Chapter 4: Plans

“Xiao Zhu, what are your plans from now on?” Father Jiang asked while eating.

His biggest concern was that now that Qin Man had recovered, she might start to dislike their family’s poor conditions. He still remembered when she was first brought back—she had a valuable-looking watch with her. Afraid she might lose it, he had put it away for safekeeping.

Thinking about it, she was probably the child of a wealthy family who had accidentally gone missing.

What if she found her biological parents, remembered everything from her past, and left the two children behind?

Plans?

Qin Man thought carefully. If someone asked her what her plans were, she hadn’t really considered them yet. She had just arrived in this era, unfamiliar with everything and everyone—except for the two children who shared her blood. That kind of familial bond was undeniable.

Whenever she looked at them, she felt an overwhelming sense of maternal warmth.

“Just living life well, raising these two children, and making sure they grow up with a good education!”

That was all she could think of for now. She had skipped the entire pregnancy process and ended up with two adorable, beautiful little babies—who were her biological children, no less. Why wouldn’t she cherish this?

Not to mention her handsome husband, whom she had gained at a bargain. In her previous life, she had relied entirely on her skills to survive, never having had the luxury of a romantic relationship. She was almost thirty and had never had a boyfriend.

Jiang Cong, on the other hand, matched her aesthetics perfectly, both in temperament and looks. And from what she had observed today, his personality wasn’t bad either.

According to her memories, they had been together for over four years. Though he had been away for school, he always returned during holidays. Even though they slept in the same bed, he never took advantage of her, despite her being considered a “fool” at the time. Instead, he always maintained an appropriate distance and treated her with respect. Thinking about this, her impression of Jiang Cong improved even more.

Continuing this life as it was didn’t seem like a bad idea. She loved children, and as for Jiang Cong—well, developing feelings over time was an option. He was, after all, an ideal husband.

In her previous life, she had exhausted herself in the workplace, never experiencing romance or the warmth of a home. This time, everything had fallen into her lap at once.

Father Jiang and Mother Jiang sighed in relief when they heard Qin Man’s words. At least she was considering the children. Otherwise, if she abandoned them at such a young age, it would truly be tragic.

The villagers had always said that Jiang Cong’s life had been ruined by his marriage to a “fool.” If he had been able to finish university, get a good job, and marry a city girl with good prospects, his future would have been bright. But fate had other plans, and he ended up with someone who dragged him down.

At first, the Jiang family couldn’t help but feel regret, but as time passed and the children were born, they had come to terms with it.

Now that Qin Man was no longer foolish, life could go on. This was the best possible outcome.

However, the eldest sister-in-law, Song Mei, was not one to let things slide. She always had something snide to say and couldn’t resist chiming in.

“Xiao Zhu, when you first came, you had a watch on you—it looked really expensive. Mom kept it for you, afraid you’d lose it. Could it be that you’re actually a young lady from a wealthy family? Aren’t you planning to find your real parents?”

Mother Jiang had been smiling, but her face darkened instantly at those words.

She had been hoping that as Qin Man and Jiang Cong spent more time together, they would develop real feelings. That way, even if Qin Man’s biological family showed up one day, the bond between her and Jiang Cong would be strong enough that they wouldn’t separate. But now that Song Mei had brought it up, what if Xiao Zhu really did decide to search for her birth parents right away?

What if she looked down on their family’s poverty and left? What would happen to Jiang Cong and the children?

And what if her birth parents insisted on taking the children away? Mother Jiang had raised them herself, poured her heart into them—how could she bear to lose even one of them?

“Xiao Zhu, you were just a child back then. Mom only kept it safe for you so you wouldn’t lose it. If you want it back, I’ll go get it for you now!”

Mother Jiang stood up to fetch it, but Qin Man stopped her.

“No need, you can hold onto it for now. It’s not convenient to wear something like that in the countryside.”

Wealth should not be flaunted.

She remembered that watches in this era could cost anywhere from a few hundred to over a thousand yuan—something an average rural family could never afford.

However, it was something valuable, a symbol of status. No one should be eyeing it, but who knew? It might come in handy someday.

Before, Song Mei had always been trying to get her hands on that watch. She had even tried to convince Mother Jiang to hand it over, arguing that Qin Man was a fool who wouldn’t know the value of such things. But Mother Jiang had refused.

Now, seeing that she couldn’t get the watch for herself, Song Mei wasn’t about to let Mother Jiang keep it either.

“Sister-in-law, I’ve never even worn something that fancy before. People say it’s the kind of thing city folks wear—so stylish! Can’t you let me borrow it for a few days to try it out?”

Song Mei winked at Qin Man, clearly trying to manipulate her.

Qin Man immediately recognized her as someone full of scheming thoughts.

Over the past few years, this sister-in-law had never stopped giving her the side-eye.

If she lent it to her, who knew if she would ever get it back?

“Why are you so insistent on wearing something that doesn’t belong to you? Just let it go.”

Jiang Cheng, the eldest brother, finally spoke up, his tone full of disapproval.

He couldn’t stand seeing his wife act so shamelessly.