Jiang Dongjian was stunned for a moment but quickly chased after her, angrily shouting, “Where are you going?”

Jiang Lin kept walking without stopping, and Qian Bo, seeing this, hurriedly followed.

He said, “Uncle Jiang, you’re too harsh. When you saw Jiang Lin, you didn’t even ask if she was doing well and just hit her right away.”

His own face was still numb and his ear was ringing from the slap.

If this had hit Linlin’s face, it could have ruined her looks.

Jiang Dongjian quickened his pace and grabbed Jiang Lin’s arm. “Alright, let’s go home.”

He had believed some rumors and got angry when he saw Jiang Lin with Qian Bo.

He now realized he might have been wrong.

Jiang Lin, unable to free her arm, looked at him with grievance. “Go home for what? So you can put me on trial?”

Jiang Dongjian felt his face flush with embarrassment.

This girl was getting more and more sharp-tongued.

“If you didn’t do anything wrong, what are you afraid of?” Jiang Dongjian retorted, but his voice softened, worried others might hear, so he spoke very quietly.

Qian Bo suggested, “Why don’t we go home and talk?”

Jiang Dongjian glared at him. “You rascal, what’s this about eloping?”

Qian Bo immediately protested, “Uncle Jiang, you’ve been misled. Who spread that rumor? I…”

Jiang Dongjian didn’t have the patience to listen and turned back to Jiang Lin. “You’ve only been in the countryside for a short time and already can’t handle the hardship.

You foolishly found a man.

You think you’re not in the wrong? Why are you being so stubborn? Since you’re married, you should live your life properly.

Why would you sell your son and elope? Do you want our family to be disgraced?”

He stuffed the money back into Jiang Lin’s hands.

As Jiang Lin spoke more with Jiang Dongjian, her memory became clearer.

Jiang Dongjian was straightforward and cared a lot about his reputation.

At the factory, he wasn’t one to talk much, so his current anger must be genuine.

Seeing her after so long, he desperately wanted to get everything out in the open, like beans being fried in a hot pan.

Jiang Lin realized he was worried about his daughter, and her anger subsided a lot. “I couldn’t handle the hardships back then. Meng Yiyi convinced me to get married, so I did. Later, I wanted to borrow some money to bring my child back to see you all. How did that turn into rumors about me selling my son and eloping?”

Qian Bo added, “I can testify. I wanted to return to the city and thought of traveling with Jiang Lin.”

Jiang Dongjian replied, “If you wanted to come back, you could have just bought a train ticket. Why borrow money? Did you think the family needed you to bring money?”

Jiang Lin, seeing his expression, said, “I wrote two letters home. Did you receive them?”

Jiang Dongjian laughed coldly, “Letters? You wrote letters home?”

She had never written home since she went to the countryside.

Their parents, even when sick, didn’t dare to take leave from work, let alone to visit their children who were sent to the countryside.

This was seen as a mistake by their superiors and wouldn’t be approved.

So, all these years, they hadn’t visited her, and she hadn’t returned.

Xu Aimei often complained to Jiang Dongjian about their daughter being ungrateful.

Two months ago, they suddenly heard rumors that their daughter had sold her son and eloped.

Although they didn’t know if it was true, the details seemed credible.

Jiang Dongjian’s first reaction was to go to the countryside to see for himself.

Xu Aimei, however, forbade him from going.

What excuse could they use to take leave?

Anyone who heard would know the reason, and they would be criticized.

The couple discussed it and didn’t even dare to write letters to avoid drawing attention.

They lived in constant fear, worried that the Revolutionary Committee in the countryside might come after them.

The Meng family also hinted that Meng Yiyi was implicated by Jiang Lin, and they were afraid of what might happen if they communicated.

Jiang Lin said, “I’ve had a falling out with Meng Yiyi.

She has been deceiving me, using my name to ask you for money.

I tore into her and demanded she return the money! She came back a few days ago. Is she the one spreading these elopement rumors?” Jiang Lin got angrier as she spoke. “You wait here, I’ll go beat her right now.”

Jiang Lin shook off Jiang Dongjian and started marching towards Meng Yiyi’s house.

It was almost instinctive; she didn’t even need to think about where Meng Yiyi lived.

Jiang Dongjian quickly stopped her. “It’s embarrassing to make a scene. Let’s go home and clear things up first.”

Qian Bo wanted to follow, but a glare from Jiang Dongjian made him stop. “Jiang Lin, I’m still staying at the same place. If you need anything, just call me.”

Jiang Dongjian hurriedly pulled Jiang Lin along.

On the way, they ran into some of Jiang Dongjian’s colleagues coming off work.

One of them said in surprise, “Master Jiang, who is this pretty girl?”

Another exclaimed, “Oh my, isn’t this Linlin? Linlin, you’re back home?”

Someone else added, “Didn’t they say she married a countryside man? How is she back in the city?”

Jiang Dongjian’s face looked very uncomfortable.

He gave perfunctory responses and walked faster, afraid people would crowd around and ask why his daughter, who went to the countryside, married a rural man and fell so low.

He was also terrified they might ask if she had eloped and returned, which would be more humiliating than being stripped naked in public.

When they finally reached home, Jiang Lin felt a bit of familiarity.

Surprisingly, after five or six years, they still lived in the same place, in a courtyard shared with several families.

Her family had two rooms in the main house, packed to the brim.

The courtyard was noisy, filled with the sounds of people talking and pots and pans clattering.

Jiang Lin decisively said, “Dad, why don’t we find somewhere else to talk?”

Going home, with a courtyard full of people, would make it impossible to have a proper conversation, especially about important matters.

Jiang Dongjian calmed down and realized Jiang Lin was right.

Returning home now, with the chaos, wasn’t the best idea for a serious conversation.

Given that his daughter hadn’t been home for so many years, people in the courtyard would certainly crowd around and chatter.

Jiang Lin had always been a bit distant from the family, so he didn’t think much of her wanting to talk before going home.

He asked Jiang Lin to wait for him while he quickly went home to say something.

Then he led her to a quiet place to talk.

On the way, Jiang Lin asked, “How’s mom’s health?” Even though it felt a bit awkward, they were still her parents, and she wanted to build a connection.

Jiang Dongjian was surprised she showed concern for her mother, and his expression softened. “She’s doing well.”

He led her to a corner of the factory’s warehouse area, where a few large poplar trees stood, their leaves falling with a rustling sound, covering the ground in a thick layer that crunched underfoot.

Jiang Lin, as if handling a dispute, clearly and thoroughly recounted everything between the original Jiang Lin and Meng Yiyi, from their childhood to their fallout.

She felt that since she now inhabited this body, she had the duty to clarify everything, letting her parents know the full story instead of just believing the rumors about their daughter.

Even if the past wasn’t great, she hoped to explain it clearly, so her parents could remember their daughter with some warmth, not just anger.

If it were just for herself, Jiang Lin wouldn’t be upset.

After all, she didn’t have deep feelings for her parents from this time period.

Nobody becomes close out of nowhere.

Jiang Dongjian was speechless, staring at Jiang Lin in disbelief, almost not recognizing his own daughter.

With his busy job and many children, he rarely paid much attention to them.

Usually, he only scolded or beat them when they made mistakes and seldom took the time to sit down and talk with them.

He had three sons and two daughters, with Jiang Lin being the fourth child.

Jiang Dongjian always thought of her as cold-hearted and dismissive towards the family, never speaking warmly to anyone.

If it weren’t for the trouble she caused after graduating high school and being sent to the countryside, he probably wouldn’t have paid her any special attention.

He believed he was just busy and lacked the energy and patience to care for his children properly, but he loved them all equally.

Knowing she was struggling in the countryside, he scraped together money to send to her.

But he had no idea his daughter had gone through so much.

He knew she and Meng Yiyi were close friends but never realized the extent of it.

Though his daughter was foolish, she was still his child.

It pained him deeply to see her being manipulated and taken advantage of like this.

He couldn’t find the words to speak for a long time.

Jiang Lin gave him time to process. “I didn’t know Meng Yiyi was writing to you for money.

She told me you were biased towards boys and only criticized me.

She said you would only respond if her parents talked to you first. I…

I was wrong, I was foolish, and I was deceived by her. But now I’ve woken up. Dad, can you forgive me?”

Jiang Dongjian, usually a stubborn and tough man, felt his eyes redden.

His daughter had done wrong, and he had always scolded her but never considered why she acted that way or tried to help her change.

If she had remained foolish and unchanged, he could have self-righteously believed she was incorrigible and continued to criticize and reprimand her.

Now that she had realized her mistakes and grown up, he felt an intense sadness, as if he had been slapped in the face.

For the first time, he realized he was at fault too.

Jiang Lin continued, “After marrying Cheng Rushan, I realized my mistakes and spent a long time reflecting on them.

Although he was away from home for five or six years, I stayed honest and took care of my mother-in-law and son.

I didn’t elope, and I never intended to sell my son.

Now that your son-in-law is back, although he’s not from the city, he’s a good man who is responsible, filial, and capable. I’m doing well now. Dad, you can rest assured.”

This was the first time she had ever admitted her mistakes.

In the past, no matter how wrong she was, she never acknowledged it.

Jiang Dongjian couldn’t hold back his tears and turned away to wipe them.

Jiang Lin looked at his tall, thin figure and gaunt face.

Despite the estrangement, there was still a father’s care.

She thought of her previous life and the father who had abandoned her and her daughter.

Hesitating for a moment, she opened her arms and hugged Jiang Dongjian’s thin body. “Dad, I love you and mom, just like you love me but can’t express it.”

“Linlin,” Jiang Dongjian quickly pushed her away, feeling awkward with the unexpected closeness.

He wasn’t used to such intimate physical contact.

Worried that Jiang Lin might feel hurt, he quickly added, “It’s my fault for not taking good care of you.”

Jiang Lin stood properly, “Dad, don’t blame yourself. I was at fault too. You go home and explain things to mom. I’ll go find Meng Yiyi.”

Jiang Dongjian quickly grabbed her arm, “Don’t go just yet. Let’s wait until tonight when your mom is home, and we’ll discuss it. Maybe we should call the Meng family over to clear things up.”

After all, they had been neighbors for many years and had always gotten along well.

To suddenly fall out like this would be embarrassing and difficult to explain.

Even though Jiang Dongjian had a straightforward personality and wasn’t afraid to offend people at work, he had never willingly antagonized anyone in his personal life, especially not neighbors.

For some reason, their family was somewhat ostracized, and only the Meng family had maintained a good relationship with them.

Jiang Dongjian really didn’t want to publicly fight and ruin years of friendship.