Chapter 18.1

“Old man, think of a way to get Hongyu out! She has two kids; she can’t go to jail. Sun Changshun married her unwillingly; how could he wait for twenty years? You need to find someone, figure out a way!”

Grandma Xu’s two favorite children were in dire straits—the eldest was holed up in a guesthouse, and the youngest was facing imprisonment, no less in a remote place in the northwest. “Isn’t Jiang Ci’s mom married to Cui Pingzhou? Isn’t he considered half a son-in-law? Go beg him to help get my Hongyu out, or else he won’t be able to marry her!”

Grandpa Jiang sighed in frustration. “You foolish old woman! Hongyu’s current situation is all your doing. You hid it from me that year and helped her frame Ji Laifeng. That’s why her audacity has grown; she even dared to accept 2000 yuan from Mei Baoying to push Xiao Ci down the mountain.”

“And then there’s Jiang Guozhu. You helped him keep secrets from the whole family, letting him enjoy his life and have children with that wild woman. Are you out of your mind to even dare to blackmail Cui Pingzhou?”

Grandma Xu refused to listen. “I don’t believe it; Hongyu wouldn’t do such a thing. If you’re unwilling to help your daughter, Lin Wan shouldn’t expect to be married off from our family.”

Grandpa Jiang thought to himself that this old woman had lost her mind.

With two other sons and six children, he couldn’t let her disrupt their family’s peace.

He was only hoping to live a few more years, longer than Grandma Xu, to keep an eye on the younger generation and ensure they didn’t stray from the right path.

After Jiang Hongyu’s case was ruled, Grandma Xu had already thrown several fits, pretending to be ill and rolling around in bed to make everyone give in to her unreasonable demands.

Otherwise, she threatened to ruin the wedding scheduled for a few days later, causing the whole family to be embarrassed in front of relatives and friends.

Cui Pingzhou suggested sending Grandma Xu to a sanatorium for a “rest” until she “recovered.”

Grandpa Jiang made a decisive move and sent her there that very night.

Now, the old woman still wanted to make trouble. Grandpa Jiang, furious, turned to leave, but not before instructing the director. “Director Qin, my old lady isn’t well. Please ensure someone takes care of her; don’t let her escape. I’ll come to pick her up when she’s feeling better.”

Director Qin understood the situation perfectly; Cui Pingzhou had already instructed that she shouldn’t be allowed to cause trouble before his wedding. “Don’t worry. Without family coming to take her, we won’t let the patient leave. If she goes missing, we’ll be responsible.”

With such chaos at home, Lin Wan again proposed canceling the wedding, but Grandpa Jiang disagreed. “The date has been set for a long time, and relatives are waiting to celebrate. If we cancel now, they won’t know how big of a mess we’re in.”

The trial wasn’t public. Only the verdict was announced. After all, Jiang Hongyu was a married daughter, and relatives and friends had inquired about the situation a few times, but Grandpa Jiang sent them away by scolding them.

Lin Wan was getting married to the old Jiang family. On the wedding day, Jiang Ci styled her mother’s hair, and Second Aunt Zhong Huihui came in holding a tray of red velvet flowers, cheerfully saying, “Sister-in-law, this is a beautiful red flower I finally got someone to bring back from the capital. You’ll look gorgeous wearing it.”

The old Jiang family had experienced a series of scandals recently. First, Jiang Guozhu made a big fuss about marrying a woman, and then the younger sister, Jiang Hongyu, was sentenced. No one knew how much gossip Jiang Ci had endured at work because of all this.

Today was finally a joyous occasion to chase away the family’s misfortunes.

“It’s my second marriage. Let’s keep it simple,” Lin Wan said, feeling increasingly embarrassed. Though they were merely a couple in name, Grandpa Jiang and Cui Pingzhou insisted on hosting a grand event. Lin Wan had thought it would be straightforward, but the scale of the affair grew larger by the moment. Everyone related, even tangentially, brought four or six gifts, eager to share in the celebration.

Originally, it seemed that six tables of food from the Jiang family would be more than sufficient, but soon, they realized it was hardly enough and ended up setting up twelve tables.

Jiang Ci pinned four delicate velvet flowers into Lin Wan’s hair, instantly enhancing her beauty. “Mom, you look really beautiful,” she said.

The more elaborate the ceremony became, the more anxious Lin Wan felt. “By the way, hasn’t Gu Qingchuan come today?” Logically, he should have attended; Grandpa Jiang had even tacitly approved of his arrival.

Gu Qingchuan was always polite, so Lin Wan wondered why he hadn’t shown up yet. Could he be feeling shy?

The third Aunt entered with a bowl of red sugar-boiled soft-boiled eggs. “Sister-in-law, the wedding procession still has a while to go. You should eat something to keep your energy up.”

“Thank you, Third Aunt,” Jiang Ci said sweetly, holding the bowl for her mother.

“No need to be so polite with your Third Aunt,” Shen Meimei said with a smile. She then pulled Zhong Huihui outside, saying, “Second sister-in-law, let’s go greet the guests and let Xiao Ci talk privately with sister-in-law.”

Jiang Ci handed the soft-boiled egg to Lin Wan. “Gu Jiansheng, Brother Chuan’s cousin, is also getting married today. He went to help them out and can’t make it here.”

“Gu Jiansheng is getting married too? That’s so sudden; I hadn’t heard about it!” Lin Wan tilted her head, curious. “Who did he marry?”

The reason she hadn’t heard was that the entire city of Qin was buzzing about Cui Pingzhou and Lin Wan’s wedding, while Gu Jiansheng and Ji Laifeng kept a low profile, so not many knew about their affairs.

Jiang Ci waited until her mother finished one soft-boiled egg before explaining, “Gu Jiansheng married Ji Laifeng. They held a small celebration in their own courtyard, inviting a few close friends. The only one from the Gu family who attended was Brother Chuan.”

Lin Wan sighed. “Ah, Gu Jiansheng followed Brother Chuan’s father as an apprentice that year. He was about to become a technician on his own, but then Brother Chuan’s father had an accident, and he was sent to the factory to tend the boiler. What a pity.”

Suddenly, she remembered something and asked, “Xiao Ci, did you ask Brother Chuan to take a gift over?”

“Six feet six of cloth, half a catty of brown sugar, I also got a slice of pork from the supply store along with twenty eggs, and I sent over ten yuan as a gift,” Jiang Ci reported to Lin Wan. “Brother Chuan didn’t say anything and just took it with him.”

—o—o—o—

On the Gu family’s side, ever since Gu Qingchuan’s father had the accident, the relatives had nearly severed all ties.

Gu Qingchuan’s willingness to help with Gu Jiansheng’s wedding showed that he still maintained a relationship with his cousin, and it was a relatively good one.

Jiang Ci carefully considered the gift she sent—something neither too extravagant nor too meager, just appropriate enough.

Lin Wan felt grateful that her daughter had arranged everything so well. It made her realize that her once simple daughter had matured overnight. Now, it was her daughter who was busy with the wedding preparations, while Lin Wan hardly had to worry at all.

Was she taking care of her daughter, or was her daughter taking care of her?

“Eldest Sister-in-law, Cui Pingzhou, has come to pick up the bride!” Shen Meimei entered with a beaming smile. “A bunch of rowdy soldiers are clamoring to fetch the bride.”

Lin Wan instantly flushed with embarrassment. “I’ve already told Cui Pingzhou that the more discreet he is, the better. They’re all grown men; how can they act like kids?”

“Mom, you’re still young! When we go out together, who doesn’t say you look like an older sister and not a mom?” Jiang Ci chimed in.

“Exactly! Eldest Sister-in-law looks so young,” Zhong Huihui added, a hint of envy in her voice. It felt as if Lin Wan would never age. After so many years of marriage, Lin Wan seemed to have hardly changed at all.

Jiang Ci took Lin Wan’s arm and led her out of the house. It felt wonderful to be sending her mother off to be married. Her mother wouldn’t die young; she was a child with a mother.

Cui Pingzhou, though physically challenged, insisted on coming to pick up his bride himself. With the help of several comrades, he changed into military uniform and sat in the back seat of a jeep to fetch his bride.

Lin Wan looked gentle and beautiful, while Cui Pingzhou exuded calm confidence. The relatives gathered for the wedding feast couldn’t help but sigh in admiration. If Cui Pingzhou had not been disabled, they truly would have made a perfect match.

As Jiang Ci helped Lin Wan into the jeep, she cheerfully said, “Dad Cui, I’m leaving my mom in your hands!”

Cui Pingzhou froze for a moment—he was taken aback. Jiang Ci called him “Dad”?

He never expected that.

He would never have children of his own, yet this lovely girl called him “Dad.”

Joy filled his eyes.

“Cui Pingzhou, you’re spacing out!” Zhao Qishu nudged him. “Hurry up and pay the ‘calling you dad’ fee! You’ve got such a wonderful wife and daughter; how can you take it for granted?”

He was genuinely happy for his comrade. Now, he was marrying the woman he loved, and someone was calling him “Dad.”

What a lucky man!

Cui Pingzhou pulled an envelope from his uniform’s pocket. Jiang Ci smiled as she accepted it, acknowledging this new stepfather, and Cui Pingzhou felt immense joy within him.

Lin Wan, however, felt nervous.

Something about this marriage felt off.

Why was her daughter already calling Cui Pingzhou “Dad”? This was different from what they had agreed upon. “Xiao Ci, maybe I should go back home tonight. I’m worried about you being alone.”

Jiang Ci looked at her mother in disbelief. “My dear mom, Dad Cui, and several of his old comrades are right here; how can a newlywed run back home every day?”

Cui Pingzhou felt anxious. They had initially agreed that Lin Wan could return home after the wedding, but… he wanted to salvage the situation. “Right, Xiao Ci, I’m not comfortable with you living alone either. Why don’t you move to the military compound? It’s too quiet at home; it’s livelier with more people around.”

He pretended to be calm as he looked at his wife. “Lin Wan, what do you think? Let Xiao Ci stay at home; then, you won’t have to run back and forth every day.”

Lin Wan’s heart raced. ‘This man was getting too bold! I didn’t want to talk to him anymore.’

Seeing the two of them acting so awkwardly, Jiang Ci barely held back her laughter. “Mom, how can a married woman not live with her husband? Dad Cui, I won’t be moving in; if you think it’s too quiet, you can just have a baby. Babies are so adorable!”

Lin Wan: “……”

Cui Pingzhou: “……”

Zhao Qishu burst out laughing, tapping Jiang Ci on the forehead. “You really are your Dad Cui’s own daughter!”

—o—o—o—

After sending Lin Wan off, the twelve tables of food from the Jiang family were set up in the front and back yards, filled with relatives and friends joyfully enjoying the feast.

Jiang Guozhu carried a large bag and a small suitcase as he moved out of the guesthouse. Kang Guixiang insisted that they would definitely be able to move into the small courtyard of the Jiang family and declared that Lin Wan and Cui Pingzhou would never get married. But now, he was struggling to relocate while his ex-wife Lin Wan sat in a jeep, driving off to her new house after her wedding.

Through the window wasn’t too transparent. He could clearly see the woman who once belonged to him lowering her head and smiling softly as she chatted with the man in military uniform beside her.

A sharp pain stabbed at Jiang Guozhu’s heart, and he dropped everything he was holding, ready to rush to the front of the vehicle.

However, Kang Guixiang grabbed him firmly.

“Jiang Guozhu, what do you think you’re doing? That woman is no longer your wife! How can you decide to cancel the banquet and not have a wedding with me? I’ve given you two children; how can you treat me like this?”

Seeing Lin Wan marry so grandly ignited a simmering resentment in Kang Guixiang.

At first, she was full of confidence, believing she had arranged everything perfectly, and she was convinced she could easily ruin Jiang Ci’s happiness just like in her previous life. With that, she and her mother would no longer be able to hinder her.

But why did things turn out so differently? The ones in jail were Mei Baoying and Jiang Hongyu. Not only did she not get to live in the small courtyard, but she also faced Jiang Guozhu’s complaints.

“It was you who said Lin Wan wouldn’t marry Cui Pingzhou, so I went ahead and booked the banquet. All of the Jiang family’s relatives and friends are going to Lin Wan’s wedding; not a single one will come to ours!” Jiang Guozhu shook off Kang Guixiang’s hand, desperately hoping Lin Wan would glance his way.

The man in the jeep cast a fleeting glance at him, sending chills down his spine. He then turned and said something gently, deliberately drawing Lin Wan’s attention away. The jeep sped past him.

Jiang Guozhu was utterly disheartened. He realized Lin Wan was no longer the ex-wife he had discarded like an old shoe; someone was treating her like a precious gem.

He and Lin Wan could never go back to how things were.

Watching Jiang Guozhu’s dejected expression, Kang Guixiang couldn’t help but sneer inwardly.

A foolish man like him always yearned for what he could not have.

The woman he didn’t want had married someone else, and now he was filled with regret.

Kang Guixiang’s frustration boiled over, and she couldn’t help but slap Jiang Guozhu across the face. “I won’t allow you to look at other women; I’m your wife!”

Jiang Guozhu stood in disbelief, holding his face. The woman who had always been gentle and kind suddenly looked so frightening.

He picked up the bag he had dropped, turned away, and left without waiting for Kang Guixiang.

Her expression darkened. She needed to stay calm; she couldn’t afford to lose her temper. She still had a year to fulfill her bet with Jiang Ci, and in that time, she would find a way to take away all of Jiang Ci’s “good luck.”

She still needed this man and couldn’t fall out with him just yet. Spitting on the ground, Kang Guixiang put on a smile and called out, “Guozhu, wait for me…”

—o—o—o—