Chapter 5: Departure

Given that someone could go as far as to find a fake fiancée, and considering Ye Minshu and Ji Ze’s attitudes, this matter was bound to cause more trouble. However, Lin Qiao’s situation couldn’t wait. After much thought, Old Mr. Ji decided to send his second son. Firstly, Ji Duo was the most reliable, and secondly, with his eldest son away on a business trip, there was no better candidate than Ji Duo.

Ye Minshu and Ji Ze certainly wouldn’t go, and while Xu Li had the time, she lacked the authority to handle Lin Qiao’s uncle and aunt. Though Ji Duo was the most reliable and decisive, Old Mr. Ji feared he might refuse or have other plans.

Ji Duo did frown slightly at the suggestion but agreed, “Alright, I’ll make the arrangements.”

This reassured Old Mr. Ji. “Remember to get the introduction letter as well.” To prevent Lin Qiao from overthinking, he added, “Your matters are important. Take care of this first, and we’ll discuss the rest when you return.”

This introduction letter was clearly a marriage introduction letter. Ye Minshu’s actions were truly underhanded, and with the issue unresolved, Old Mr. Ji didn’t know how to explain it to Lin Qiao. He decided to show his stance, giving Lin Qiao some reassurance.

As long as her family’s issues could be resolved, Lin Qiao wasn’t in a hurry. In fact, if the situation weren’t so dire, seeking marriage with the Ji family would be the quickest and least troublesome solution. Otherwise, she wouldn’t insist on fulfilling the betrothal. Her uncle and aunt were ruthless. If she didn’t marry and use the Ji family’s betrothal to escape, they could sell her once and then sell her again. Even in the 21st century, people still sold their daughters for a few thousand yuan and dared to hit their children in front of the police. She didn’t want to gamble on their integrity.

Moreover, she and that male educated youth were formally engaged and had exchanged betrothal gifts. If he were shameless, he could hold onto the engagement and refuse to break it. Even if she settled in Yandu, he could come to her as her fiancé.

Lin Qiao stood up and solemnly thanked Old Mr. Ji, “Thank you, Old Mr. Ji.”

“Hey, why call me Old Mr. Ji?” Mr. Ji waved his hand. “Old Lin and I have a life-and-death friendship. Just call me Grandpa Ji.”

It was just a form of address, so Lin Qiao followed his lead, “Thank you, Grandpa Ji.”

Old Mr. Ji responded, the deep lines on his forehead finally relaxing a bit. “It’s too late today, and driving at night isn’t safe. I’ll have your Grandma Ji prepare a room for you. Stay at our place tonight and leave after breakfast tomorrow.”

The wedding date was set for the day after tomorrow, so leaving tomorrow would still be in time. Lin Qiao naturally had no objections, “That’s perfect. After a whole day of travel, I’m quite tired.” She took a bite of the apple in her hand, “I bought these apples for you, but I’m eating them first.”

Her playful remark lightened the atmosphere in the ward considerably. Old Mr. Ji smiled, “Eat as much as you want. If it’s not enough, I’ll have your Grandma Ji peel more for you.” He then looked at Xu Li, “Have Xiao Zhang make a few more dishes tonight, ones that Qiao girl likes.”

“Got it. I see you’re eager to have some liveliness at home.” Xu Li smiled and cooperated with Lin Qiao to change the subject, “As people get older, they always hope for more company. But your Uncle Ji and the others are busy and can’t come home often. We usually eat alone.”

She then remembered something, “You should call him Uncle, right?”

“My dad was born in 1938.”

“Then you should call him Uncle. Our Ji Jun was born in 1936.”

Old Mr. Ji, still not in the best health and having just been angry, showed signs of fatigue after a few more words.

Lin Qiao noticed and, after finishing her apple, threw the core into the trash and suggested leaving.

Ji Duo, sitting on the nearby bed, stood up, “I’ll stay with Grandpa tonight. Mom, you go back with her. I’ll have Xiao Fang drive you.”

“Aren’t you going out tomorrow?” Xu Li hesitated.

“I don’t need to drive.” Ji Duo insisted on seeing them off downstairs. Considering she needed to arrange Lin Qiao’s stay, Xu Li found it more convenient for her to go back than her son, so she didn’t argue. She gave a few instructions and got into the car with Lin Qiao.

When the car arrived at the courtyard gate, the maid Lin Qiao had seen earlier was just returning with a basket of groceries.

“Were you out buying groceries?” Xu Li smiled as she got out of the car and called to her, “We have guests. Add a couple more dishes for dinner.”

She then turned to Lin Qiao, “Is there anything you’d like to eat? I’ll have Aunt Zhang make it for you.”

It seems that Aunt Zhang is indeed the maid who takes care of Old Mr. Ji’s daily needs. As a guest and unfamiliar with the Ji family’s eating habits, Lin Qiao naturally wouldn’t randomly order dishes. “I wouldn’t know what to order. Just make your usual dishes, and I’ll try your home-cooked meals.”

“Then let’s get two pounds of pork and some fresh Chinese toon sprouts. They’re in season now and taste great in noodles or scrambled eggs.”

Aunt Zhang quickly agreed, and Xu Li turned to Lin Qiao, “The Chinese toon sprouts in your area should be ready by now, right?”

“Not quite yet,” Lin Qiao replied. “It’s colder at home than in Yandu. When I left, the Chinese toon was just starting to sprout.”

As they passed Aunt Zhang, she looked at Lin Qiao with a slightly uneasy expression. After all, she had just blocked Lin Qiao at the door, and now Lin Qiao had returned with the hostess, who treated her warmly. Anyone would feel uncertain in such a situation. It was Ye Minshu who had instructed her to block Lin Qiao, and she was just following orders. Lin Qiao hadn’t made things difficult for her before and wouldn’t take advantage of Xu Li’s different attitude towards her now. Instead, she smiled at Aunt Zhang, “Sorry to trouble you, Aunt Zhang.”

“It’s no trouble, no trouble,” Aunt Zhang quickly shook her head.

Her reaction was overly cautious, and Xu Li, with a bit of thought, could guess most of what had happened. She smiled and helped Lin Qiao open the door, “Come in.”

Owning such a courtyard house in this location wasn’t easy, but the Ji family’s interior was more understated than expected.

The courtyard was simply arranged, with no meticulously tended flowers or expensive decorations. There were just grapevines in the corner, fruit trees, and a simple swing made of thick hemp rope hanging quietly under the tree.

Xu Li noticed Lin Qiao’s gaze, “Your Grandpa Ji made that for Xiao Ling. She found the hemp rope rough on her hands and only played on it twice. Your Grandpa Ji wouldn’t let us take it down, so it’s been there for years, and we have to clean that spot more often.”

On the way here, Xu Li had roughly explained the family situation to Lin Qiao. She knew that Old Mr. Ji had two sons, the younger one unmarried, and the elder, Ji Jun, had a son and a daughter. Xiao Ling was Old Mr. Ji’s younger granddaughter, who had just turned thirteen this year.

Lin Qiao hadn’t expected that Old Mr. Ji, despite his high position and seemingly bad temper, would personally make a swing for his granddaughter.

Despite the understated decor, the Ji family had everything they needed.

Upon entering, there was a set of old-fashioned sofas, a fruit bowl on the coffee table filled with apples and bananas, and a 24-inch color TV directly opposite.

Judging by its condition, the TV was quite old. It was only after the reform and opening up last year that TVs began to be imported in large quantities. Before that, whether imported or domestically produced, they were all supplied to government departments, making them very rare in private homes.

Xu Li turned on the TV and sat on the sofa with Lin Qiao, chatting, “I remember you were born in 1962, right?”

“Yes, I was born in 1962. I just turned eighteen last month.”

If she hadn’t already come of age and lost the state subsidy for minors of martyrs, Lin Shouyi and his wife would have kept her for a while longer, even if just for the money, rather than selling her off so quickly.

“Then you should have graduated by now,” Xu Li asked tactfully, not specifying whether it was middle school or high school.

In fact, rural areas were different from cities. With more work at home, boys fared better, but many girls didn’t even have the chance to finish middle school.

Yandu isn’t a rural area; as long as one can work, it doesn’t matter whether they study or not. However, being uneducated is not an option. Lin Qiao had a hard time living with her uncle and aunt. If she didn’t have the opportunity to study, regardless of whether the marriage agreement went through, it would be best for her to continue her education for a few more years.

Unexpectedly, Lin Qiao said, “I graduated. I finished high school last year.”

Xu Li was a bit surprised, so Lin Qiao explained, “Grandma said there’s no harm in studying more. My grandfather suffered because he was uneducated.”

Back then, with wars raging, going to the battlefield meant risking your life. Surviving was already a blessing, and no one cared about education. However, the difference between the educated and the uneducated became apparent after the war. If Old Lin had known a few more words, he could have gotten a job as a worker instead of returning to farming. So, the old couple always valued education. Lin Qiao’s father also graduated from middle school before joining the army.

When it came to Lin Qiao, her grandmother felt sorry for her being orphaned at a young age and didn’t want her to start working early. Despite the hardships, her grandmother insisted on her education, supporting her through high school.

Xu Li had never met this Grandma Lin, but from what Lin Qiao said, she seemed like a wise person. “Your grandma was right. It’s important to study more. Whether you’re a worker or a farmer, the country needs educated people for development.”

As they spoke, Aunt Zhang returned with the groceries. Xu Li got up to check the kitchen and then prepared a room for Lin Qiao in the backyard.

“This is where Xiao Ling stays when she comes back. I’ve changed the sheets and covers. If you need anything, come to the front yard and find me.” She seemed meticulous, even bringing a thermos and two glass cups and placing them on the writing desk by the window.

Lin Qiao placed her backpack on the desk and thanked her graciously.

After several days of tension, this was the best sleep Lin Qiao had since transmigrating, as her long-standing worries were finally resolved.

The next morning, after breakfast, Xu Li packed some snacks. When they arrived at the hospital, Ji Duo’s Jeep was already waiting downstairs.

The journey from Yandu to Lin Qiao’s hometown, Shahe Village, would take at least seven to eight hours by car. Hearing that Ji Duo had already eaten, Xu Li gave him a few instructions to take care of Lin Qiao and watched the Jeep drive away from the hospital. Only then did she notice another breakfast on the bedside table.

“The eldest daughter-in-law just came by,” Old Mr. Ji said expressionlessly.

Ye Minshu, despite her faults, was impeccable in taking care of Ji Jun and the old couple. After making Old Mr. Ji angry yesterday, she naturally had to make amends today. However, judging by Old Mr. Ji’s tone, he wasn’t pleased.

Xu Li sat by the bed, “Still the same attitude as yesterday?”

Old Mr. Ji didn’t respond.

Xu Li understood and sighed, “Actually, Lin Qiao is a good girl—smart, courageous, and not aggressive. When I took her back yesterday, she didn’t show any discomfort. She was neither obsequious nor aloof.”

A huge disparity often leads to imbalance, causing envy, jealousy, or inferiority.

Lin Qiao, however, maintained a calm demeanor throughout, neither overly flattered nor pretending to be aloof.

“Her only shortcoming is her background. In terms of education and upbringing, she’s not inferior to others. Her grandmother knew how to raise children and ensured she finished high school.”

“She finished high school?” Old Mr. Ji was quite surprised to hear this.

When the two families arranged the engagement, the old couple had considered bringing Lin Qiao to Yandu for better care and education. Unfortunately, some unexpected events occurred before Lin Qiao reached school age, and the families lost contact.

Xu Li nodded, “She graduated from high school last year. But I’m just mentioning it; you should decide as you see fit.”

Anyone could have a say in Ji Ze’s marriage, but her position was awkward, making it difficult for her to intervene.

Xu Li glanced out the window and changed the subject, “The weather looks quite gloomy. It might rain.”

Ji Duo also noticed the ominous sky, heavy with dark clouds that seemed ready to burst at any moment. Before leaving the city, he had the driver, Xiao Fang, make a detour to buy some snacks from Daoxiangchun. He placed some in the front seat and some next to Lin Qiao. “It looks like it might rain. If we can’t find a place to eat, have some snacks to tide you over.”

Ji Duo was a man of few words and didn’t like small talk. This was the longest sentence he had spoken to Lin Qiao since they got in the car.

Lin Qiao nodded, took a crispy fried ring from the paper bag, and before she finished eating it, raindrops started to fall.

By the afternoon, even with the windshield wipers on, the torrential rain made it hard to see through the windshield. Xiao Fang, the experienced driver, carefully watched the road ahead. “This isn’t working. The rain is too heavy. If it keeps up, we won’t make it tonight.”