Chapter 7

Because the original owner’s memory was fuzzy, Jiang Ci could only recognize the characters in this novel through the plot.

For example, the middle-aged woman in front of her, dressed in Dacron, should be her neighbor Zhao Qing. Zhao Qing worked in the same hospital as Li Chunhua. Her husband was a top-grade fitter at a steel plant, and their daughter Liu Dai was twenty-three this year—very pretty, but unfortunately with her nose in the air, without a stable job or a partner. Now she was being pressured to go to the countryside.

Zhao Qing had originally set her sights on Gu Jinghuai as a son-in-law, but the original owner snatched him away. This made Zhao Qing resent her and gossip about her whenever she could.

Now Zhao Qing greeted her with a smiling face—definitely not a good sign. Jiang Ci replied, “Taking the baby out for some sun.”

Zhao Qing said, “You didn’t go back to your parents’ place? Your mom and sister were beaten up!”

Jiang Ci thought, They were beaten? That’s great. Even better if they got beaten to death.

Zhao Qing quickly recounted what she had seen and heard at the hospital yesterday. As she spoke, her eyes stayed glued to Jiang Ci’s face, trying to glean any reaction.

Jiang Ci looked shocked. “Something like that happened?”

Zhao Qing said, “You better go home and take a look, or maybe write to your husband. He’s in the military, maybe he can help.”

Jiang Ci replied, “A distant well can’t put out a nearby fire. Besides, my husband wouldn’t know what to do.”

Zhao Qing clicked her tongue. “It doesn’t matter whether he knows or not—what matters is letting him know. I’m telling you, as someone who’s been through it—men need to be kept busy. If you don’t give them something to do, their minds wander. Your husband’s stationed so far away, good-looking and educated. What if some girl takes a liking to him? These days, how many soldiers come back halfway through service just to get a divorce?”

“Oh, sounds like your husband’s fooled around a lot, huh?”

“He wouldn’t dare!”

“Then you’re lucky. I thought you caught him cheating a bunch of times. If it’s true, you shouldn’t cover for him. Drag him through the streets to teach him a lesson.”

Zhao Qing flared up. “Hey! How can you talk like that? I’m just trying to help you!”

Jiang Ci said, “If you really want to help, give me your savings book. You gossip all day long—no wonder your daughter can’t find a man. It’s because you talk too much nonsense.”

“You—!” Zhao Qing stomped her foot in anger.

“Am I wrong?” Jiang Ci smiled sweetly. “Take your time thinking it over. I’m off.”

Zhao Qing clutched her chest in frustration. “You… You’ll be the death of me!”

—

Jiang Ci carried the baby to the supply and marketing cooperative. Along the way, she not only passed by people wearing red armbands but also saw a few military trucks filled with young men and women in uniform, each wearing a big red flower and looking jubilant. It seemed like they were being sent to the countryside, but with a lot more pomp than usual.

From the idle chatter around her, she learned that these were female soldiers being sent to the border regions. Some even remarked how good the policies were now—saying even former prostitutes could clean up and join the military.

The border? If Jiang Ci remembered correctly, that’s where the original owner’s husband had been sent.

Following a soldier to the border was incredibly hard. Jiang Ci wasn’t planning on that anytime soon. With current transportation, they probably wouldn’t see each other for years—might as well be a widow.

Once she reunited with her biological parents, and her child grew up in a few years, with college entrance exams reinstated, she’d go to university and date a handsome guy. No need to stay trapped in the original owner’s marriage.

Perfect—she could bring up the marriage when writing to her husband.

After buying what she needed at the supply co-op, Jiang Ci wrote three letters: one to her biological parents, one to Gu Jinghuai, and one to his parents.

She mailed them all, then went to the trade market to look at baby strollers. The current ones were made of wood—small, with a little built-in tray. But her baby was still too soft to sit up. She looked around, but they were all the same.

Finally, she went to the Overseas Chinese Mall. There were more imported goods here, including basket-style strollers, but they required overseas remittance coupons—something ordinary people couldn’t get. She left after browsing and reluctantly bought a small bamboo stroller instead. Her daughter would have to make do for now.

On her way home, Jiang Ci caught a whiff of something awful. No doubt—the little one had pooped.

She rushed home, opened the diaper, and sure enough—poop. The baby giggled, completely unfazed.

Jiang Ci felt like a thousand grass mud horses were galloping through her heart. Raising a baby was really tough. Feeding was one thing, but there were no disposable diapers—she had to wash cloth ones herself. No, she needed to find a nanny.

As Jiang Ci pondered this, there was a knock at the door—thump, thump, thump.

Who could it be at this hour? Could it be someone from the Jiang family?

She gently set the baby down, grabbed a small knife, and went to the door.

The knocking continued for a while until someone outside finally called out, “Second Sister, it’s me—Jiang Yaozu. Are you home? If you are, open the door.”

Jiang Yaozu? It was indeed a youthful voice.

Jiang Ci opened the door to find Jiang Yaozu standing there with an army-green backpack, looking aggrieved.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

Jiang Yaozu pushed his way in. “Where were you? I knocked forever and you didn’t open the door.”

Jiang Ci gave him a light smack on the forehead. “You little rascal, lecturing me now? Spill it—why are you here?”

Jiang Yaozu rubbed his head. “Mom and Dad are in the hospital. No one’s home to cook, so I came to your place.”

“In the hospital?” Jiang Ci was curious. Her injuries were all superficial—why would they be hospitalized? “What happened to Dad?”

“Last night someone tied him to a utility pole and beat him. It was dark, and Big Sis didn’t recognize him—she poured pee and poop on him. He got an infection.”

Getting poop in an open wound? That could be life-threatening.

Jiang Ci nearly burst out laughing. This family really knew how to shoot themselves in the foot.

Jiang Yaozu went on, “Then they took him to the hospital. I had nowhere else to go, so I came here.”

“Why didn’t you go to Uncle’s place? They’re always mooching off our food—time you got some payback.”

“You think I didn’t try? Auntie started smashing pots and pans, so I left.”

“Well, you can’t just freeload here either. You’ll have to help out,” Jiang Ci said. She needed a helper anyway.

“Help out?” Jiang Yaozu’s eyes widened in shock. He’d always been pampered at home—never done a day’s work. “I’m not doing that.”

“Then get lost!” Jiang Ci picked up a feather duster. “Go eat for free wherever you don’t have to pay.”

Thinking she’d hit him, Jiang Yaozu quickly raised his hands to block. “Okay, okay—I’ll do it. Just don’t hit me!”

“Hmph, that’s more like it. Now go wash Duo Duo’s diapers.”

Jiang Yaozu, resigned, went to the bathroom. Seeing a pile of diapers in the enamel basin, he flipped one open and screamed, “Poop!”

Jiang Ci grinned from the doorway. “Baby poop is like gold. Washing diapers is a blessing. Get to it—I’m going to make lunch. Or you can go find your dad at the hospital.”

Jiang Yaozu could only grumble in defeat, “Oh, fine…”