Chapter 27

“Jiang Ci is back?” Grandma Miao put down the cloth she was using and came out from the courtyard. When Jiang Ci entered the door, she noticed that the wall in the middle of the yard had been torn down, and Grandma Miao had walked over from next door in just a few steps.

“Grandma, I ran into Brother Chuan on this trip. He still has something to take care of and will be back later,” Jiang Ci said, setting down her luggage, worried that Grandma might be concerned.

“It’s fine, as long as he can make it back before the wedding,” Grandma Miao said calmly, even more so than Jiang Ci. She added with deep regret, “That girl Xie Tingyu has been up to no good; she stole four golden pearls from the house and ran away. Sigh, I don’t think she’ll come back.”

Jiang Ci was speechless. Grandma was impressive; she had dismissed Xie Tingyu so quickly. No wonder the wall in the middle of the yard was torn down.

It was so cold in winter, and the traditional Chinese medicine wouldn’t spoil. The last time she left, she had boiled seven days’ worth of medicine at once. Considering the time, Dad Cui had probably also finished drinking the medicine. After organizing her luggage, Jiang Ci took a hot shower, had a bowl of the dumpling soup Grandma Miao made, and started preparing a few kinds of traditional Chinese medicine in a small earthen pot.

More than an hour later, Jiang Ci took the boiled medicine in a sealed thermos and went to the army compound.

“Has Dad Cui been drinking the medicine properly these past few days?” Jiang Ci handed the medicine to Lin Wan. It was rare that Cui Pingzhou wasn’t at home.

“He dared not skip it after you instructed him when you left; he’s been bragging about having such a good daughter everywhere,” Lin Wan replied. She became worried when she thought about the landlord status of the Gu family not being removed this time. “Where exactly did Brother Chuan go? If his landlord status isn’t removed before your wedding, who knows what your grandfather might say about calling off the wedding.”

They had clearly said that the landlord status could be removed, but now it could not be. Cui Pingzhou and his granddaughter were gone, and Gu Qingchuan was not even home. Grandpa Jiang was very angry.

“Mom, there are still two months left. It can definitely be resolved,” Jiang Ci said. Even though it wasn’t time yet, as soon as Gu Qingchuan returned, Liu Shirong would be in trouble.

It wasn’t until the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth month that Gu Qingchuan still hadn’t come back. Jiang Ci held onto Xiao Tingxiang’s hand, returning from the supply and marketing cooperative after purchasing New Year’s goods. By now, it was already dark. She passed by Dong Hua’s house, unsure if the old lady was still digging a pit.

Dong Hua leaned against the porch and, seeing Jiang Ci approach, stopped her and smiled, asking, “Jiang Ci, you’re getting married in just a few days. Why hasn’t Gu Qingchuan returned yet? Don’t tell me he’s been caught for smuggling cultural relics outside?”

She wanted to glean some information from Jiang Ci. Xie Tingyu had called back, saying that the price for the items in her possession hadn’t been negotiated, so they hadn’t sold yet. Liu Cuilian also called back; both women said the same thing.

However, Dong Hua still felt a bit anxious. The longer they delayed without receiving the money, the more dangerous it became.

“Who do you think you are? I’m getting married, and I won’t invite you anyway,” Jiang Ci said, not wanting to talk to her any longer. Gu Qingchuan hadn’t returned yet, and there was no new content in her diary, which meant that Brother Chuan was still safe.

Dong Hua cursed angrily behind her, “Stubborn girl! It serves you right for being a widow before you even get married.”

Jiang Ci suddenly turned around. How dare she curse her Brother Chuan? Her tone was severe, and she said, “Dong Hua when Brother Chuan returns, your retribution will come.”

The young girl’s gaze was sharp, causing Dong Hua’s heart to chill. Did this stubborn girl know something?

On the night of the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth month, Gu Qingchuan returned to Qin Province, braving the wind and snow. At the train station platform, Qin Li patted him on the shoulder. “Shall we go report to Political Commissar Cui together?”

In two months’ time, a special task force had collaborated with the police stations in Qin Province and Zhu City, successfully taking down the largest cultural relic smuggling gang since the founding of the country. The interrogation of Boss Zhao was nearing its end, and they were escorting him back to Qin Province to identify the locations where the cultural relics were buried.

Gu Qingchuan shook his head. “I’m an auxiliary member, so I won’t go.”

How could he be considered an auxiliary member? Half of the credit for this operation belonged to Gu Qingchuan. If he hadn’t skillfully navigated through the situation, catching Boss Zhao so smoothly in the end wouldn’t have been possible. Gu Qingchuan’s intelligence and decisiveness earned him the respect of Qin Li, who was four or five years older than him.

“Alright, don’t forget to invite us to your wedding feast,” Qin Li said, pulling Gu Qingchuan onto their jeep. “I’ll take you home first.”

When the military jeep arrived near Qu Shui Bridge, Dong Hua had just been rebuffed by Jiang Ci and was feeling displeased. Upon seeing the military vehicle approaching, she thought to herself that Gu Qingchuan must have done something bad outside and had been caught; now, even the military personnel had come.

“Jiang Ci, Gu Qingchuan wouldn’t have been caught stealing and selling the antiques and paintings from his family to marry you, would he? Hahaha! You’re just a jinx; you haven’t even married him yet, and you’ve already brought him into prison…”

“What nonsense are you talking about?” Qin Li got out of the car. “Comrade Gu Qingchuan cooperated with our special operations team this time and achieved great merit. We’re bringing him back; we’ll be awarding him a medal in a few days.”

Jiang Ci turned around sharply and saw the thin young man getting out of the jeep. Xiao Tingxiang could no longer hold back and dashed over. “Brother!” She was so worried and terrified that her brother might not return.

Jiang Ci felt a sense of relief and quickly walked over to greet Qin Li. “Captain Qin.”

Qin Li nodded with a smile. Jiang Ci stood beside Gu Qingchuan. It had been two months since they last saw each other; the man’s crew cut had grown a bit longer. She smiled sweetly, “Brother Chuan, you’re back.”

“Yeah, I’m back,” Gu Qingchuan said, holding Xiao Tingxiang with one arm and taking Jiang Ci’s hand with the other. He finally felt confident and had the courage to return openly to marry her.

Dong Hua felt a sharp pain in her eyes. Gu Qingchuan had achieved merit? On what basis did he deserve that? A wolf cub from a landlord family didn’t deserve to turn his fate around! If Gu Qingchuan turned things around, what would happen to her family? What would happen to her son and grandson?

She rushed over and questioned, “Gu Qingchuan, how can you achieve merit when you can’t even remove your landlord status?”

Jiang Ci pushed her away, using her strength to prevent Dong Hua from reaching Gu Qingchuan’s clothes. “I’ve said it before; when Brother Chuan comes back, it’s time for you to repay your debts. You will repay every single thing you’ve done.”

“Repay what? I am an elder of the Gu family, and my status is on par with Miao Xiulan’s. I don’t need to repay anything. Miao Xiulan married into the Gu family; her dowry consists of things from the old Gu family, half of which belong to me. It’s her fault for bullying me just because she is the eldest sister-in-law, using the wealth she has for generations. Why can’t she share a little with her brother’s family? It’s all her fault!”

Suppose Miao Xiulan had been more generous in the past. How could the old Gu family have ended up in such a situation today?

Dong Hua directed all her resentment at Jiang Ci. “What have you done, Jiang Ci?! Your aunt is in prison, and your grandma is sick and can’t get out of bed. Your mother is just as despicable; she married into the Cui family and brought misfortune to her brothers and parents. Don’t you dare marry into our Gu family and bring misfortune upon us!”

Gu Qingchuan firmly stopped her. “Dong Hua, if you want to insult someone, go to the police station and say whatever you want. I’ve invited Director Zhao over.”

Zhao Qishu? The police station director? What was he coming for? Dong Hua questioned, “What does Director Zhao have to do with me? Gu Qingchuan, what have you done?”

“What he’s done, you’ll understand clearly when we go back for an investigation,” Zhao Qishu, the director of the police station, had personally come over. So far, all the main members involved in this smuggling case had been captured, and the operation was also being closed on the Qin Province side. “Dong Hua, you instigated Xie Tingyu to steal valuable property. She has already confessed everything at the police station in Zhu City. Please come with us.”

“I’m not going!” Dong Hua retreated in fear. First, Gu Qingchuan was sent back by a military vehicle, and now Zhao Qishu, a director, had come personally to arrest her. She must have known something had gone wrong in Zhu City and was starting to panic. “What does Xie Tingyu stealing have to do with me? She’s blaming me to escape her punishment; you must not believe her!”

Zhao Qishu waved his hand, signaling the police officers behind him to take Dong Hua away. “Liu Shirong has already confessed; you acted as the middleman, taking a thirty percent cut. You can’t deny it.”

Gu Chengrong had just finished work and was walking to the door when he saw his mother being taken away by the police, her face pale and her body weak. He immediately rushed forward to hug her. “What’s going on? Director Zhao, how can you arrest someone like this? What has my mother done?”

“Instigating others to steal,” Zhao Qishu replied coldly. “Don’t obstruct my duties; otherwise, I will take you back, too!”

Gu Chengrong was so frightened that he quickly let go, staring blankly as Dong Hua was taken away. He stood at the door for over ten minutes, panicked and at a loss, before running off to find someone to help.

On the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth month, Lin Wan brought Jiang Ci back to the Cui family. It seemed that Gu Qingchuan was still busy, and she had hardly seen him for several days. The larger items of the dowry that Cui Pingzhou had prepared for Jiang Ci had already been moved over in advance. With a headache from the ruckus caused by several people in the family, Grandpa Jiang decided to go to Cui Pingzhou’s house to discuss his granddaughter’s wedding.

“What did you say? Letting Jiang Ci marry from your Cui family? Are you dreaming?” Grandpa Jiang was in a good mood today and didn’t argue with Cui Pingzhou. “Jiang Ci is my granddaughter; her last name is Jiang, so of course, she should marry from our family.”

“Uncle Jiang, Lin Wan just married out of the Jiang family a few months ago. Let Jiang Ci marry from our family,” Cui Pingzhou said, eager to personally send off his daughter. “Grandma Xu has returned home. Regarding Jiang Hongyu, she still resents Jiang Ci. What if something happens on the wedding day, and Grandma Xu causes her to regret it for the rest of her life?”

Cui Pingzhou’s analysis made sense. The matter with Jiang Hongyu had been a significant blow to Grandma Xu, leaving her bedridden. Kang Guixiang took the opportunity to move back in with Jiang Guozhu, claiming to care for her sick mother-in-law. If Jiang Ci married from the Jiang family, it would certainly cause quite a stir.

Grandpa Jiang sighed helplessly. “Ah, you’ve got it easy, Cui Er. I raised my eldest granddaughter for over ten years, and now she’s marrying out with all the fanfare from your family.”

With this final decision settled, all the details regarding Jiang Ci and Gu Qingchuan’s wedding were finalized.

This New Year was marked by a mix of happiness and anxiety. Liu Shirong’s offenses didn’t stop at smuggling cultural relics. His wife, having learned that he had been involved with Liu Cuilian for seven or eight years, cut ties with him at the police station and directly filed for divorce, fearing that this scoundrel might implicate her and their two married daughters.

After the investigation, it was confirmed that Liu Shirong’s wife truly didn’t know about his wrongdoings. After giving a few statements, she was released.

During the New Year, Dong Hua was not allowed any visits. When it came to her interrogation, she pretended to be confused. Director Zhao wasn’t in a rush; if she didn’t want to confess, then so be it. Her absence wouldn’t affect much, and without Grandma stirring things up outside, Gu Chengrong had lost his backbone.

Jiang Ci celebrated her birthday on the ninth day of the first month. Lin Wan had already prepared a new outfit for her daughter. She handed Jiang Ci the household registration booklet. “Quick, go on! Brother Chuan is waiting for you outside.”

The tailor Lin Wan found was skilled. Jiang Ci insisted on avoiding bright red and chose a light coffee-colored wool coat paired with dark brown wide-legged pants and burgundy high heels. This softened her usual flamboyance, making her appear much more gentle.

Gu Qingchuan also wore a new outfit—a deep gray Zhongshan suit that made him look both steady and handsome. When he saw Jiang Ci coming out of the room, Gu Qingchuan raised his eyebrows and smiled.

Today, they obtained their marriage certificate, and Jiang Ci was officially his wife.

Jiang Ci linked her arm with Gu Qingchuan as they stepped outside. Initially, Lin Wan was happy, but soon, she couldn’t help but feel a slight sting at the corners of her eyes. “My daughter, just like that, is getting married.”

Cui Pingzhou hurriedly handed her a tissue, holding Lin Wan’s hand to comfort her. “It’s not like she’s moving far away. Stop crying; it’s not time for that yet.”

Lin Wan wiped her tears. Although daily care included physical contact, this was the first time this man had actively held her hand.

Lin Wan instinctively tried to pull away, but in that moment, she noticed that Cui Pingzhou’s temperature was unusually high. She quickly placed her palm on his forehead and confirmed that it was indeed a degree or two warmer than normal. “Pingzhou, are you not feeling well?”

She had been too careless; with her daughter’s wedding approaching, she had overlooked the man beside her. It was her responsibility to care for him, and Lin Wan felt a wave of guilt wash over her.

“I’m fine,” Cui Pingzhou replied softly, patting the back of her hand. “It’s probably just the heating in the house.” This wasn’t something that had just started today. For the past half month, he had felt a persistent soreness in his bones accompanied by tingling sensations. He didn’t want Lin Wan to worry, so he kept it to himself.

Even his legs, which had previously felt numb, had begun to regain some sensation. Perhaps… it was the effect of Jiang Ci’s traditional Chinese medicine?

Cui Pingzhou looked up at the woman he had admired for many years but had never dared to confess his feelings to. If he could stand up, he would surely tell her how long he had liked her.

Meanwhile, Jiang Ci and Gu Qingchuan successfully obtained their marriage certificate. This year’s wedding photo consisted of nothing more than a thin sheet of paper; the man held her hand as they entered the photo studio.

The first month of the lunar calendar was an auspicious time, and several young couples were taking pictures for their weddings. They waited quietly for a while, and when it was their turn, Gu Qingchuan leaned in close to Jiang Ci and whispered, “Xiao Ci, you must be the most beautiful little wife.”