhere.

Tang Xue was thinking about meeting her father in a little while, wondering what his reaction would be upon learning that he still had a daughter in this world.

Li Shankui and Zhang Yuehong, meanwhile, were worried about their son. Ever since they learned that Tang Xue’s biological parents were high-ranking officials in the capital, they hadn’t been able to relax for a single moment.

If it had been an ordinary family, that would have been one thing, but the Li family was well-off—most families would have been a suitable match.

But the fact that Tang Xue’s true identity was that of a fallen heiress from the capital made the whole situation seem rather mysterious.

More importantly, they had no idea about the true circumstances of their son and daughter-in-law sharing a bed; neither Li Yi nor Li Na had revealed the details of the matter to their parents.

So, in the eyes of Li Shankui and his wife, their son had simply taken advantage of his wife’s intoxication to sleep with a young, innocent girl.

If Tang Xue’s biological parents were to find out, what kind of trouble would their son be in?

Consequently, the elderly couple was now deeply worried!

Li Lan’s situation was much the same. She didn’t know much about what had happened between her brother and his wife, but judging by her brother’s attitude toward her, she suspected he might have wronged her.

Now that her powerful and influential biological parents have come knocking on the door, this might not be a good thing for her brother.

It’s safe to say the atmosphere in the Li household is incredibly tense right now!

No matter what everyone is doing, they find themselves glancing—whether intentionally or not—at the wall clock and unconsciously looking toward the front door.

Time had never felt so agonizing; every minute and every second seemed to drag on endlessly!

Just as everyone in the room was lost in their own thoughts, the sound of a car engine suddenly echoed from outside the door.

Everyone’s hearts skipped a beat, and their eyes instinctively turned toward the front gate.

Sure enough, two Jeeps appeared outside the gate!

Tang Xue, sitting on the kang, exclaimed excitedly, “Is… is that them?”

As she spoke, she tried to get up!

Li Yi quickly stepped forward, took her hand, and reassured her, “Yes, they’re here. Stay here and wait safely; I’ll go let them in!”

“But…”

“I’m here, so don’t worry!” Li Yi said.

Hearing Li Yi’s words, Tang Xue felt much more at ease.

No matter the situation, whenever she heard Li Yi say, “I’m here,” Tang Xue felt reassured.

“Okay!”

Without delay, Li Yi threw on a thick coat and headed for the front door.

Equally anxious, Li Shankui didn’t hesitate and followed his son out!

Outside the gate, Jiang Shiying was equally excited and nervous.

By now, he had confirmed through his connections in Qin Province that Tang Xue was indeed his daughter, and by reviewing the case files of Tang Jizhong, Li Hongmei, and others, he had learned part of the truth about what had happened back then.

The reason it was only partial was mainly due to time constraints; he had only heard a general outline, and many details had not been thoroughly inquired about.

But one thing was certain: Li Yi’s wife, Tang Xue, was indeed his daughter.

When he saw Li Yi coming out to greet him, he didn’t even wait for Jiang Longcheng and Li Gang behind him; he simply pushed open the gate and walked right in.

Upon seeing Li Yi, Jiang Shiying grabbed his arm and asked, his voice trembling, “Where… where is my daughter!”

Li Yi knew he was extremely agitated, so he skipped the pleasantries and replied immediately, “She’s inside!”

Jiang Shiying immediately pushed past Li Yi and hurried into the room.

When he pushed open the door and saw Tang Xue on the heated brick bed, his head went “buzzing,” and his mind went completely blank!

By the time Li Yi emerged from Liu San’s house, it was already 10:30 a.m.!

Wondering whether Jiang Shiying would actually show up today, Li Yi hurried back to the county bureau in his horse-drawn carriage.

Li Gang had just finished his work and was standing by the window smoking.

Upon seeing Li Yi, he immediately stepped out to greet him.

As soon as they met, Li Gang said, “We just got a call from the capital!”

Li Yi immediately stopped tying the reins and asked urgently, “What did they say?”

“Director Jiang said they’ve already set out and are expected to arrive in Qing Shan County around 5:00 p.m. He wants you to wait for them at the county bureau!” Li Gang said.

Li Yi immediately frowned. It was the middle of winter, and by five o’clock, it would be completely dark.

Driving a mule cart at night was out of the question; one misstep and they could easily end up in a ditch.

But since Uncle Jiang and his nephew were visiting Qing Shan County for the first time, they might not be able to find Nianzi Mountain Village just by following a map without a guide.

With that in mind, Li Yi turned to Li Gang and said, “Looks like I’ll have to ask you for a favor today!”

“What kind of favor?”

“It’s too late. I’m driving a mule cart and can’t wait for them, so I’ll be heading back to the village in a bit!”

Li Yi continued, “Once Jiang Longcheng and the others arrive, you’ll take them to Nianzishan Village for me!”

“I thought it was something major. Don’t worry, leave it to me!” Li Gang said with a smile.

“Alright!”

Then Li Yi added, “Now that I know where they are, I won’t keep you any longer.”

“Also, I need to head back right away. Let Old Liang know—we’ll talk about dinner later!”

To be honest, Li Yi really didn’t feel like having dinner with Li Gang and Liang Yukuai right now; he needed to head back early to make preparations.

Li Gang could tell Li Yi had something important to attend to today, so he immediately said, “If you’ve got things to do, go ahead and take care of them. There’s no rush about dinner—I’ll let Brother Liang know myself!”

“Alright, see you tonight!”

“See you tonight!”

After saying goodbye to Li Gang, Li Yi drove the mule cart once more and arrived at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative.

After all, with his father-in-law and older brother-in-law coming over, he couldn’t possibly neglect them; he had to treat them to fine food and drink.

Besides, even if Jiang Shiying and Jiang Longcheng hadn’t come, Li Yi had planned to do some serious shopping today anyway.

After all, his eldest sister was recovering from childbirth at home, and Tang Xue was also pregnant—they both needed to nourish their bodies.

So once he arrived at the supply and marketing cooperative, Li Yi didn’t hold back and immediately went on a shopping spree.

One fat sheep—it’s getting cold, and this kind of meat keeps well.

Ten pounds of pork, and ten pounds of pork ribs—Tang Xue loves those.

Plus a rooster and a goose—they weren’t cheap, but with Li Yi’s current assets and income, he’d basically achieved “market freedom.”

No celebration is complete without alcohol. As for Moutai, since a bottle only costs 8 yuan these days, it’s a great choice even if you don’t drink it—you can always keep it as a collectible.

After spending a full 320 yuan and a whole stack of ration coupons, Li Yi finally wrapped up his big shopping spree.

Glancing at his watch, he saw it was already 11:30. He immediately set off for home in his mule cart.

…….

On the highway leading from the capital to North Frontier Province, the Jiang uncle and nephew were speeding down the road in their car!

Both of them were completely baffled by today’s events, especially Jiang Longcheng, who simply couldn’t figure out what Li Yi was up to.

“Uncle, what do you think Brother Li Yi is up to? Why did he suddenly ask you to go to his house?” Jiang Longcheng asked as he drove.

Jiang Shiying didn’t answer his nephew’s question. Instead, he furrowed his brow, thought for a moment, and then said, “Longcheng, tell me exactly what Li Yi said to you—don’t leave out a single word!”

Jiang Longcheng first carefully recalled the events of that morning, then began to recount them slowly.

Soon, Jiang Longcheng had recounted the morning’s events in full detail.

After listening to Jiang Longcheng, Jiang Shiying’s heartbeat quickened involuntarily.

“Longcheng, how much do you know about Li Yi’s wife?” Jiang Shiying asked suddenly.

“Well… not much. I only know she’s from Qin Province and that she married Brother Li Yi while he was working in the countryside…”

Jiang Longcheng then added, “Oh, and I’ve heard she’s very beautiful!”

“How do you know she’s beautiful?”

“It was that clerk at Li Yi’s shop named Zhang Xinyao who told me. She’s quite an interesting girl!” Jiang Longcheng replied.

“Longcheng, do you think your third aunt might have given birth to twins back then?” Jiang Shiying asked, her words carrying a note of astonishment.

“What?”

Hearing this, Jiang Longcheng’s hand on the steering wheel trembled involuntarily, causing the car to sway sharply!

“Drive carefully—don’t get so startled!” Jiang Shiying said sternly.

“Uncle, what makes you think that?”

“A mental ailment requires a mental remedy!”

“?”

Jiang Shiying immediately replied, “A man like Li Yi doesn’t do things without purpose. Since he said this matter concerns Yun’er’s illness, he must have a specific reason—he isn’t just trying to attract attention!”

“And there are only two ways to cure Yun’er: medicine, or a child!”

“Then why not medicine?” Jiang Longcheng asked.

“With medicine, for one thing, I wouldn’t have to make the trip myself—you could go instead. And for another, there are just too many coincidences surrounding this matter!”

“Coincidences?”

“Right. Do you remember when Li Yi went back to his hometown?”

“The day before yesterday, I think!”

“It was the day before yesterday, but he went back after visiting our old family home—more precisely, after seeing your third aunt. He must have discovered something!” Jiang Shiying said.

With Jiang Shiying’s reminder, Jiang Longcheng suddenly recalled Li Yi’s strange reaction after they left the old family home that day.

“That’s right. After we left the old house that day, Brother Li Yi mentioned he’d discovered something. I asked him what it was, and he said it had to do with you and my aunt. He also said we couldn’t let Auntie know, for fear of upsetting her…”

Before he could finish, Jiang Shiying said, sounding somewhat agitated, “Why didn’t you mention something this important sooner?”

“I… I forgot!”

“How could you forget something this important!”

Jiang Shiying clenched her fists and said, her voice trembling slightly, “If I’m not mistaken, Li Yi’s wife is connected to Yun’er—she might even be the daughter of me and Yun’er!”

“What… Uncle, don’t scare me like that. How could that be possible!” dxmbang

Jiang Longcheng felt his heart was about to leap out of his chest; this was completely beyond his wildest imagination.

“Although I find it hard to believe myself, it’s the only explanation right now.”

Jiang Shiying continued, “Do you remember Li Yi’s reaction when he saw the photo of your Auntie from her younger days in our room?”

“I remember. He said Auntie was very beautiful, and he also said… he said his wife looks a lot like her…”

“Right, and Li Yi’s sister said the exact same thing!” Jiang Shiying said.

“But that doesn’t make sense. My aunt said she only had one child, and she… she buried that child herself. How could…”

Jiang Longcheng didn’t know what to say; he just felt that this whole thing was simply inexplicable.

“Although I’m a bit puzzled too, I think the overall conclusion is correct. This must have something to do with Tang Jizhong and Li Hongmei!” Jiang Shiying said.

“If that’s really the case, that’d be interesting. That kid Li Yi would become my brother-in-law. I’ll see how he dares to boss me around this time!” Jiang Longcheng said excitedly.

Meanwhile, Jiang Shiying, standing nearby, clenched his fists. He was thinking much deeper than Jiang Longcheng.

If his deduction was correct, there would be a great deal to unpack here.

How had his child ended up out on the streets? Was it an accident or a conspiracy?

But whether it was an accident or a conspiracy, someone had to be held accountable for this!

Thinking of the suffering his wife had endured over the years, and then of his daughter, Jiang Shiying felt a murderous impulse welling up inside him.

Right now, he was itching to fly straight to Qingshan County, confront Li Yi for answers, and see that child for himself.

With that thought, Jiang Shiying suddenly turned to Jiang Longcheng and said, “Stop the car. I’ll drive!”

Jiang Longcheng glanced at his third uncle and said, “Come on, give it a rest. I wouldn’t dare let you drive in this state. Calm down first!”

“Then hurry up!”

“We’ve got less than 200 kilometers left. We’ll be there in two or three hours!”

With that, Jiang Longcheng slammed the gas pedal twice, and the car’s speed shot up!

PS: Many readers aren’t too happy with the family reunion arc, finding it a bit of a drag. Old Cang has noticed this too—the plot has indeed dragged on. I’ll pick up the pace from here on out. The next chapter: Father and Daughter Reunited!

After hanging up, Li Yi felt a bit conflicted.

Knowing how much Jiang Shiying doted on his wife, he was certain she would come!

Even if he had already boarded a plane, or even arrived in Guangdong Province, as long as he learned this matter concerned Ye Lingyun’s health, he would fly back to Beijing without hesitation.

However, considering that the journey from Beijing to Qing Shan County was far from smooth—involving a long stretch of winding mountain roads—it would be no exaggeration to call it a long and arduous journey.

For the safety of his nephew and himself, Li Yi hadn’t directly told Jiang Shiying the truth that Tang Xue was his biological daughter.

Although Jiang Shiying was a level-headed man, the truth of this matter was simply too shocking for him, and he might not be able to handle it.

If he were to act on impulse or panic and something unexpected happened along the way, that would be the last thing Li Yi would want to see!

After all, his only goal was to get him to come over; whether or not he told him the truth right now didn’t really matter.

But to give him time to prepare, Li Yi had specifically instructed them to use their connections to investigate the Tang family members—including, of course, Tang Xue.

Given the Jiang family’s network of connections, it wouldn’t take long to uncover the truth.

By then, however, Jiang Shiying should already have arrived at Nianzishan Village!

By the time Jiang Shiying met Tang Xue, the results of the investigation would likely be in—nothing would be delayed!

The call has already been made; now they just have to wait for news from Jiang Longcheng’s side.

Of course, even if Jiang Longcheng arrived late and failed to intercept Jiang Shiying, it wouldn’t matter—it would only be a matter of a few extra days.

So after hanging up, Li Yi didn’t just sit around at the county bureau waiting for a call.

He exchanged a few words with Li Gang, made plans to have lunch together, and then hurried out of the county bureau in his mule-drawn cart.

After leaving the county bureau, Li Yi headed straight for the Supply and Marketing Cooperative.

Once there, Li Yi immediately bought some rice, flour, cooking oil, and a few pounds of pork.

Then, carrying these goods, he drove the mule cart straight to Liu San’s house in the southern part of town.

He had been asked by Liu San to go visit his mother!

Liu San’s father had passed away some time ago, leaving only him and his mother to rely on one another.

Now that Liu San had gone to the capital with Li Yi, he was a bit worried about his mother.

Upon learning that Li Yi was returning to his hometown, he asked him to stop by, check on her, and deliver some rice, flour, and cooking oil—the cost could simply be deducted from his salary.

Naturally, Li Yi wouldn’t refuse such a request from a brother, so he made the arrangements while he was in town making a phone call today.

……..

Over at Jiang Longcheng’s place, after hanging up the phone, he didn’t even bother to put on his hat. He grabbed the car keys from the table and headed straight downstairs.

To save time, he drove like a maniac the whole way, flooring the gas pedal whenever he didn’t hit a red light.

Fortunately, the airport was located in the northeastern suburbs of Beijing, while Beiguancun was in the urban-rural fringe to the north, so the route didn’t require passing through the city center.

As a result, what would normally be a one-hour drive took him only half an hour.

Once inside the airport, Jiang Longcheng didn’t go straight to look for his third uncle.

Although civil aviation had only recently opened up, there were still quite a few passengers, and with the airport being so vast, searching blindly would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

So, Jiang Longcheng went straight to the information desk and asked them to make an announcement to locate the person.

After presenting his identification and describing the person he was looking for, the airport staff were naturally happy to assist.

Soon, an urgent announcement echoed throughout the airport: “Attention, Comrade Jiang Shiying. Please proceed immediately to the main lobby service desk upon hearing this announcement. Comrade Jiang Longcheng has urgent business with you…”

At the boarding gate, Jiang Shiying had just finished checking in and was already walking down the jet bridge.

Just then, he suddenly heard the announcement.

Upon confirming that the announcement was for him, Jiang Shiying didn’t hesitate and immediately turned around to head back out.

At that moment, the staff at the boarding gate hurriedly said, “Comrade, our flight is about to take off…”

“It’s fine. If I haven’t boarded yet, just go ahead and take off!”

With that, Jiang Shiying walked toward the airport terminal without looking back!

At the airport service counter, Jiang Longcheng watched the departure gate with a look of anxiety on his face.

He had just asked the staff at the service desk and learned that the flight to Guangzhou in Guangdong Province was already boarding. Under normal circumstances, it was highly likely that his third uncle was already on the plane.

If that were the case, it would be a real problem.

Once the plane took off, he wouldn’t be able to contact his third uncle until he arrived in Guangzhou.

By the time he returned to Beijing and made his way to Qingshan County, it would be at least three days later—and he had no idea if Li Yi would still be waiting for him by then.

He could tell from Li Yi’s tone just now that he was both serious and anxious!

Just then, Jiang Longcheng spotted his Uncle’s familiar figure and immediately called out excitedly, “Uncle, over here!”

Jiang Shiying strode over and asked right away, “You’re in such a hurry—is it Yun’er…?”

“No, no, Auntie is doing just fine. Don’t worry!” Jiang Longcheng hurriedly replied.

“Then is it your grandfather?”

“No, it’s nothing like that. Brother Li Yi just called me and said you need to go to his place right away!” Jiang Longcheng said.

“Li Yi? Right now?”

“Yeah. He said it’s about whether Auntie San’s illness can be completely cured, so I didn’t dare delay—I rushed right over!”

Jiang Longcheng explained immediately. He knew his Uncle San’s temper all too well; if this explanation didn’t satisfy him, he might just beat him up right there.

If that happened, he’d be in serious trouble.

“Did he really say that?” Jiang Shiying frowned.

“Yeah, he also said…”

“What else did he say? Stop beating around the bush—spit it all out!” Jiang Shiying said sternly.

“He told you to immediately use your connections to investigate a few people!”

“Who?”

“Tang Jihong, an employee at the Yongxian Steel Plant, and his wife—and… and his daughter-in-law, Tang Xue!”

“Investigate his daughter-in-law? What kind of shenanigans is that guy up to?” Jiang Shiying said, frowning.

“That… that I don’t know!”

Then Jiang Longcheng spoke again: “Third Uncle, just tell me—are you going or not? If you’re not, I’ll go back and call Brother Li Yi to tell him you can’t make it…”

“I’m going!” Jiang Shiying said decisively.

“Uh… then let’s get moving right away. Qing Shan County isn’t exactly close to Beijing!”

“Wait a moment.” With that, Jiang Shiying walked straight to the airport service counter and addressed the staff there: “Hello, comrade. I’m Jiang Shiying from the Guangdong Provincial Government. I have an urgent matter to attend to—could I borrow your phone?”

As he spoke, Jiang Shiying pulled out his ID and handed it directly to the airport staff.

After verifying Jiang Shiying’s credentials, the staff immediately escorted him and Jiang Longcheng to an office nearby.

Twenty minutes later, after making several calls to Yue Province, Qin Province, Saibei Province, and Qingshan County, the Jiang uncle and nephew finally left the airport.

There was no need to return to the city; they simply got in the car and headed northwest, with Qing Shan County as their destination!

The next morning!

Li Yi got up early, quickly washed his face, and hurried back to the old Dxmbang residence without even eating breakfast.

He then hitched up the bright red mule cart and headed straight for the county seat!

Li Yi knew that Jiang Shiying was about to head south to Guangdong Province, so he had to notify him as soon as possible.

Otherwise, if he actually headed south, this matter would be delayed for another while.

Setting out in a mule cart in the dead of winter was truly a hardship.

Even though he was wearing a thick cotton coat, had his father’s big leather coat over it, and had hemp straw and cotton curtains padded under his seat, he was still shivering from the cold.

The main problem was that the winter winds in the northern frontier were simply too biting; when the northwest wind blew, even without whipping up sand, snow, or sleet, it still stung my face like fire.

To be honest, if it weren’t for the matter concerning his wife’s background, Li Yi really wouldn’t have wanted to leave his warm bed.

With the wind at his back, he made much faster progress than expected and arrived at the county seat just past eight o’clock.

Of course, this also meant the return trip would be against the wind—and it would be tough!

Although his stomach was growling with hunger, Li Yi didn’t stop for a meal; instead, he headed straight for the county police bureau!

In the conference room of the county bureau’s Criminal Investigation Division, Li Gang was assigning tasks to his team members.

It wasn’t that any major case had occurred in the county, but with the end of the year fast approaching, the squad still had a mountain of paperwork to complete regarding Party building, social stability, and spiritual civilization.

While these tasks weren’t particularly difficult, they were tedious—and absolutely essential.

Since they hadn’t been done before, what were they to do?

They had no choice but to forge them one by one, just as they had done with the records from previous years.

In short, these files had to be produced before the county inspection team arrived.

Just as he was busy with this, someone from below told him that someone was looking for him, so Li Gang immediately stepped out of the conference room.

When he saw it was Li Yi, Li Gang said with some surprise, “Why are you here so early? I heard from Zhang yesterday that you’d returned, and I was just planning to stop by your place this afternoon.”

“I have an urgent matter. Can I borrow your office phone for a moment?” Li Yi asked.

“Sure!”

Li Gang, knowing better than to pry, didn’t ask what the matter was and simply led Li Yi to the communications room.

Li Yi immediately dialed the number for Jiang Longcheng’s office!

“Ring… ring…”

After a few rings, a woman’s voice came over the line: “Cotton Mill. Who’s calling?”

“Please put me through to Director Jiang. I’m his friend, Li Yi!”

The person who answered on the other end was Jiang Longcheng’s secretary, Wang Mani. She naturally knew who Li Yi was and hurriedly said, “Our director is currently in the production workshop. Please hold on a moment; I’ll go get him!”

“Alright, have him call Li Gang as soon as he gets back!”

“Got it!”

Seeing that Li Yi had hung up, Li Gang immediately asked, “Brother Li Yi, is that all you needed to do after that call?”

“What, do you have something to do?”

“Since you’re here anyway, why don’t we grab Brother Liang for lunch?” Li Gang suggested.

“Sure, but first, get me something to eat. I’m starving!” Li Yi said with a laugh.

“Sure!”

With that, Li Gang headed toward the cafeteria in the back!

Just as they were waiting for Li Gang to bring the food, the phone in the communications room suddenly rang.

But Li Yi didn’t answer it. After all, this was the county bureau—it might be work-related, and he couldn’t just pick up the phone without permission.

A staff member at the county bureau picked up the phone, exchanged a few words, and then handed it to Li Yi.

No sooner had he picked up the receiver than Jiang Longcheng’s boisterous voice rang out from the other end: “Brother Li Yi, you’ve just gotten back and you’re already calling me here. Have you been missing me or something?”

“Stop fooling around. I need to talk to you about something urgent!” Li Yi said.

Hearing the seriousness in Li Yi’s tone, Jiang Longcheng dropped his playful demeanor and asked immediately, “What’s up?”

“Is your third uncle still in Beijing?”

“Um… I think so, but I’m not sure!”

Jiang Longcheng then asked, “What’s up? Do you need something from him?”

“Yes. You need to remember every word I’m about to say. After we hang up, call your third uncle and tell him to come immediately to Nianzishan Village, Hongqi Commune, in Qingshan County!” Li Yi said sternly.

“Isn’t that your home? Why are you asking my third uncle to go there?” Jiang Longcheng asked in confusion.

“It’s about whether your aunt’s illness can be completely cured!”

Hearing this, Jiang Longcheng naturally didn’t dare to delay—he knew just how much his third uncle cared about his third aunt.

“Alright, hold on a moment. I’ll call my third uncle right now!”

“Okay…”

No sooner had he finished speaking than a series of “beeps” filled the receiver—clearly, the other end had already hung up!

Li Yi shook his head with a wry smile. The guy really was impatient; even at twenty-eight, he wasn’t the least bit steady.

No sooner had he hung up than he saw Li Gang walking over with a lunchbox.

“All that was left at the cafeteria was a bowl of congee and two potato-filled buns. Just have a bite to tide you over—I’ll treat you to a proper meal at lunchtime!” Li Gang said.

“Haha, I’m just glad there’s something to eat—I wouldn’t dare ask for more!”

With that, Li Yi took the lunch box and immediately began eating heartily!

But after just a few bites, the phone in the communications room rang again, and the colleague from the county bureau’s communications room asked Li Yi to take the call once more.

“How’s it going?”

“I just called the old family home. My grandfather’s secretary said my third uncle just left for the airport—he’s heading back to Guangdong Province today!” Jiang Longcheng said.

“When did your third uncle leave home?”

“Twenty minutes ago!”

“So that means he hasn’t boarded the plane yet?” Li Yi asked.

“What do you want to do?”

“Drive to the airport right now, intercept him, and bring him straight to my place!” Li Yi said.

“Um… it’s so urgent—can’t we wait a bit?” Jiang Longcheng asked.

“No!”

Then Li Yi added, “By the way, could you pass a message to your third uncle for me?”

“What message? Tell me.”

“Tell him to use his connections to investigate three people: Tang Jizhong from the Yongxian Steel Plant and his wife Li Hongmei, and their daughter Tang Xue!” Li Yi said.

“Isn’t Tang Xue your wife? Why investigate her?”

The Jiang family had specifically investigated Li Yi’s background and knew his wife’s name was Tang Xue.

However, since the investigation had primarily focused on Li Yi, they hadn’t looked into Tang Xue in great detail—they hadn’t even taken a photo of her back with them.

Otherwise, given the Jiang family’s capabilities, they would have discovered Tang Xue’s existence long ago.

“Don’t ask any more questions. Just pass my message on to your third uncle, then bring him to my house!” Li Yi said.

“Got it!”

“Give me a call before you leave. If I’m still in the county seat, I’ll wait for you!” Li Yi said.

“Got it!”

With that, Jiang Longcheng hung up the phone!

Tang Xue was feeling quite emotional, and after reading all morning, she was also a bit tired.

So after chatting with Li Yi for a while, she drifted off into a deep sleep!

Li Yi immediately tucked the blanket around her, then tiptoed to the floor and began organizing the gifts he’d brought back.

This time, in addition to buying some clothes and snacks for Tang Xue, he had also bought new clothes for his parents and his older and younger sisters.

In past years, no matter how poor the harvest, his parents would always do their best to make him a new outfit for the New Year.

If times were good, and Li Yi hadn’t gotten into trouble that year, his third sister would also get to enjoy the benefits and receive some new clothes.

As for his parents themselves, they never considered buying new clothes regardless of the harvest—they hadn’t bought any in years.

The Li family had made a decent income this year, and Li Yi had bought them some new clothes, but most were for summer; they still didn’t have any for winter.

So while he was out shopping with An Hong at the department store, Li Yi bought a new outfit for each member of his family.

He wanted to buy shoes too, but since he was traveling alone, he simply couldn’t carry them back, so he had to give up on that!

Fortunately, the local supply and marketing cooperative also sold shoes, and buying them there wouldn’t be much different!

Just as he was finishing packing everything up, Li Yi saw his second older sister walking in from outside, carrying a cloth basket.

Just as she was about to speak, Li Yi immediately whispered, “Xiao Xue just fell asleep. Let’s keep our voices down!”

“Okay, Yi. I need to ask you something!”

“What is it?”

“Are you still going this time?”

“What? Do you want to go back, sis?”

“Yeah. If you’re not leaving, I’ll go back first. But if you’re still planning to go, then I’ll stay a little longer!”

“Then you should stay a few more days. I’ll have to head to the capital in a few days, though Xiao Xue might come along too!” Li Yi said.

Hearing this, Second Sister immediately frowned and snapped, “Don’t get too cocky just because you’ve got a few coins. Xiao Xue is already seven months old—taking her on a long trip like this is just reckless!”

Li Lan had a strong-willed temperament; from childhood onward, she was the only one in the family who dared to discipline Li Yi.

Even now that her younger brother was married, whenever she saw something wrong, she still spoke her mind and didn’t hold back from scolding him!

Li Yi smiled and said, “Sis, you’re jumping to conclusions. I’d never take Xiao Xue off on a wild adventure, but if her biological father insists on taking her back to trace her family roots, how can I stop him?”

“Trace her family roots?”

Her second sister looked at Li Yi in shock and asked, “So… they found him?”

“Yep! We found him—right here in Beijing!”

“Oh my, that’s wonderful news! That poor girl has really had it rough!”

Then the second sister asked again, “What are Xiao Xue’s biological parents like? They aren’t some shady characters, are they?”

“No, they’re really nice people!”

“That’s good! But you have to remember, Xiaoxue has already been hurt once—you can’t let her suffer any more!” Li Lan said.

“Don’t worry, sis. Xiaoxue is my wife—would I ever let anyone bully her?” Li Yi said.

“Hearing you say that puts my mind at ease!”

Li Yi thought about the money he still needed to deliver to Dongzi’s family and the others, so he immediately said, “Sis, stay here for a bit. I’m going to Uncle Leizi’s place!”

“Alright, and when you come back, pick up Ningning from the old house. That kid insists on staying with his grandma—I can’t get him to come back no matter what!” Second Sister instructed.

“Got it!”

With that, Li Yi put on some warm clothes and headed out the door!

……

Beiguan Village, Beijing!

Today, a district inspection team of over sixty people visited the restaurant, keeping Li Na, Long Zhanjun, and the others incredibly busy.

They had just seen off the last table of customers, and everyone was nearly exhausted!

Since they’d been so busy at lunchtime, the kitchen hadn’t prepared a proper meal. So Long Zhanjun asked Dongzi to throw together a big pot of stew with beef and lamb slices and assorted vegetables, just to get everyone by.

Just as everyone was about to eat, the sound of a car engine suddenly roared outside the shop.

Then, a jeep pulled up outside the shop.

Hearing the noise, Li Na immediately came over to check what was going on.

A man and a woman got out of the car, and the man supported the woman as they walked into the shop!

Li Na thought they were customers looking for a meal and immediately said, “Sorry, you two, we’re closed!”

Jiang Shiying immediately replied, “We’re not here to eat; we’re here to see Li Yi!”

“You know my brother?”

“Are you Li Yi’s sister?” Jiang Shiying asked, somewhat surprised.

“Yes, my name is Li Na. I’m his third older sister!”

“I’m Jiang Shiying, his friend. This is my wife!” Jiang Shiying said, pointing to Ye Lingyun beside him.

Li Na instinctively looked at Ye Lingyun, and upon seeing her appearance, couldn’t help but take a second look.

Men and women have different perspectives and criteria when judging others. Men generally focus only on a woman’s face, while women scrutinize a woman’s appearance, demeanor, and expression in great detail.

Although Ye Lingyun looked extremely thin at the moment—so thin she was almost unrecognizable—Li Na still felt that the woman before her bore a striking resemblance to her own sister-in-law!

Especially since she had seen Tang Xue when she first arrived—she had been extremely thin back then and bore a striking resemblance to the woman standing before her.

Noticing that Li Na had been staring at her, Ye Lingyun immediately asked, “Miss, is there something wrong with me?”

Caught off guard by Ye Lingyun’s question, Li Na snapped back to her senses and realized her behavior had been a bit rude.

“No, it’s just that I think you look a lot like my sister-in-law!”

Ye Lingyun smiled slightly and said, “Little Li said the same thing when she visited my home the other day. It seems I really do bear a resemblance to Little Li’s wife!”

Li Na immediately replied, “It’s not just a few—they look at least seventy or eighty percent alike. If you were a little heavier, you’d look even more like her!”

“Is it really that similar?” Ye Lingyun asked, a hint of curiosity in her voice.

“It’s really that similar. Why don’t I show you a photo of my sister-in-law…”

Before she could finish, Long Zhanjun’s voice came from behind them: “Comrade Jiang, you’re here?”

His words instantly caught everyone’s attention, and Li Na’s sentence trailed off abruptly.

“Yes, we’re here to look for Xiao Li. Where is he?”

Li Na replied immediately, “Xiao Yi went back to his hometown. He left yesterday. Is there something you need from him?”

“Oh, nothing much. I’m planning to head back south tomorrow, so I came by specifically to say goodbye to him, but I didn’t expect he wouldn’t be here!” Jiang Shiying said with a smile.

“Then I’ll let him know when he gets back!” Li Na said.

“Sure!”

“Have you guys eaten yet? If not, why don’t we have a meal together?” Li Na asked warmly.

“Thanks, but we’ve already eaten!” Jiang Shiying replied.

“All right, then!”

Since Li Yi wasn’t there, Jiang Shiying and her husband didn’t feel like staying any longer.

They said goodbye to Li Na and left the hot pot restaurant.

Jiang Shiying and Ye Lingyun had no idea what they were missing by turning away.

……