Chapter 66: Waiting

“Didn’t work out?” Xu Li was a bit surprised.

Lin Qiao knew more about the situation, and her first reaction was that the person had escaped. Had the information been leaked in advance?

Otherwise, with Ji Duo’s meticulous nature, there would be no room for error if he said everything was going smoothly and the area had been narrowed down.

The couple exchanged a glance but didn’t say anything further.

Xu Li, however, felt a bit regretful, “Old Gu will be disappointed again. Did he know you went out this time?”

Ji Duo had told the family he was going to find someone. Only he, Lin Qiao, Old Gu, and Su Zheng knew that Shaozhen had already been found.

Guo Yan’s Aunt knew Ji Duo was helping to find his childhood friend’s grandfather, but she didn’t know who Old Gu or even Ji Duo was.

Ji Duo didn’t directly answer, his tone softening, “Old Gu is fine.”

“That’s good.” Xu Li saw her son’s face was still a bit unhappy. Looking at her daughter-in-law, she thought about how the couple hadn’t seen each other for several days and smiled as she got into the prepared car, “Since the second son is back, Qiao Qiao, you can ride with him.” She waved and left first.

Now, it was just the couple at the door. Lin Qiao stepped forward and asked Ji Duo in a low voice, “Did the person get the news in advance?”

“Not sure.” Ji Duo’s voice was equally low, almost a whisper, “But he did leave suddenly. He paid for three days at the guesthouse but only stayed one.”

They were about to catch the person, but he left suddenly, which was indeed suspicious.

Lin Qiao lowered her head, thinking, “No one should have known about this. Even if you called me, with your cautious nature, no one would have overheard.”

This man was cautious, always disposing of any paper he wrote on. How could he have made such a big mistake?

She knew him well and trusted him. Ji Duo’s gaze fell on her small face, “I hadn’t called you yet when he left.”

That made it even stranger. Lin Qiao looked up, not expecting him to lower his head to continue speaking, and their foreheads brushed against each other. She was stunned, and Ji Duo seemed surprised by her sudden movement, his expression momentarily freezing.

At that moment, Aunt Zhang opened the door with the trash, saw the scene, and was visibly startled, instinctively closing the door again.

The old man passing by the yard saw this and asked, “What’s going on?”

“Nothing, nothing,” Aunt Zhang stammered. She couldn’t exactly say what she had seen. “I just remembered there was some trash I forgot to take out.” She turned and went back to the kitchen.

Once in the kitchen, she muttered to herself, “Xiao Duo is usually so serious. Who would have thought?”

Despite her quick reaction, the sound of the door opening and closing, along with the conversation between the old man and her, was still heard by the two outside. Not only that, but the driver, Xiao Fang, sitting in the car nearby, might have also seen the whole scene clearly.

The couple managed to stay composed. If it had been anyone else, they might have jumped apart as if shocked or at least turned bright red. But neither of them could continue talking there. Ji Duo picked up the thermos, “We’ll talk about it when we get back.”

Lin Qiao also started walking, changing the subject, “Let’s go to the hospital first. We shouldn’t keep Mom waiting.”

At that moment, the couple showed great tacit understanding, both choosing to act as if nothing had happened.

Xu Li hadn’t gone up by herself and was waiting for them downstairs in the hospital. Lin Qiao walked up and took her arm, “We didn’t keep you waiting too long, did we?”

“Not long at all. I just got here.”

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law walked ahead, chatting warmly, while Ji Duo followed behind with the thermos. To an outsider, it might have looked like the two women were mother and daughter.

Watching them, Ji Duo remembered Xu Li saying that daughters are like little cotton-padded jackets for their mothers, while sons only grow up to make their mothers angry. If Lin Qiao had a daughter, she would probably be just as close to her as she was to her mother, maybe even closer…

Lost in thought, they arrived at Ye Minshu’s hospital room. Ji Duo looked up and saw the tense atmosphere inside and his eldest nephew sitting by the bed. He paused, his gaze sweeping over his nephew, who quickly gave him a complicated look, glancing at Ye Minshu, then at Lin Qiao, and finally, at the door, his eyes almost popping out.

This clearly wasn’t good news. Considering the atmosphere in the room and Ye Minshu’s sudden illness, Ji Duo quickly understood what was happening.

Indeed, having a son only seemed to bring trouble as they grew up. He had only been away for a few days, and his eldest nephew had already let something slip.

Ji Duo paused again, unsure if Lin Qiao knew about this. From her behavior earlier, it didn’t seem like she did, but she was always good at keeping her composure…

This made him glance at Lin Qiao, who happened to be looking back at him. Seeing him looking at Ji Ze, she raised an eyebrow.

So, did she know or not?

Ji Duo felt a bit like frowning. Once things are settled, it’s easier to deal with them. It’s the guessing and uncertainty that are most frustrating.

He walked over as usual and placed the thermos on the bedside table, noticing that Ye Minshu looked even more uncomfortable than before.

Ye Minshu couldn’t be sure if Lin Qiao knew that Xiao Ze was using her formula. If she knew, Ye Minshu would want to question her intentions. But if she didn’t know, asking would reveal everything. In that case, she would be handing the joke to Lin Qiao herself, and who knows how much Lin Qiao would enjoy it. Caught in this dilemma, her expression twisted with discomfort, making her pale face and bandaged right arm look far from her usual elegance.

Lin Qiao and Xu Li weren’t blind. They were there to make a brief visit, and soon Xu Li stood up, “You rest well. We won’t stay long. Remember to drink the soup.”

“I’ll see you out,” Ji Ze immediately stood up eagerly.

But before he could take two steps, Ye Minshu suddenly cried out, “Why does it hurt so much? Xiao Ze, check if my arm is properly supported.”

Ji Ze had to go over to help her, and Xu Li, Lin Qiao, and Ji Duo all stopped.

Ye Minshu smiled apologetically at them, “I’m fine. Mom, you can go back if you’re in a hurry. Xiao Ze is here.”

If Lin Qiao were alone, she might have said she wasn’t in a hurry and could stay longer, even offering to stay overnight if needed.

But Xu Li, being good-natured, said nothing, knowing Ye Minshu was deliberately keeping her son to prevent him from revealing anything. They left anyway.

But this way, Ji Duo couldn’t contact his nephew, and he wasn’t sure if Lin Qiao knew about the matter.

On the way back, he discreetly observed Lin Qiao several times. When they got home, after greeting the old man and putting away the things he had brought, Lin Qiao followed him into the room, “Didn’t you have something to tell me?”

Ji Duo had to think about which matter she was referring to. While organizing his things, he pretended not to hear clearly, “Hmm?”

“Earlier at the door, you said you’d tell me when we got back.” Lin Qiao didn’t beat around the bush.

Ji Duo understood, “Do you remember what I told you before, that the other party hid the matter well and never exposed it?”

Lin Qiao nodded, “So when Old Gu’s nephew came, you said it didn’t seem like the other party’s work.” She paused, “Are you suspicious?”

“I suspect someone helped him cover it up back then, and it’s the same this time.”

Back then, Ji Duo was only fourteen, and Gu Shaoping was just fifteen. Many who went with the adults were teenagers, as the young adults had been sent elsewhere. It would have been very difficult for a teenager to murder without leaving any traces. Looking at the moves the other party made these two times, they weren’t flawless. It’s quite possible someone helped him cover it up back then.

“Can we still investigate this?” Lin Qiao frowned, sensing the difficulty.

“It depends on whether they know we have the portrait.” Ji Duo said, “If they know, this line is broken. If they don’t, we can find a way to investigate slowly.”

If they know, the person just needs to run far enough, out of the province, out of the country, or even go underground, and it would indeed be impossible to investigate. But if they don’t know, we can deduce their origin from their accent and inquire about their family. They can’t possibly stay away from home forever.

What was originally a smooth process suddenly hit a snag, inevitably making people uneasy. “I thought once the matter was clarified, Old Gu could recognize the person after the New Year.”

During the New Year, while other families are reunited and celebrating, Old Gu has spent these years alone, which is heartbreaking to think about.

Ji Duo understood what she meant and her inner softness. Looking at her furrowed brow, he suddenly remembered the moment at the door earlier.

Without much thought, he lowered his lips and gently kissed her there, “Finding Shaozhen and the clues from back then is already quite good.” His tone was comforting, and his words were meant to console. Feeling the touch of his lips, even he was momentarily stunned.

But since it was done, and they weren’t outside, Ji Duo quickly regained his composure, even raising his hand to pat Lin Qiao’s soft hair.

If Lin Qiao still didn’t get it, she’d be a fool. But weren’t they supposed to be in a cooperative relationship? He had been adhering to it well before, so why the sudden change?

Lin Qiao instinctively looked up, finding the man gazing down at her intently, just like that unintentional glance during the snowfall at their old school.

There were many subtle hints she hadn’t considered before, like when she mentioned that Sister Yue Hua studied there, and he asked if she did, too. Or when he suddenly asked when she would give another public lecture. Or when he immediately held her hand when she comforted him at Aunt Guo Yan’s house, the jade tiger on her chest, the hug before he left…

Few girls were in science and engineering, and even fewer were beautiful. In her previous life, some boys wanted to develop a relationship with Lin Qiao, and she easily handled it. But none of them had gotten a marriage certificate and slept with her first…

This made their relationship very subtle. Calling them partners was clearly an understatement, but calling them a couple wasn’t intimate enough.

Lin Qiao had never seen a truly intimate couple. Compared to what she had seen growing up, a cooperative relationship was her comfort zone. But now, this man wanted to step out of that comfort zone and seek a closer relationship with her. For the first time, Lin Qiao felt a bit lost, even helpless.

Moreover, this completely contradicted her understanding. She always knew she was in a book, married to the male lead, who was supposed to divorce her later…

Thinking of this, Lin Qiao couldn’t help but recall the original book’s female lead, who had little interaction with the male lead. Her friends mentioned her more than the male lead did. She only knew they had known each other for a long time but never sparked any romance. Later, when the male lead divorced and was disheartened, he ended up with the female lead, who also had an unsuccessful love life.

Maybe it was because she had been eating meat for so long and was always satisfied, but Lin Qiao felt a bit uncomfortable at the thought of someone taking the dish from her bowl.

She looked at the man who was causing her trouble, “What do you think about divorce?”

His various unexpected actions made it clear. Otherwise, how could an old officer do something so intimate? But wanting to step out of her comfort zone depended on whether she was willing. If he still intended to keep things as they were, without planning for a long-term relationship, he should leave early.

Lin Qiao wanted to confirm, but Ji Duo only heard the word “divorce” right after comforting her.

Even before that sentence, she should have sensed his different attitude.

The man’s sword-like eyebrows immediately furrowed, “Marriage is serious. How can you mention divorce so easily?”

Does that mean he doesn’t want a divorce now? But there are things he hasn’t told her…

Lin Qiao took a step back, creating some distance between them, and raised her eyebrows. “You know you haven’t told me everything.”

This was purely a provocation. Unexpectedly, the man’s lips pressed into a straight line, and after a long pause, he said, “As long as it doesn’t involve others, I can tell you everything.”

It seemed to involve others. Lin Qiao looked at the man without speaking.

To Ji Duo, this looked like she was angry. He couldn’t help but grab her shoulders, “Lin Qiao.” He felt awkward and lowered his voice, “Qiao Qiao.”

His voice and posture were lowered, and he looked at her with a hint of pleading.

Lin Qiao only raised her eyebrows, “Really not going to say?”

Ji Duo was silent. After a while, he said, “I should be able to tell you soon.”

He promised, and anyone could say it, or Lin Qiao could find out herself, but it couldn’t come from him. He promised to keep someone’s secret but then took the initiative to reveal it. He couldn’t do that.

To be honest, even real couples rarely share everything, leaving some space and room for themselves. It’s a human self-protection instinct.

But since the man cared enough to bring it up and said it should be soon, Lin Qiao was intrigued. She removed his large hand from her shoulder and said, “Then I’ll wait.”

Just then, Xu Yan called Ji Duo, “You have a call.”

Ji Duo had to leave, feeling more exhausted from this conversation with Lin Qiao than completing a task.

Unexpectedly, the other party only had one sentence for him: “Our boss wants me to tell you that his mother knows, but his Aunt doesn’t yet. He can’t leave now.” Then, he hung up.

“This Xiao Ze,” Ji Duo couldn’t help but rub his forehead, feeling a rare regret.

If he had known, he might not have agreed to help Xiao Ze keep the secret. Thinking about it, he wondered if Xiao Ze would still ask him to keep the secret now.

The next day was New Year’s Eve, but because Ye Minshu was hospitalized, only Ji Jun and Ji Ling returned to the old house. After having the New Year’s Eve dinner, they hurriedly left.

The table was already not full, and with two more leaving, Xu Li packed some food in lunch boxes. The old man remained silent for a while, “A perfectly good family.”

Xu Li understood the rest of his words and jokingly said, “Now you complain about too few people, but don’t complain about the noise in a couple of years.”

She glanced at Ji Duo and Lin Qiao with a smile, and the old man looked over too, seeing his son putting shrimp into Lin Qiao’s bowl.

He paused, not believing it, and confirmed again. Indeed, he was putting shrimp in her bowl. Seeing Lin Qiao not noticing, Ji Duo even peeled the shrimp and put it back in her bowl.

He remembered his son didn’t eat shrimp, right? Not only shrimp, but he avoided all seafood. Yet here he was, using chopsticks and his hands, not minding the smell?

Ji Duo indeed minded. After peeling a few shrimp for Lin Qiao and hearing her say it was enough, he immediately went to wash his hands. He washed them more than once, sniffing them under his nose before his brows relaxed.

Lin Qiao noticed, too. Whether he was feeling guilty or something else, he had been more attentive to her since their conversation yesterday.

She pretended not to see the old couple’s looks. Xu Li, however, smiled and took out a red envelope for her, “You two still have to take dumplings to Old Gu, right? Mom will give you this first.”

“I’m already this old, but still get a red envelope?” Lin Qiao felt a bit embarrassed.

“How old are you? You’ll only be nineteen after the New Year. As long as you don’t have kids, you’re still a kid.” Xu Li insisted on giving her the red envelope.

Lin Qiao wasn’t short of money. After receiving her last share of the year-end bonus, her savings exceeded ten thousand.

Maybe because it was the end of the year, last month’s income was particularly impressive: nearly four thousand, a huge sum in the early 1980s. But she still accepted the elders’ kindness with a smile. After dinner, she took dumplings to Old Gu and received another red envelope from him.

“This is really something, sending out one and getting back two.” Lin Qiao couldn’t help but laugh on the way back.

One of the red envelopes was for Ji Ling. Ji Ze, being older and already working, didn’t receive one.

Unexpectedly, that evening, Ji Duo also gave her one. Not only did he give her a red envelope, but he also brought a night filled with the sound of firecrackers and a passionate celebration.

Since he had taken leave earlier, Ji Duo returned to the army a few days after the New Year. Lin Qiao went with him, as the second year of high school started early, and she had to tutor for the chemistry competition.

Even until they left, Ye Minshu hadn’t been discharged from the hospital. Every time Ji Jun returned, the old man’s face grew darker.

On the first day back at school, Vice Principal Qi called Lin Qiao to the office, “Have you considered pursuing a graduate degree at a teacher training college?”

“A graduate degree at a teacher training college?” Lin Qiao was surprised.

Vice Principal Qi nodded, “The state has a policy that allows competent employees who haven’t attended university but have equivalent education to apply for graduate programs. I asked about your situation before, and the education bureau said you were close but not quite there, so I didn’t mention it.”

Lin Qiao didn’t know this, but Vice Principal Qi’s mention indicated a new opportunity.

Indeed, Vice Principal Qi continued, “The country lacks grassroots teachers, and teacher training colleges have been recruiting undergraduates for the past two years. But your performance is outstanding. Yandu Normal University contacted the school, expressing their willingness to accept you into their graduate program, with the possibility of staying on as faculty after graduation.”

This wasn’t an exaggeration. A laboratory and a competition with direct admission were enough to attract the attention of these teacher-training colleges, not to mention her students’ achievements.

The teacher training college saw her potential and believed that bringing her to teach at the university could cultivate more talent.

Vice Principal Qi said warmly, “Directly pursuing a graduate degree can save you four years of undergraduate study. I just don’t know if you’re interested.”

Saving four years of time was certainly appealing. After all, Lin Qiao had already completed her undergraduate studies in her previous life, and repeating it would be a waste.

However, her undergraduate and master’s degrees were in chemistry, not education, and she spent her time in the lab, not the classroom.

Before today, teacher-training colleges had never been on her radar. She needed to think carefully before making a decision.

Vice Principal Qi understood that such a decision couldn’t be made immediately, “Take your time to consider it. The final decision is up to you.”

Although he recognized the opportunity, he didn’t push her, which made Lin Qiao feel comfortable.

“I’ll think about it,” she said, getting up to leave. Just as she opened the office door, she ran into Principal Zeng in the hallway.

“You’re just the person I wanted to see,” Principal Zeng said, walking in directly, “Is that Muzi Liquid Soap factory yours?”

Vice Principal Qi, seeing him close the door before speaking, knew it was important. Hearing the content, he immediately frowned, “What’s the matter?”

Principal Zeng handed him a letter, “Someone reported to the school that Lin was engaged in private business during her tenure, which is a serious matter, and they demand strict action.”

The state indeed has regulations prohibiting teachers from engaging in private business while employed, but without complaints, it’s rarely checked.

Vice Principal Qi looked at Lin Qiao, “That Muzi Liquid Soap…”

“I created the formula,” Lin Qiao said calmly, “but I don’t participate in any business operations, nor do I have the time.”

This was indeed the truth. Everyone could see how much she had contributed to the school and the students. She was already busy and had to review for the college entrance exam, so where would she find extra time?

Vice Principal Qi glanced at the letter, feeling speechless, “Who is behind this?”

“Let’s not worry about that for now,” Principal Zeng said. “I just wanted to check if it connected to Lin.”

He put the letter down and asked Vice Principal Qi, “Last time you asked the education bureau, didn’t they say that for her situation to be recommended, it would be best if she had an invention or an award?”

No one expected he would bring this up with Lin Qiao and Vice Principal Qi.

Vice Principal Qi pondered momentarily, “You mean to use this invention as a recommendation to suggest her for a graduate program?”

“I’m afraid just this one might not be enough,” Principal Zeng replied.

It was clear that Principal Zeng had been paying attention to this kind of information. He turned to Lin Qiao and said, “If the formula is really yours, there’s a national invention and creation exhibition in Yandu at the end of next month. They will award gold, silver, and bronze medals, and you can still register now.”