Chapter 26

Han Changfeng’s eldest uncle was returning to Beijing, but halfway there, the bus he was on fell off a cliff. After receiving treatment at the nearest county hospital, he was transferred to a Beijing hospital for a thorough health check.

His aunt held Han Changfeng’s hand, still shaken, and said, “The test results came back fine. The cut on his neck was only a centimeter deep, but at the time, it was terrifying—the bleeding just wouldn’t stop. I thought your uncle wasn’t going to make it.”

Han Huaiye knew the real situation. The piece of glass that had been pulled out was at least three inches long and blood-stained, so it couldn’t have been just a one-centimeter cut. The young girl who had slowly removed it must have healed his wound in the process.

This was a supernatural occurrence. Though many dismiss such phenomena as superstition, there are still mysteries that science cannot explain, not entirely of ghosts and gods. Humanity is small and ignorant, and there is more to revere beyond nature—there are also the unknown realms.

The young girl didn’t hesitate to risk exposure to save others, so Han Huaiye felt obligated to protect her secret.

“At the time, I passed out because I was scared,” Han Huaiye said. “Ah, getting old makes one timid. Oh, and earlier today, someone slipped a letter into my hospital room. It was addressed to me, so I opened it, but the content was meant for you. Here, take a look.”

Han Changfeng unfolded the letter, noticing the crooked handwriting. There was no point in trying to trace its origin; it was written with the left hand.

The letter revealed that a male midwife at the city hospital’s obstetrics and gynecology department had been providing information about abandoned infants to traffickers for years. Liao Chunxing had discovered this and used it to blackmail him.

The letter even taunted him, saying that as a police officer, he would waste time investigating the motive. It stated that Liao Chunxing’s motive was to help his lover, Jiang Jianchun, by making Jiang Ruan disappear because Jiang Ruan wasn’t really her sister. Jiang Jianchun’s real sister had been taken to the Han family, and Jiang Ruan and Han Qingqing had been switched at birth. If he didn’t believe it, he could investigate for himself.

Han Changfeng put away the letter. “Uncle, I’ll look into what the letter says. The small house has been cleaned up, so you and Aunt can move back anytime.”

Han Huaiye was only concerned about the young girl who had saved over a dozen people. “Changfeng, whether the letter is true or not, please make sure to bring her back. Can you rescue her?”

“Yes, I can. I certainly can!” Han Changfeng assured him, adding, “Uncle, she’s very smart and left us clues along the way. We’ll definitely get her back.”

Han Changfeng went to find Han Qingqing at school.

“Brother, why are you here?” Han Qingqing asked nervously.

Han Changfeng noticed her new backpack, her rhinestone hair bow, and her black leather shoes, which cost as much as the nanny’s half-month salary. The more he learned about Jiang Ruan’s difficult life over the years, the sadder he felt in comparison to Han Qingqing’s.

“Qingqing, there’s a piece of information I need you to fill in,” he said. “What was Liao Chunxing threatening you with when he cornered you in the alley that day?”

Han Qingqing was shocked. Why was her older brother asking about this?

Her sister Jiang Jianchun had recently warned her that as long as Jiang Ruan didn’t come back, no one could uncover the truth about their origins, and that she shouldn’t say anything.

With trembling lips, she replied, “Brother, why would you ask about something so embarrassing?”

Han Changfeng felt a chill in his heart. “Jiang Ruan is missing, and your information might help us find her sooner. Are you really unwilling to tell the truth?”

“I already confessed everything the day you hit my second brother,” she muttered, biting her lip, at a loss for what to do.

Han Changfeng was deeply disappointed. He hadn’t expected to get any valuable information from her; he’d come just to see how far the Han family’s years of indulgence had taken her. She had no sense of morality left.

“I’ve given you a chance to come clean, Qingqing,” he said coldly.

…

Han Changfeng then reported his findings to his superiors and brought Jiao Wenbin in for questioning.

Jiao Wenbin confessed with remorse. He admitted that, at first, he had only provided tips about abandoned babies to the small-time leaders of the trafficking ring. Whenever a family was planning to abandon a baby girl, he would inform them. Liao Chunxing had found out about this and coerced him into helping make Jiang Ruan disappear.

Jiao had his own agenda, so he plied Liao Chunxing with alcohol and asked what grudge he had against the young nanny.

In his eagerness to secure credit, Jiao revealed, “Liao Chunxing admitted when drunk that Jiang Jianchun had switched her own sister with a baby in the neighboring hospital bed because she was jealous of the other baby being cherished. The switch was never undone, and the family moved away before the truth could be discovered. He also said that Jiang Jianchun was lying—she just wanted to get a sister without any effort. I even recorded it, but before I could turn the tables on him, I got caught.”

Han Changfeng took Jiao’s signed confession and shut himself in his office, ignoring his colleagues’ attempts to console him.

Jiang Ruan was indeed his biological sister. On the other hand, Liu Jinyun, after learning that Jiang Ruan wasn’t her biological daughter, had falsified her age to send her to the countryside in place of Jiang Jianchun.

Coincidentally, the local police station called to say that Jiang Ruan had been found. She had single-handedly taken down a group of over ten traffickers and rescued several women and children. The local police were arranging for her return.

…

Jiang Ruan had rescued Ran Xiaorong. The local police provided a car to bring them back to the city, where they were met by a patrol car from the municipal bureau. Jiang Ruan saw Officer Han.

His eyes were red with grief as he looked at her, and Jiang Ruan felt a little guilty.

She tugged at her rumpled, dirty clothes and asked, “Officer, I’ve saved everyone, so why are you so sad?”

The somber mood lifted at her innocent question. Han Changfeng replied with a hint of bitterness, “Call me brother.”

Qin Yan had also arrived. Han Changfeng had done a good job, quickly uncovering Jiang Ruan’s background and providing irrefutable evidence in the form of recordings. No matter how Liu Jinyun and Jiang Jianchun tried to deny it, Jiang Ruan was indeed a biological daughter of the Han family.

Qin Yan had asked Han Changfeng to investigate, but he hadn’t told him to take Jiang Ruan away. He called out, “Jiang Ruan.”

Jiang Ruan felt uneasy. Qin Yan had only asked her to alert the authorities, but she had taken matters into her own hands, causing a big commotion and disappearing for two or three days. Qin Yan must be furious.

“Officer Han, I have to get back to work,” she said hurriedly. “I need to go.”

She ran over to Qin Yan, smiling apologetically. “Qin Yan, I’m back.”

Qin Yan was almost seething with anger. “Who told you to chase down traffickers? You only have one life. Can you please take care of yourself first?”

“I did take care of myself,” Jiang Ruan said. “Qin Yan, I saved so many people this time. Please don’t be angry.”

Qin Yan wasn’t angry that she saved people; he was mad at himself. From now on, no matter what he planned to do, he would be more thorough to ensure nothing like this ever happened again.

Han Changfeng couldn’t stand seeing someone speak harshly to his sister and walked over. “Qin Yan, watch your tone.”

Qin Yan scoffed, “How I speak to my family’s nanny is none of your concern. You don’t have the right to lecture me.”

Han Changfeng held back his frustration. “Qin Yan, I need to take her away.”

Qin Yan laughed mockingly. “Have you settled things with your family? Have you negotiated with the Jiang family? If not, on what grounds are you taking away our nanny?”

If the Han family didn’t show any firm stance, Qin Yan wouldn’t allow Jiang Ruan to leave with Han Changfeng.

Han Changfeng was at a loss and looked at his clueless biological sister, his heart aching with sorrow. He spoke gently, “Ruan Ruan, go back with Qin Yan for now. I’ll resolve everything today, and then I’ll come for you.”

…

Qin Yan decided to tell Jiang Ruan about her true background. He asked her to push him to a quiet, open area to talk.

Sitting on the edge of a flowerbed, Jiang Ruan was at eye level with Qin Yan. Tilting her head, she asked, “What secret are we discussing that we need to come here?”

Qin Yan feared how Jiang Ruan would react once she learned the truth about her background and the hardships she had endured. He was worried she might not be able to handle it and would break down emotionally.

He spoke as gently as possible, explaining how Jiang Jianchun’s selfish actions at her birth had resulted in the switch, and how later on, Liu Jinyun, upon discovering Jiang Ruan wasn’t her biological daughter, grew to dislike her and never even considered switching her back with the Han family.

“They were too cruel. Jiang Ruan, whatever compensation you seek is justified. You can demand that the Han family send Han Qingqing away. The Han family is well-off; you’d no longer need to work as a nanny.”

Jiang Ruan’s mind was indeed muddled. When it came to the Jiang family, she had only been repaying the kindness of being raised. Now, knowing she wasn’t biologically theirs, she felt relieved.

As for the Han family, they were all strangers to her. She wasn’t the original owner of this life, so whether she returned to them or not didn’t matter.

Suddenly, a thought struck her, and she asked in surprise, “Qin Yan, if I’m not biologically related to the Jiang family, does that mean I don’t have to give half of my wages to them anymore?”

Qin Yan was taken aback. Faced with such a monumental revelation, her thoughts were refreshingly simple.

He chuckled, “So, you still want to keep working as a nanny in my house?”

“Didn’t we agree on five years?” Jiang Ruan asked nervously. “If I go back to the Han family, I won’t be able to work for you anymore?”

“No, the Han family is well-off. It’s highly unlikely they’d let you continue as a nanny.”

…

Jiang Ruan had returned, but there was no need for the nanny to cook dinner at Qin Yan’s house tonight. Qin Zhengqing and Miao Shufang were busy in the kitchen, occasionally glancing up at the lit window on the second floor, where Jiang Ruan’s sudden exclamations and Qin Yan’s low, gentle reprimands could be heard. The couple shared a knowing smile.

With Jiang Ruan back, their son’s mood had finally lifted. So much had happened in the two days she was missing, and suddenly, she was revealed to be the Han family’s biological daughter.

The Han family’s circumstances were not bad. Considering how much they pampered Han Qingqing, they probably wouldn’t let Jiang Ruan work as a nanny.

Miao Shufang asked her husband, “What do you think? Should Ruan Ruan and Han Qingqing each return to their own families, or should the Han family raise both girls together? They do have the means to support them.”

Qin Zhengqing sighed, “I’m worried they’ll take advantage of Ruan Ruan’s kind heart and propose keeping Han Qingqing as well. That wouldn’t be fair to Ruan Ruan.”

“I originally thought that since the Jiang family didn’t care for Ruan Ruan, she could work as a live-in nanny for us. But now, the Han family probably won’t agree,” Miao Shufang said. “If we hire a different nanny, do you think Qin Yan will be okay with it?”

No other nanny could match Jiang Ruan’s childlike innocence and pure intentions, so Qin Yan would likely struggle to accept anyone else.

Qin Zhengqing glanced at his watch and frowned. “It’s so late already. Why hasn’t anyone come to pick up Ruan Ruan?”

“They’re probably still discussing things,” Miao Shufang replied. “After all, this is a big matter, switching children at birth. I wonder whether the Jiang family or the Han family will come to take her.”