Chapter 33

Jiang Ci did not know how long Grandma Xu could hold on. She ran out and pulled at Zhao Qishu. “Uncle Zhao, my grandma woke up and wants to see you.”

“Grandma Xu is awake?” Zhao Qishu took a few steps and realized something was wrong. “Niece, your Grandma is experiencing a moment of clarity. You should let your uncles go in to see her and ask what wishes she has… The old lady probably… doesn’t have much time left.”

“I asked her, and she said she wishes to see you.” Jiang Ci turned back, and she saw Kang Guixiang’s face had turned pale. She continued, “Grandma said… you’ll know once you go in.”

Grandma Xu had woken up. Second Son Jiang, Jiang Laoshan, and Jiang Guozhu all rushed into the stuffy bedroom. In the courtyard, Kang Guixiang wanted to run away, but Jiang Ci grabbed her. “Comrade, my Grandma is a bit clearer now and has something to say to your director. Please keep an eye on Kang Guixiang and don’t let her escape.”

Kang Guixiang thought to herself that this was bad. She hadn’t expected that Grandma Xu would have a moment of clarity. “I’m not a criminal. Why should I be held here? I still have children at home; I need to go back.” As she spoke, she attempted to flee.

The police officer nearby stopped her. “You are still under investigation for economic fraud. Stay put.”

In the bedroom, Grandma Xu’s frail fingers grasped Zhao Qishu’s hand. With great effort, she recounted how Kang Guixiang, out of jealousy, had deceived her into revealing the passbook password and then refused to give her medicine afterward. After finishing, her complexion grew increasingly gray. Zhao Qishu personally took notes and had Grandma Xu press her handprint on the document.

“Grandma Xu, if you have anything else to say, please pass it on to your sons. Kang Guixiang will definitely face legal consequences,” Zhao Qishu said, stepping out of the room to leave the remaining moments for Grandma Xu and her sons.

Jiang Guozhu’s face turned ashen. Since Grandma Xu had spoken out against Kang Guixiang, what more could he doubt? Second Son Jiang and Jiang Laoshan wished their older brother had truly died many years ago, as then none of these events would have unfolded.

After Grandma Xu had said everything she needed to, the breath she had been holding slipped away. She closed her eyes, never to speak again.

Second Son Jiang burst out of the room in a frenzy, wanting to find Kang Guixiang to fight her. “An eye for an eye; you caused my mother’s death, and you turned me into a thief. I’ll fight you to the end to prevent you from continuing to harm my third brother and driving my father to his grave.”

The clearest-headed person in this situation was Zhao Qishu. He gestured for the police officers to take Kang Guixiang outside to the police car and stopped Second Son Jiang. “Killing someone requires paying for it with your life. Think about your four children; what’s all this impulsive behavior for?”

Second Son Jiang squatted on the ground, a sturdy man over six feet tall, covering his face as he cried.

Kang Guixiang was in a state of panic, struggling desperately, not wanting to be taken to the police station. The only person who could speak on her behalf was Jiang Guozhu. “Guozhu, you have to help me! Don’t forget that we also have four children at home. My mother was confused; I didn’t refuse to give her medicine. Really, you have to believe me.”

She hoped Jiang Guozhu would consider the children and save her.

Zhao Qishu sneered, “I have to be right next to her to hear clearly. How can you know what Grandma Xu said while standing outside? You’re just giving yourself away!”

Jiang Guozhu walked up to Kang Guixiang, his eyes blazing with anger. The soft words they used to exchange in private now felt like a cruel joke. He raised his hand high.

Kang Guixiang tilted her head back, looking at the man who was struggling to contain his desire to hit her with scorn. “Jiang Guozhu, I never liked you at all these years. I sought you out because I was resentful that Lin Wan married into a better family than mine. Ten years ago, I only wanted you to support my children. You think you’re something special?”

Indeed, throughout both their lives, she had never liked him. She continued, “You deserve to be abandoned by Lin Wan. I heard Cui Pingzhou has gotten back on his feet, and you’re still feeling unbalanced, so you want to take it out on me? Do you still consider yourself a man?”

Jiang Guozhu felt like a complete fool. He slapped his own face hard several times before kneeling down in front of Grandpa Jiang.

…

After Grandma Xu’s funeral, Kang Guixiang’s interrogation also came to an end.

Lin Wan returned after Grandma Xu’s burial. She had just arrived in Qin Province from Beijing and went straight to her daughter’s home.

When Gu Qingchuan saw his mother-in-law arrive, he brewed tea and quietly sat next to Jiang Ci, waiting for Lin Wan to speak. She exchanged a few pleasantries before realizing that with Gu Qingchuan there, some topics were harder to discuss with her daughter. “Chuan’er, you should go to the military compound; your father, Cui, has been looking for you.”

Gu Qingchuan nodded. “Mom, you talk with Xiao Ci first; I’ll go over there.”

As soon as the man left, Jiang Ci rushed over to sit beside her mother. “Mom, is Dad Cui’s leg feeling better?”

“It’s recovering more and more; he can barely walk by himself now,” Lin Wan said, her brow furrowed deeply. “Xiao Ci, your dad Cui’s leg has healed enough that the higher-ups have assigned him a task. He’ll be moving to Beijing soon.”

“That’s good news!” Jiang Ci smoothed out Lin Wan’s frown. “Why do you look so worried, Mom? At Dad Cui’s level, he can definitely bring family with him; you should go along!”

With Cui Pingzhou’s leg improving, Lin Wan following him meant their future days would only get better. Jiang Ci felt reassured that her mother’s later years would be happy. She secretly thought that perhaps they would soon have a little brother or sister.

Lin Wan hesitated and said, “Xiao Ci, maybe I shouldn’t go to Beijing. Now that your dad Cui’s leg is better, he doesn’t really need someone to take care of him.” That man had told her on the way back that he wanted to be a true husband to her, to be together for a lifetime, and he had asked if she would be willing. Lin Wan was confused and didn’t know how to respond, so she got out of the car and returned to her daughter’s home.

“Did Dad Cui confess to you?” Jiang Ci almost jumped up, immediately dispelling Lin Wan’s worries. “Mom, if you don’t go to Beijing, Dad Cui might lose his motivation. His leg might not get better; what are you hesitating for? Don’t you like Dad Cui?”

Now that her daughter was grown up, she dared to speak freely. They had previously agreed that she would care for Cui Pingzhou and that marriage was just a formality but living as a couple was not the same.

Lin Wan felt a bit embarrassed at first. “I… You little girl, are you okay with this? If your mother finds a man to live with, and that man isn’t your biological father, can you accept it?”

Jiang Ci smiled and replied, “As long as it’s Dad Cui, it’s perfect! You guys should have another baby for me, a little brother or sister!”

Lin Wan’s turmoil was dispelled by her daughter’s few words. She didn’t even realize when she had started to like the man she had been spending time with. When he had said that to her, she knew she couldn’t refuse, which was why she had run back home. Who would have thought her daughter wouldn’t oppose it? They had initially agreed to simply care for him.

However, Lin Wan also decided to let things unfold naturally. After having lunch at home, Cui Pingzhou personally came to pick her up. Lin Wan lowered her head as she got into the jeep. Cui Pingzhou whispered something in her ear that Jiang Ci couldn’t hear, but she saw her mom nodding slightly, and then Dad Cui held her hand tightly, smiling happily.

In the afternoon, Jiang Ci made a special trip to her second uncle and aunt’s house. Second Son Jiang was a chef, but since he couldn’t work at the state-run restaurant, he didn’t know what to do and was idly at home.

Zhong Huihui was more relaxed now and said to her husband, “No job is no job. It’s not a big deal; you can just cook for us at home. My salary is enough to support the family.”

Jiang Ci, however, thought differently. With four children in her second uncle’s family, when the economy improved and prices skyrocketed in a few years, her aunt’s single salary wouldn’t be enough to support four children in school; that would be exhausting.

She said, “Auntie, I want to open a restaurant with Uncle. I’ll provide the funds, and Uncle can be the head chef with a kitchen team. How does a fifty-fifty split sound to you?”

“Is there really such a good thing?” Zhong Huihui watched as Jiang Dasheng and Jiang Ci’s store selling mountain goods raked in money daily. This time, the fines were all covered by Jiang Ci and Gu Qingchuan, and she wanted to repay that money as soon as possible.

Zhong Huihui nudged her husband, “Honghai, why don’t you go into the restaurant business with Jiang Ci?”

Jiang Honghai didn’t want to be idle at home in his forties either. Since returning to the state-run restaurant wasn’t an option, he said, “Sure, I only know how to cook. If I go back to my old line of work, I guarantee Jiang Ci won’t lose money.”

The group discussed the restaurant’s location and decoration. Zhong Huihui said, “My brother-in-law is a carpenter. Once we pick a shop, I’ll have him come over to help with the renovations.”

Second Son Jiang cleared his throat a few times, and Zhong Huihui shot him a glare. “What do you think? I’m not trying to get my family to work. Jiang Ci has helped us out so much; I’m just asking my brother to come help for a few days without charging.”

Just then, Zhao Qishu came over again. The three of them quickly got up, and Zhong Huihui went to brew tea. Jiang Ci was puzzled about who Zhao Qishu was looking for. “Uncle Zhao, are you looking for my second uncle?”

“No, I came specifically to find you,” Zhao Qishu replied, taking the teacup. “The interrogation of Kang Guixiang is basically over. She knows she’s in serious trouble this time. Suddenly, she made a request: if you bring her a certain notebook, she will admit to stealing from the state-run restaurant’s storeroom and claim it was all a setup against your second uncle. She says that notebook rightfully belongs to her, and you took it.”

Jiang Ci sighed as she lowered her head. Was Kang Guixiang also having a rebirth of sorts?

Zhong Huihui said angrily, “Jiang Ci, don’t go. This woman has no good intentions.” With death so close, she still had schemes up her sleeve.

Zhao Qishu advised, “You should go see her. If she’s willing to admit it, not only can it restore your second uncle’s reputation, but you could also get that fine of five thousand back. That’s not a small amount.”

After thinking for a moment, Jiang Ci replied, “Alright, I’ll go.”

Jiang Ci went home to grab the notebook and followed Zhao Qishu to the police station. Kang Guixiang was escorted to the interrogation room, and when she saw Jiang Ci, she hurriedly asked, “Did you bring it?”

Jiang Ci nodded and patted the bag slung across her shoulder. “I brought it.”

“Let me see it quickly!” Kang Guixiang reached out eagerly. She had attributed all her misfortunes in life to not having gotten her hands on this notebook in time. If she had obtained it earlier, her current situation would definitely not involve spending the rest of her life in prison.

In her short life of just a few months, she had reached a dead end for the latter half of her life. Her only wish was to see her diary one more time to check if there was still a turning point in her life.

“Do you think I’m an idiot?” Jiang Ci raised the diary in her hand. “First, restore my uncle’s innocence, and then I will show you the diary. Otherwise, I’ll leave right now.”

She had come here to make Kang Guixiang admit that she was the one who stole Second Son Jiang’s keys.

If Jiang Honghai continued to bear the name of a thief without clarification, not only would he be unable to lift his head for the rest of his life, but his children would also be pointed at by others in the future. Jiang Ci believed that Kang Guixiang had approached her, knowing this woman would compromise.

“Fine, I agree,” Kang Guixiang replied impatiently.

Reluctantly, she agreed to record a statement confirming Second Son Jiang’s innocence, signing it and placing her thumbprint on the document. The police officer took the statement and left the interrogation room, leaving only the two of them.

Kang Guixiang reached across the interrogation table, her brows furrowed with final anticipation. “Can you give it to me now?”

Jiang Ci handed her the diary.

Kang Guixiang took it eagerly, opening it with impatience, biting her finger to let a drop of blood fall onto the pages. Watching her skillfully bite her finger and flip through the pages, Jiang Ci’s eyes darkened. Her guess had been correct; Kang Guixiang had been reborn. In her previous life, her diary had gone missing, and this woman had taken it, hadn’t she?

She watched quietly, observing the ecstatic expression on the woman’s face. Something must have appeared in the diary, and then Kang Guixiang looked incredulous. It took her a full ten minutes before she reluctantly lifted her head and said, “This is impossible. The diary is a miracle; I am the chosen one by fate. It can’t be like this.”

Kang Guixiang ripped the diary to shreds. Jiang Ci was initially shocked but then remained still. Perhaps… tearing it apart was a good thing. All the artificially manufactured crises she had known from her previous life had been resolved. It was better to be filled with anticipation for the future; who would want their life to be predetermined in such a way?

Only with the unknown could one be filled with anticipation.

Kang Guixiang did not think this way. She was almost frantic as if the shredded diary had shattered her last hope. “Jiang Ci, aren’t you curious about what I just saw? It’s all related to you. Go, go ask Cui Pingzhou; he’s your father. He must have a way to get me out. As long as I’m out, I’ll tell you what the last thing written in the diary was!”

“The last words written there?” Jiang Ci asked. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure!” Kang Guixiang thought Jiang Ci had agreed. Yes, with such a magical diary, who wouldn’t be curious about how it appeared? She wasn’t lying; it was indeed the last paragraph. That was why Kang Guixiang used this leverage to get Jiang Ci to help her find Cui Pingzhou, trying to find a way to get her out.

“Go find Cui Pingzhou, and then give me ten thousand yuan. I promise I will never appear in front of you again. How about it?”

Jiang Ci picked up the scraps of paper and the empty cover from the floor, putting them into her bag. It was a gift from Brother Chuan that year; what a pity. “You committed the crime of intentional murder. No one has the right to release you, Kang Guixiang. You should reflect on your actions in prison.”

She clearly had the chance for a fresh start. Why choose to commit a crime? This outcome today was her own doing. Jiang Ci felt not an ounce of sympathy; she turned to leave.

Kang Guixiang rushed after her, urgently asking, “Jiang Ci, if I don’t tell you, you’ll never know what the diary said for the rest of your life. Aren’t you really curious?”

Jiang Ci slowly turned around. Kang Guixiang smirked, knowing that curiosity was human nature; Jiang Ci could not possibly refuse her request. In this year, the penalty for intentional murder was death, and Kang Guixiang did not want to die.

Cui Pingzhou had such great power; as long as he could help her get her sentence reduced to life imprisonment, with good behavior, she might be eligible for a reduced sentence. At most, she could serve twenty-five years and still get out.

At that moment, Jiang Ci shattered her fantasy. “I am indeed curious, but I don’t want to know at all. Just by looking at your expression, I can guess that even if what’s written there is about me, it’s probably something good. In this lifetime, neither I nor my loved ones should encounter any major disasters, right?”

“How do you know that?” Kang Guixiang blurted out, then quickly corrected herself. “No, it says you will die young. Aren’t you afraid?”

“Do you think I would believe you? Someone like you would have been gloating with delight when you ripped the diary apart if you knew I was going to die young!”

She wouldn’t be bargaining with her like this otherwise.

Unable to deceive Jiang Ci, Kang Guixiang finally fell into despair. “Jiang Ci, help me send a message to Jiang Guozhu and ask him to come see me!” That man she had despised, the man she had rejected; before she died, she wanted to see him.

Jiang Ci replied, “I’ll deliver the message, but whether he comes or not, I can’t say.”

…

In the Jiang family’s mansion, Jiang Guozhu had been talking with Grandpa Jiang all afternoon. “Father, I regret not listening to you in the past, but unfortunately, there’s no such thing as regret medicine in this world. I plan to take the kids back to the northwest in a year. I’ve contacted my former workplace, and they are willing to take me back.”

He could no longer stay in Qin Province. If the children studied here, they would always be pointed at by others. Their mother had caused their grandmother’s death, and the children would never be able to hold their heads up in Qin Province.

Grandpa Jiang took a few puffs from his pipe and nodded. “Go back and raise the children well. Don’t let them follow that woman’s old path. Just be a decent person.”

“Hmm, I understand, Father.”

Grandpa Jiang handed him a small cloth bag. “Take this with you.”

Jiang Guozhu felt puzzled. When he opened the small cloth bag, he saw two bags of ten-yuan bills and some loose coins totaling at least 2000 yuan. He was so startled that he quickly pushed it back. “Father, I don’t want your money.” How could he have the face to accept it? Kang Guixiang had almost ruined this family, and this woman was brought back by him.

Grandpa Jiang said, “I won’t be giving you any money. This is Kang Guixiang’s hidden stash—money you’ve handed over to her as your household salary over the years. It was originally yours.”

“Father, keep it for your retirement.”

“Your father still has two sons, a granddaughter, and a grandson-in-law; I don’t need you to take care of me.” Grandpa Jiang continued, “I’ve already gotten my retirement money back from Xiao Ci, so I’m not short of cash. Take your money; it makes me uncomfortable to use it.”

Jiang Guozhu felt a deep pain in his heart. How could he not know that his father was thinking of his four children? He was now penniless, and he couldn’t save up for bus fare home until a year later when he could repay the wages he had borrowed from the factory. That Kang Guixiang had secretly hidden away money yet forced him to borrow money for fines. He didn’t even want to think about such a woman anymore.

His voice choked slightly. “Thank you, Father.”

Grandpa Jiang sighed. “It’s not too late for you to wake up now. Your life is already ruined, but don’t let your four children be ruined as well. Since you plan to go back, use this money to repay what you owe the factory and set out as soon as you can.”

Jiang Ci waited until they finished talking before entering the room. At the door, Jiang Guozhu saw this daughter he had never raised, feeling too ashamed to bring up any father-daughter feelings. They nodded at each other. Jiang Ci said softly, “I just went to the police station; Kang Guixiang said she wants to see you.”

Jiang Guozhu silently gazed at the sky, already able to guess what that woman would say—complaints, pleas, wanting him to find a way, to ask connections to keep her safe.

He replied, “There’s no need to see her. I’m taking your younger siblings back to the northwest in a few days. From now on, take care of yourself.”

“Hmm.” Jiang Ci nodded. After that, she never saw Jiang Guozhu again.

“What did you bring back, Xiao Ci?” Grandpa Jiang asked curiously, tugging at the heavy tote bag that his eldest granddaughter had brought back. It was at least a dozen catty heavy.

“Grandpa, this contains blueprints—blueprints from ten years ago.” It was the initial draft designed by Gu Zhengchu, which she had finally unearthed from an old warehouse containing over twenty years’ worth of materials. It had been close; the batch of moldy old archives was on the verge of being destroyed.

“Blueprints from ten years ago? Why did you bring those back?” Grandpa Jiang, the veteran secretary of the machinery factory, habitually opened the bag to see if it contained the most critical materials from the Qinling Machinery Factory. It should not, as the confidential blueprints for key projects were not stored in the archives building.

“You really are bold to bring back things from the factory. Hurry and send it back.”

“Grandpa, let’s go together,” Jiang Ci said with a smile tinged with tears. “This is the first version of the blueprints designed by Brother Chuan’s father. This can prove that someone altered the blueprints. Your reputation is high at the machinery factory; if you and Director Zhao go together, someone will definitely be willing to testify.”

…

With physical evidence and police involvement, and with Grandpa Jiang and Factory Director Ge visiting each person who knew or participated in the matter back then, Gu Jiansheng was the first to step forward. Those involved were taken to the police station, and little by little, they uncovered another shocking affair that startled the upper echelons. As a result, Cui Pingzhou took over again, and the time to go to the capital was postponed for several months.

Half a month later, Factory Director Ge returned from the Southern Heavy Industry Group, kneeling in front of Grandpa Jiang, crying bitterly. “Master, we compared the blueprints of the newly purchased production line with those from the Southern Heavy Industry Group, and there is an eighty-nine percent overlap in core technology with the blueprints Xiao Ci found. My senior brother’s blueprints were stolen; someone sold his hard work to a group of smugglers who specialize in stealing and selling confidential materials.”

“To cover up the truth, they incited Gu Chengrong to alter my senior brother’s blueprints. The real traitor is Gu Chengrong, that black-hearted scoundrel who has taken my senior brother’s life!”

With irrefutable evidence, on the day of sentencing for Gu Chengrong and the other criminals involved, Miao Xiulan had Gu Qingchuan carry her as they ventured deep into the Qinling Mountains with archaeological personnel and cultural relics experts from the Qin Chuan Museum.

Under a decades-old cypress tree, Gu Qingchuan set his grandmother down. Miao Xiulan’s aged hands touched the rough bark. Among the centuries-old cypress trees, this one, just a few decades old, appeared somewhat small, yet it was the tree she and her husband had planted as their engagement tree on their wedding day.

Miao Xiulan said, “Director Lu, let’s dig here.”

A dozen young soldiers transferred from the engineering battalion dug a pit two meters deep and covered dozens of square meters. Twelve large boxes made of sandalwood lay quietly in the deep pit. Resistant to insects and decay, the sandalwood had preserved its contents for ten years. As the sealed dust was disturbed, everyone could smell the faint fragrance of sandalwood in the air.

Director Lu excitedly jumped down into the pit. The two-meter-deep fall made his legs numb, but he hardly noticed. He swept the dirt off the boxes, and with the key Miao Xiulan had given him, he shakily opened the sandalwood boxes.

Inside were boxes filled with calligraphy and paintings. Director Lu’s two students also jumped down, equally excited. The three of them donned clean white gloves and carefully unrolled a scroll. Lu Ming pushed up his thick glasses and leaned in closely for a detailed examination; it was indeed an authentic piece from a renowned artist of the Song Dynasty.

He carefully rolled it back up and placed it in the box. “Quickly secure these. Don’t open the others. Just take an inventory. We can slowly authenticate many relics when we return them to the museum.”

There were two boxes of calligraphy and paintings, six boxes of porcelain figurines, two boxes of bronze wares, one box of Buddhist scriptures, and one box of oracle bones. Director Lu was overwhelmed with excitement. If calligraphy and porcelain had monetary value, then the oracle bones, Buddhist scriptures, and bronze wares would be invaluable treasures of history with immense research value that could not be measured in money.

However, it didn’t take long for someone to speak enviously. The deputy director of the Qin Chuan Museum, Ji Huaigen, sourly remarked, “Grandma Miao, why don’t I see any gold, silver, or jade? It’s all just cultural artifacts and paintings.”

Ji Huaigen thought to himself that Miao Grandma was just an ordinary citizen; it didn’t make sense for her to only hide cultural relics without any gold or silver, and he suspected she didn’t want to part with them.

Miao Grandma sensed this person’s greedy nature. She calmly replied, “All the gold and silver were taken when the house was searched. As a citizen donating twelve large boxes of relics to the museum, do I still need to be interrogated by you?”

Everyone present glared angrily at Ji Huaigen. Who in Qin Province could suddenly donate twelve boxes of cultural relics? When it reached his mouth, such a spirit of selflessness and patriotism turned into a question of selfishness. Did he want her to donate her entire family’s fortune?

None of the items unearthed were left behind, yet he questioned the elderly woman about the gold and silver. He was still the deputy director, yet had never heard of a requirement to donate gold and silver to a museum. Not only did she not have any, but even if she did, did he have the right to question her about it?

Director Lu angrily shouted, “Deputy Director Ji, you’re not needed here. Go back to the museum and handle your daily affairs.” It was truly embarrassing for the museum.

All twelve boxes were carried down the mountain. Miao Xiulan said to Lu Ming, “Director Lu, you all go down first. I’ll sit a while longer in the spot where my husband planted trees. It’s not easy to come up the mountain, and I might not come back here again.”

Miao Xiulan had shared a deep bond with her late husband. Lu Ming replied respectfully, “Please don’t be too sad, Grandma. The Gu family will surely be revitalized with Brother Chuan and Xiao Ci. You will definitely have many children and grandchildren in the future.”

“Thank you.”

Jiang Ci and Gu Qingchuan quietly accompanied Miao Xiulan. After more than an hour, Miao Xiulan asked, “Has everyone else left?”

“They’ve all gone. Grandma, do you want to head down?”

Miao Xiulan smiled at her granddaughter-in-law. “Head down? Come on, Grandma will take you to dig for gold.”

Jiang Ci and Gu Qingchuan exchanged glances, realizing that Grandma really had hidden something else. To avoid being followed, they took a detour to another secluded valley, where they unearthed another sandalwood box identical in size to the twelve they had found earlier.

Inside the sandalwood box, there were four compartments: one with a large yellow croaker, one with jade and emerald, one with golden pearls, and one filled with jewelry embedded with precious stones. Miao Grandma’s fingers brushed over her wedding jewelry as she sighed, “This is all that’s left.”

Jiang Ci clicked her tongue in surprise. This was all that was left? In her previous life, Grandma had passed away long ago, and this box of jewels, along with the twelve boxes of cultural artifacts and paintings, had remained hidden in the depths of the mountains, unknown to anyone.

Miao Grandma closed the box and instructed Gu Qingchuan to bury it back in the pit. “Xiao Ci, don’t you have a breeding farm in the mountains? After a while, bring this box back home with you.”

She then instructed Gu Qingchuan, “Brother Chuan, your elder sister married into a family that wasn’t well off, but now we don’t look at social status. I asked her, and she said your brother-in-law knows how to care for people and has found a job. Take this box and divide the contents into three portions: give one portion to your elder sister as a supplement to her dowry, keep one portion for Xiao Tingxiang, and you two can keep the rest.”

“Don’t worry, Grandma.” Gu Qingchuan promised to bury the box securely before carrying Miao Grandma down the mountain.

When they reached the front door, they heard Dong Hua and her eldest daughter-in-law, Gong Liping, arguing from a distance. Dong Hua had been locked up for several months and had just been released. Now, she found Gong Liping packing up all the valuables in the house, ready to leave. Dong Hua grabbed her, “You shameless woman! My son is dying, and you’re in such a hurry to remarry! What about my grandsons? Where have you hidden them?”

“I’ve already sent my son back to his maternal home. If I don’t leave, am I supposed to wait for you, you foolish and venomous old hag, to keep causing trouble for me?” Gong Liping’s husband had been sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve, and she hated her mother-in-law with a passion.

“It’s all your fault, you greedy old woman! When I first married, our situation was better than that of the Lao Jiang family. My husband’s cousins were the factory manager and deputy manager; who wouldn’t envy me? It’s because you spoiled my husband and made him spineless, constantly drumming your orders into him, that he ended up committing a crime. Now look at him—he’s lost his life!”

Gong Liping began to cry, pointing at Dong Hua and cursing, “Why isn’t it you who died? You’ve caused my son to grow up without a father. How will they survive in Qin Province? I tell you, Dong Hua, I’ll make sure you never see your grandsons again in your lifetime!”

“Shameless woman! If you want to leave, go ahead, but give me back my grandsons!” Dong Hua chased after Gong Liping, but at her age, she couldn’t keep up. After falling down, Gong Liping had already disappeared without a trace.

Dong Hua picked herself up and immediately saw her most despised person, Miao Xiulan. All the neighbors who could go out today had run to the foot of the mountain to see Miao Xiulan’s donation. A military truck had taken a full load of twelve large boxes to the museum, even more than what had been seized during her own time.

“Miao Xiulan, are you even human? You’d rather donate all those valuable things than give my family one or two…”

“Would a few items satisfy you?” Miao Xiulan stepped forward, facing Dong Hua. “The house you live in was given by me. The furniture you had when you got married was a gift from me. I sponsored your son’s education. Are you satisfied? You’re not! Instead, you turn around and bite me, causing my son’s death.”

Grandma smiled faintly, “Fortunately, I’ve endured it all. Your son has also filled my son’s life. I no longer hate you because my grandson is doing well. He will soon enter military school, and I have a granddaughter-in-law. I actually hope you live a little longer so you can watch my family thrive. That would be the greatest punishment for you.”

Jiang Ci and Gu Qingchuan approached to support the Grandma, who had endured so much pain yet remained unbroken. “Grandma, let’s go home.”

“Alright, let’s go home.”

Jiang Ci looked up; the sun had completely set, and the last glimmer of light had vanished.

“The sun has set,” she said.

Gu Qingchuan squeezed her hand gently, his voice soft, “Don’t be afraid; it will rise again.”

The two exchanged smiles.

The night was not frightening. When they woke up tomorrow, they would still see the sunlight.

The End

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T/N: Sadly, there are no extra chapters. Actually, I have not considered translating this novel; it was a good read, but not everyone’s cup of tea. It was fast-paced and too short, but here I am, I am done translating this. Well, I do hope you liked this novel! Thank you for reading!!

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