Chapter 21.1

After being unintentionally ridiculed by her younger sister, Xie Tingyu felt as if her little secret had been exposed; her face turned even redder. “No, I’m not sick,” she replied quickly.

She dried her feet, put on her shoes, and poured the foot-soaking water away before returning to her sister’s side.

After thinking for a while, she finally decided to test the waters. She squatted down and grabbed her sister’s shoulders with both hands, her tone somewhat excited, “Tingxiang, if I become your sister-in-law, you and I can live together forever. Wouldn’t you be happy?”

Xiao Tingxiang, who was already quite sleepy and struggling to keep her eyes open, was jolted awake at the mention of the words “sister-in-law.” “No, no, no! That’s not allowed!”

What did her sister mean? Did she want to marry her brother? No! She didn’t want that. She wanted to dissuade Xie Tingyu from this idea but didn’t know how to express it. Then she recalled what she had heard from Grandma a few days ago: Jiang Ci would become her brother’s wife after the New Year.

She hurriedly said, “Grandma said that Xiao Ci will soon be my sister-in-law.”

Yes, Xiao Tingxiang hoped to live together with Jiang Ci and her brother.

“Xiao Ci, Xiao Ci… why are you speaking for her? I’m your real sister!” Xie Tingyu became angry, having thought her sister would be happy. Who knew her own sister wouldn’t stand by her side?

She shook her sister, causing Xiao Tingxiang’s head to ache. “Tingxiang, remember this: we are both adopted by the Gu family. We are outsiders here, and we won’t stay long. Only if I become your sister-in-law will this truly become our home.”

If she had known, she wouldn’t have left three years ago. Now, her sister and Grandma were quite distant toward her.

However, Xie Tingyu did not regret her decision. If she hadn’t left, how could she have changed her surname? She was no longer Gu Qingchuan’s sister; she could return to this home under a different identity. This was a resolution she had made before arriving.

Xie Tingyu felt no sleepiness at all. She held her sister and asked about many things from the past three years. “What does brother do every day after he comes back?”

Xiao Tingxiang, leaning on the bench and feeling extremely sleepy, spoke without much awareness. “He goes to the backyard to take a cold shower, then gets scolded by Xiao Ci, then eats breakfast and goes to sleep…”

He still hadn’t given up the habit of taking cold showers? Did Jiang Ci dare to watch Gu Qingchuan take a shower? Didn’t Grandma scold them?

That was quite unusual. After turning seven, Grandma had absolutely not allowed the two adopted sisters to get too close to their brother, insisting on the difference between boys and girls; it was truly old-fashioned.

Before, Gu Yunchen would wash and fold clothes for Gu Qingchuan, and she said that was because they were biological siblings.

But what about Jiang Ci? What did she have to do with it? Why were the rules different when it came to her? Grandma said nothing about it?

Before dawn, the courtyard gate opened, likely signaling Gu Qingchuan’s return. Xie Tingyu could hardly wait to rush over. Although her brother hadn’t been as close to her as he was to Jiang Ci when they were younger, he had still treated her well.

Suddenly, she remembered that Xiao Tingxiang’s brother went to the backyard every morning to draw water from the well for a shower. She thought for a moment, took out a large towel from the rattan box she had brought back, and pushed open the slightly ajar back door.

Her brother had grown taller and sturdier than he was three years ago. The defined lines on his back made her heart race.

Gu Qingchuan had just taken off his shirt, thinking that Jiang Ci shouldn’t be up at this hour. She would surely get angry if she saw him taking a cold shower. Forget it. He decided to boil some hot water instead. As he turned around, he came face to face with another girl—not Jiang Ci.

Gu Qingchuan’s pupils contracted sharply as he shouted, “Get out!” He quickly put his clothes back on, not even wanting to finish his shower.

It was Xie Tingyu. She had returned, but had she forgotten the rules? Gu Qingchuan huffed as he walked past her, ignoring her completely.

Xie Tingyu felt deeply hurt. Why was her brother so angry? Xiao Tingxiang had said that Jiang Ci had once watched him shower and brought him a towel, and he hadn’t been angry then.

Why was it different with her? She twisted the towel in her hands, her eyes brimming with tears. “Brother Chuan, I…”

“What did you just call me?!” Gu Qingchuan’s tone was severe. How dare she address him in that way? She should reflect on her identity; she was the adopted daughter of the Gu family, his sister.

He had never understood this sister of his. She had always been clever, even as a child. When she was eight, their family faced difficulties, and even the rice in the jar had been confiscated. She had told their eldest sister, Gu Yunchen, that if she got married, she could exchange the bride price for the family. From that day on, Gu Qingchuan slowly distanced himself from his sister.

He felt that even at eight years old, whether she intended it or not, she was simply not as innocent or kind as Tingxiang.

When she turned fifteen, she secretly found an adoptive family without telling anyone and only revealed it afterward. And now, after just three years, she had returned.

Xie Tingyu’s hands trembled in fear; her brother was still as serious and fierce as ever. Why was he acting this way? Jiang Ci had always called him that since they were young, and he never got angry then.

“Brother, I was kicked out of the Xie family.”

“Oh.”

“Oh?” What did that “oh” mean? Xie Tingyu felt very sad. “Brother, don’t you care about me anymore? You weren’t like this before. I was only gone for three years; I am still your sister!”

“You’re a Xie.” Gu Qingchuan said flatly. “My sister is Gu Yunchen, and my younger sister is Gu Tingxiang. Three years ago, when you left, Grandma told you that once you stepped out of this door, you would no longer be a granddaughter of the Gu family.”

“But Grandma didn’t kick me out! I have nowhere to stay, brother. Please let me live here. Is that okay?”

The commotion was loud enough that even Jiang Ci heard it. She hurried over and saw Gu Qingchuan with a dark expression.

“Xie Tingyu is back,” Jiang Ci said with a smile.

The little sister-in-law had returned.

She understood this troublesome little sister-in-law all too well.

In her past life, when Brother Chuan was imprisoned, she hadn’t come back to see Grandma or Xiao Tingxiang. Otherwise, Grandma wouldn’t have died of hunger and illness in bed. After Gu Qingchuan left prison, his business flourished, and that’s when Xie Tingyu returned.

The delicate, helpless little flower was textbook-level in her tactics. She could take the tiny remnants of affection that her family had for her and amplify it infinitely. After Gu Qingchuan married her, she continued to cling to her identity as his sister, benefiting significantly and enjoying a life of wealth and comfort.

Xie Tingyu smiled through her tears. “Jiang Ci, Brother is angry with me.”

When she left, Jiang Ci was only fourteen years old. After three years apart, she had blossomed from a bud into the most radiant rose. She was truly beautiful and flamboyant.

Xie Tingyu felt a sting in her eyes. Was this the kind of girl Gu Qingchuan liked? Surely, a demure and gentle girl would be more appealing to men.

Suddenly, there was a loud crash from the kitchen. Jiang Ci rushed over, discovering that Xiao Tingxiang had fallen from the kitchen bench and landed heavily on the floor, not even waking up from the fall.

Jiang Ci quickly picked her up, feeling how hot the little girl was. Tingxiang’s face was flushed bright red; she had caught a fever from the cold. Why was she sleeping on the kitchen bench in such cold weather?

Jiang Ci was furious. Last night, Gu Qingchuan was not home, which meant that Xie Tingyu’s negligence led to this situation. “Tingyu, you let Tingxiang sleep on the kitchen bench? Don’t we have beds in the house?”

Xie Tingyu hurried over, her heart racing as she saw her little sister burning with fever. “No, I didn’t mean to! I was just so happy to see my sister when I came back last night that I couldn’t help but chat with her all night. She only just dozed off.”

“Couldn’t you chat in bed?”

Xie Tingyu felt wronged. “I was afraid of waking Grandma! You see, Brother takes cold showers every day. I didn’t realize Tingxiang would get a fever from just a little nap. I can’t possibly take my sister to sleep in Brother’s room; he would get angry if he found out!”

Jiang Ci was at a loss for words. How could she blame Gu Qingchuan for this?

“Can Xiao Tingxiang’s health be compared to your brother’s?”

As Gu Qingchuan rushed in, Jiang Ci said, “Brother Chuan, Tingxiang is burning up and has lost consciousness. We need to get her to the hospital quickly.”

Time was of the essence. Gu Qingchuan felt anxious as he lifted his sister onto his back and then realized he had no money at home. He checked his pockets, but there was nothing; all his money was with Jiang Dasheng.

Jiang Ci quickly pushed him. “I have money. Let’s hurry.”

They raced to the hospital, where Xiao Tingxiang was admitted for an emergency consultation. The doctor looked grave. “She has acute pneumonia. We’re short on antibiotics. If you can, take her to the military hospital. However, the wards there are tight, so you may not get a bed.”

Jiang Ci panicked at the news; acute pneumonia was no joke. “Brother Chuan, take Tingxiang to the military hospital right now. I’ll go find Uncle Cui.” She would check if Uncle Cui could help if there were no available beds, even if it meant getting a bed in the hallway.

With Tingxiang becoming increasingly feverish and groggy on his back, Gu Qingchuan dared not waste any time. They rushed to the military hospital, while Jiang Ci quickly headed to the army compound to find Cui Pingzhou.

At the crossroads, Xie Tingyu felt ignored by everyone around her. Unsure of which way to go, she stomped her feet and decided to chase after Gu Qingchuan. She was worried about Xiao Tingxiang; if anything happened to her, Brother might never forgive her.

The guards at the military compound recognized Jiang Ci, the daughter of Political Commissar Cui, who often came to deliver traditional Chinese medicine. They saluted her, and since she was in a hurry today, she nodded and rushed straight to Building 4 of the family quarters.

Cui Pingzhou was in a meeting when Lin Wan opened the door for Jiang Ci. “Xiao Ci, it’s the weekend. Why don’t you sleep a little longer? What do you want for lunch? Mom will make you something delicious.” Every weekend, Jiang Ci would come to the military compound, making it the family’s most lively and joyous time.

Jiang Ci waved her hand quickly. “Mom, Xiao Tingxiang has acute pneumonia. Brother took her to the military hospital, and I’m worried there might not be a bed available, so I came to see if Uncle Cui can help.”

Lin Wan, who was a nursing professional, understood how dangerous acute pneumonia could be for a child, especially since Tingxiang was already in poor health. “Wait here; I’ll talk to your Uncle Cui,” she said urgently.

She turned and knocked on the study door. Moments later, Cui Pingzhou emerged in his wheelchair. Two young officers remained in the study, indicating the conversation they were having was quite serious.

Cui Pingzhou said, “Xiao Ci, go to the military hospital and look for Dr. Qin Qian, the internal medicine director. She’s a good friend of mine, and I’ll call her right now.”

“Thank you, Uncle Cui.” Jiang Ci didn’t bother with pleasantries. “Mom, I’ll head out now. I’ll bring Uncle Cui some traditional Chinese medicine tonight.” Cui Pingzhou had been drinking a special herbal concoction for over a month to help with his condition, but Jiang Ci didn’t want to skip a day without providing it. However, they were running low on the dried herbs at home.

—o—o—o—

In the emergency room, Director Qin personally examined Xiao Tingxiang. She was burning with fever and felt miserable, and Jiang Ci held her close. Xie Tingyu, feeling distressed, cried nearby, wanting to take her sister away from Jiang Ci. “She’s my sister! Why does Jiang Ci get to hold her?”

“Director, is my sister going to die? Look at her; she’s convulsing! If only I could be the one sick instead!” she sobbed. “Then Brother would carry me to the hospital too.”

“It’s all my fault! I made her catch a cold, and that’s why she got pneumonia. Is this illness fatal? Director, you have to save my sister! She’s only ten!” Tears streamed down Xie Tingyu’s face, filled with desperation for her little sister.

Dr. Qin, with her mask on, looked annoyed. Was this girl really the older sister? “If you want to cry, go outside! Don’t create chaos in the emergency room!”

Dr. Qin was straightforward and had little patience for women who cried at the slightest inconvenience. Crying only added to the tension and chaos, serving no real purpose.

The girl who held Xiao Tingxiang was doing the right thing by seeking out Cui Pingzhou and finding the most qualified doctor. Dr. Qin was the leading expert in pathology at the military hospital and had been called in by Cui Pingzhou.

“Well, my sister is sick! Am I not allowed to cry a bit?” Xie Tingyu pouted, feeling hurt as she watched Jiang Ci hold her sister with one arm while using the other to wipe the sweat from Tingxiang’s hair. Jealousy bubbled up within her. “Unlike some people, I actually care about my sister. Of course, I’m upset!”

Her words made several people in the emergency room frown.

Jiang Ci could hardly stand her. “No one here is going to buy your act. Xie Tingyu, who are you crying for? You’re just annoying everyone.” She hugged Tingxiang and followed Director Qin to the inpatient department. Xie Tingyu wanted to follow them but was stopped by Gu Qingchuan.

“Go back. You can’t help here.”

“I’m not going back. The one inside is my sister; I want to watch over her,” Xie Tingyu cried out. “Brother, please don’t drive me away.”

Gu Qingchuan was genuinely annoyed. “Stop making trouble here. Go back and tell Grandma that Tingxiang has been admitted to the hospital, so she doesn’t need to worry.”

Seeing Gu Qingchuan’s restrained anger and recalling that Tingxiang had fallen ill due to her own negligence, Xie Tingyu thought of waiting for Jiang Ci to leave before coming back. “Brother, then I’ll go back first. I’ll bring you lunch at noon.”

“No need. The hospital has a cafeteria.”

Director Qin was nearly forty but looked to be only in her thirties. Acute pneumonia was not a serious illness for her. She arranged for Xiao Tingxiang to be admitted to the ward for officials.

“Thank you, Director Qin.” Xiao Tingxiang received an IV, and her fever had reduced a bit; she fell asleep on the hospital bed. Jiang Ci and Gu Qingchuan were both very grateful for her help; otherwise, Xiao Tingxiang wouldn’t have been admitted so quickly.

“There’s no need to thank me. Our military hospital also serves the public,” Director Qin said with a bright smile. It was only then that she had the time to observe the girl before her, surprised by her overly flamboyant beauty. She was indeed pretty. Her mother, Lin Wan, was said to be beautiful and gentle, but her daughter turned out to be bold and generous.

“Cui Pingzhou is really lucky, being paralyzed for half his life and still getting a wife and daughter for free.”

The girl admitted to the hospital today was said to be the younger sister of Cui Pingzhou’s future son-in-law. Such a straightforward girl was particularly to her liking, but unfortunately, she was already promised to someone. Otherwise… she really wanted to suggest her to that picky boy in the family.

She briefed the two of them, “Xiao Tingxiang still needs to stay in the hospital for a few more days. You only need to keep one person here; take turns to accompany her.”

Gu Qingchuan hadn’t slept all night yesterday, so Jiang Ci urged him to go back. “Brother Chuan, go back and sleep for a while. I’ll stay here with her.”

“No need. I can manage without sleep for a few nights. You should go back; you still have work tomorrow.” Gu Qingchuan looked at the girl before him. She was so worried about his family but had never taken the time to care for herself. Would he really be able to take good care of her if he married her?

After staying with Xiao Tingxiang while she finished her IV drip, Gu Qingchuan urged Jiang Ci to return home. Jiang Ci thought for a moment. “Then I’ll come back to replace you in the evening.”

…

After receiving treatment in the military hospital for over ten days, Xiao Tingxiang was discharged. Grandma Miao hadn’t seen her little granddaughter for over half a month, and when she saw her, she had lost even more weight. It pained her greatly. The eldest grandson, who had taken care of his little sister, had also lost some weight.

Grandma Miao thought to herself: ‘It really won’t do for this family to be without a woman to take charge.’

The grandmother and granddaughter sat in the yard, basking in the sun at noon. Xiao Tingxiang snuggled in Grandma’s arms, feeling sulky and not saying a word.

Grandma Miao rubbed Xiao Tingxiang’s soft, limp hair and asked, “You, little girl, getting sick has made your brother and sister lose weight. You better not get sick again.” The ‘sister’ she referred to was naturally Jiang Ci.

During the past half month, although Xie Tingyu had gone to take care of her when it was her turn to stay overnight, she only cared about sleeping soundly. When Xiao Tingxiang was thirsty at night and wanted some water, she couldn’t even wake her up.

Xiao Ci was different; even if she just turned over, Xiao Ci would wake up and ask if she was thirsty or needed to use the toilet.

She remembered what her older sister had said on the night she returned, promising to be her “sister-in-law” and forbidding her to tell anyone. It made her feel scared.

Seeing the warm sunlight, yet feeling her little granddaughter shivering, Grandma hurriedly asked, “Are you cold? Quickly put on another layer of clothing. Didn’t your sister Xiao Ci alter two of her jackets for you? Go get one and wear it.”

This year, fabric rationing was tight. Thinking of how Xiao Ci had used her new jacket to make something smaller for her, Xiao Tingxiang silently shed tears. She wasn’t cold; she was scared.

She buried her face in Grandma Miao’s arms and said, “Grandma, I don’t want Tingyu sister to be my sister-in-law; I want Xiao Ci to be my sister-in-law.”

Why did the little girl say this all of a sudden? Grandma sat up straight in shock. “What did you say?”

Tingyu was going to be Xiao Tingxiang’s sister-in-law? What nonsense had she said to Xiao Tingxiang? No wonder Brother Chuan hadn’t returned home in the past ten days; apart from visiting during the day, he must have been napping at Jiang Dasheng’s house when he was tired.

Grandma suddenly understood. Yes, her eldest grandson knew to avoid any awkwardness. She was just an old fool who hadn’t considered this.

“What did your sister say to you? Quickly tell Grandma, or something big will happen!”

Seeing Grandma’s urgency, Xiao Tingxiang couldn’t hide it. “Tingyu sister said she wanted to be my sister-in-law, so we could stay in the house forever. I told her I only wanted Xiao Ci to be my sister-in-law, but Tingyu sister got really angry and said I was being unreasonable.”

Grandma Miao’s heart trembled. So, that was it! Her old eyes had failed her, and she had raised an ungrateful child. The landlord’s hat over their heads was about to be removed. She had thought that girl had come back to consider the dowry she had hidden away.

She had originally planned that if her possessions could see the light of day again one day, she would surely set aside a portion for her granddaughters as dowries.

However, she hadn’t expected that Xie Tingyu had her sights set on Brother Chuan. Grandma suddenly thought of how Xie Tingyu had always been clever since childhood; she wanted to be her grandson’s wife? Who knew whether she intended to take away Grandma’s hidden treasures?

Human nature was something she had never fully understood in her lifetime.

Grandma’s health had improved significantly in the two or three months since Jiang Ci moved in. She went into the house, rummaged through her things, and found her best clothes. “Xiao Tingxiang, go get me a basin of water to wash my face.”

Was there nothing good in the Gu family? There was. At the very least, there was the dowry for Brother Chuan’s wife, which she could still take out.

In Grandma Miao’s room, only the Eight Immortals bed that had been part of her dowry remained untouched. Wealthy families often hid things to survive difficult times, and Grandma Miao’s mother knew this well. She had told her that when they made this marriage bed for her, the four bedposts were hollow, and they had left space inside to store items.

Now that she was to marry off her grandson, if she didn’t take them out now, when would she?

Grandma took a chopping knife from the wood room and, without hesitation, split open the bedposts.

—o—o—o—