Chapter 9: “In My Heart, No Woman Can Compare to You”

Jiang Yubai shook his head firmly, eyes full of certainty.

“Impossible. My mother is always very careful—she would never make such a mistake. Besides, I even made Lin Jianxue drink that chicken soup too. Her period came early that same day, and she had horrible cramps. I saw her with my own eyes, clutching her stomach as she rushed into the public restroom. There’s no way she was faking it.”

Hearing this, Jiang Yuning cried even harder. Sobbing, she said, “Then what happened to me? Why did I miscarry? My baby was only three months old…”

“Yuning, don’t be sad. Maybe it’s because you just came to the capital and your body hasn’t adjusted to the environment yet. Don’t worry, I’ve already told my mom to secretly make you some nourishing soup over the next few days to help you recover.”

Jiang Yubai pulled her even closer, resting his chin gently on the top of her head, his voice full of tenderness as he comforted her.

“This child… it just wasn’t meant to be. But we’re still young—we’ll have more kids in the future. Now that Lin Jianxue can’t have children anymore, the mother of my future children will only be you.”

Jiang Yuning felt a bit more at ease hearing this.

She wiped her tears from the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand and nestled in Jiang Yubai’s arms, pitifully asking, “Yubai, you… you don’t like Lin Jianxue, right? I saw her—she’s prettier than me.”

Jiang Yubai chuckled softly.

He pinched Jiang Yuning’s nose dotingly and said, “In my heart, no woman can compare to you.”

“Lin Jianxue’s the type of heiress who needs to be waited on hand and foot every day, and she’s always ordering me around. How could I possibly like someone like her?”

As he spoke, he gently picked up the enamel cup on the bedside table and helped her drink some water before continuing.

“Marrying her is just for our future. Lin Qiufeng already promised that he’d arrange for me to work at his steel factory soon. Once I’m in, I’ll figure out a way to get you in too. Then our whole family will have stable jobs in the city, and we can transfer our household registration here.”

Hearing this, Jiang Yuning’s eyes lit up with a trace of joy.

But she still voiced a concern: “But now Shen Wu has given birth to a baby…”

“Shen Wu’s child is still young, and Lin Qiufeng is close to retirement.”

Jiang Yubai didn’t seem worried at all, speaking confidently.

“When the time comes, his position will definitely go to me. I just need to wait patiently, slowly take over the Lin family’s business, and then find a way to divorce Lin Jianxue.”

He hugged the woman in his arms tightly, burying his face in her soft hair, and whispered, “Yuning, wait for me—just a few more years. I swear I’ll never leave you behind.”

Listening to these words, Jiang Yuning’s heart filled with sweetness.

And when she thought about how someone like Lin Jianxue was being completely played by them, she felt immense satisfaction.

So what if she was a high and mighty heiress from the capital? Wasn’t she still being toyed with by them, a bunch of country bumpkins?

—

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Shen Wu had stayed for half a month, undergoing various tests. Only when it was confirmed that she was completely fine did Lin Qiufeng process her discharge and take her home to recover.

The Lin family lived in a work-unit assigned apartment: a three-bedroom, one-living-room place, over 80 square meters—quite spacious for the late 1970s.

As you entered, there was a living room with a wooden square table in the center, surrounded by matching chairs. In the corner stood a sewing machine.

On one side of the living room was the kitchen, separated by a simple cloth curtain.

The kitchen was basic—just a coal stove, a wooden cabinet, and a sink.

Past the living room were three bedrooms. The master bedroom was the largest, with a big double bed and an old-fashioned five-drawer dresser.

The bed was neatly made, and on top of the dresser sat a red thermos and a mirror, beside which were a few family photos.

The second bedroom was smaller, with a single bed and a small wardrobe.

The smallest room had been turned into a study, with a simple bookshelf full of books, a desk, and a chair.

The bathroom was in a corner, the smallest space in the house—just enough for a toilet and a washbasin.

Lin Qiufeng was famously henpecked. To help Shen Wu during her postpartum recovery, he had begged his superiors and successfully got a full month of paternity leave.

After coming home, he became a full-time super dad, constantly tending to Shen Wu and the baby—pouring tea, cooking, doing laundry, changing diapers…

He did everything personally, even more meticulous than a professional nanny.

Watching her husband bustling around, Shen Wu felt a warm glow in her heart. Leaning against the headboard, she gently said, “Qiufeng, don’t overwork yourself. Take a break.”

Lin Qiufeng was carefully changing the baby’s diaper when he heard her. He looked up and gave her a simple, honest smile. “It’s fine, I’m not tired. What matters most now is that you rest and recover. Leave everything else to me.”

As the couple chatted, the baby suddenly let out a loud wail—so sharp it made their eardrums buzz.

Shen Wu quickly turned to pat his back, soothing him gently, “There, there, baby, don’t cry. Mama’s here.”

Lin Qiufeng came over and looked at the baby’s wrinkled little face, his voice full of concern: “This little guy’s got quite the lungs—must take after his mom.”

Shen Wu rolled her eyes at him and laughed, “Isn’t that your fault? You insisted on calling him ‘Little Tiger.’ Well, now you got what you wanted—he’s like a real little tiger, never stops fussing.”

Originally, Shen Wu wanted to name the child Lin Jingxing, inspired by a line from the Book of Songs: “Lofty as the mountains, upright as the noble path.”

But Lin Qiufeng thought that name was too pretentious and not down-to-earth enough. So he gave the baby a nickname, Lin Little Tiger, hoping he’d grow up strong and lively.

Now, watching the crying, energetic little baby, Lin Qiufeng scratched his head, wondering if he had made a mistake. This little guy ate a lot, pooped a lot, cried even more, and spent all day cycling between sleeping and wailing—exhausting the whole family.

Since Shen Wu needed rest as a new mother, the responsibility of caring for Little Tiger fell squarely on Lin Qiufeng and Tong Caihe.

Tong Caihe had always played the role of a warm-hearted older sister, enthusiastic about helping out. Now, faced with her husband’s younger brother’s child, she took on the role without hesitation.

She was constantly busy—caring for the baby, tending to Shen Wu, and still finding time to secretly bring food and supplies to Jiang Yuning.

After several days of this, Jiang Yubai noticed that his mother seemed utterly drained. Her once-plump cheeks were sunken, dark circles hollowed her eyes, and fine lines crept into the corners. She looked exhausted and worn.

Jiang Yubai grew concerned.

That evening, as the family sat down for dinner, he finally spoke up.

“Dad, Mom, you both look exhausted lately. Why don’t we just hire a nanny?”