Chapter 31

The arrangements for Jiang Ruan’s adoption were finalized. She expressed her desire to continue living at Grandma Huang’s house. She had promised to take care of Grandma in her old age, and she intended to keep her word.

Han Changfeng and the new adoptive father supported her decision, allowing Jiang Ruan to maintain a lifestyle similar to before the adoption. She still went to Qin Yan’s house for work.

Han Changfeng was somewhat concerned. He now addressed Han Huaiye differently, calling him “Dad.” “Dad, Ruan Ruan is innocent and naïve, but Qin Yan is not. Do you think she should continue working as a housekeeper?” he asked.

Han Huaiye replied, “We didn’t adopt her to restrict her freedom. As long as she’s happy, that’s all that matters. There’s no shame in earning money with honest work. Let her continue if she wishes.”

Jiang Ruan was indeed quite happy at the moment. She approached Qin Yan, eager for tasks to do. “Brother Qin Yan, I sold two cans of malted milk for eighty yuan. That’s a lot of money! Hurry up and find more work for me.”

Qin Yan sighed helplessly. There wasn’t much she could do at the moment, but he thought about causing some trouble for Liu Jinyun, who had knowingly mistreated Jiang Ruan.

After giving Jiang Ruan some instructions, she ran off to find her sister-in-law.

The sister-in-law was at her parents’ home, distraught over the child-switching incident. She didn’t know what decision to make. When Jiang Ruan came to see her, she asked, “Sister-in-law, are you worried about the issue with Zhuzi?”

She was indeed worried. No matter how much she thought it over, there seemed to be no perfect solution. Maybe there simply wasn’t a way to satisfy everyone.

Her situation was different from Liu Jinyun’s deliberate actions. Both families were in similar conditions, each with one child who was deeply loved. How could anyone easily part with the child they had raised, or expect the child to accept being swapped back?

“Sister-in-law,” Jiang Ruan said, “I have an idea. Hear me out. If it works, great. If not, don’t blame me.”

“Go ahead,” the sister-in-law said eagerly.

Jiang Ruan, following Qin Yan’s suggestion, explained, “Sister-in-law, you and Brother could sell the two courtyard rooms the family was given after the split. Ask the other family to sell their house too. The combined money could buy four single-story houses for both families. Whether or not you switch the children, you can all live together. That way, each family gains another child, and the children get two sets of parents. Isn’t that better than the current deadlock?”

The sister-in-law was enlightened, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her head. Why hadn’t she thought of this sooner? If her mother-in-law had acknowledged that Jiang Ruan was mistakenly swapped and decided to be honest with the Han family, they wouldn’t be in this current dilemma where every choice seemed wrong.

…

After Jiang Ruan’s adoption, Liu Jinyun wanted to send Han Qingqing back to the Han family, but Jiang Baomin refused. He insisted on keeping Han Qingqing.

“I’m not going to send my biological daughter away for someone else to raise. What would people think of me?” he said.

“You only care about your reputation!” Liu Jinyun cried bitterly.

Jiang Baomin was resolute. “We’ll treat Qingqing the same way we treated Ruan Ruan. If Ruan Ruan could stay in our home, why can’t she? You should reflect on your behavior. Under no circumstances should she be sent back. If she tries to leave, she’ll have to sever ties with this family first.”

He wouldn’t allow Han Qingqing to go to the Han family and make trouble. He even published a notice in the newspaper, formally severing ties with Jiang Jianchun as father and daughter. Besides Liu Jinyun’s strong opposition, this time neither the eldest son nor his wife objected.

The second son wanted to say something but held back after his wife pinched him, remaining silent.

After the family meeting, the eldest sister-in-law glared fiercely at her husband, urging him to speak up. Jiang Wangshan knew that if he mentioned selling the family’s share of the property, his mother would throw a tantrum and refuse to agree.

The sister-in-law was unbothered by the situation. She approached Jiang Baomin and said, “Dad, I’ve discussed a solution for Zhuzi with the other family involved in the child switch. Please hear me out and make a decision.”

Jiang Baomin, who had been eager to know when his real grandson would be brought back after learning about the mix-up, was quick to respond, “Go ahead, tell me.”

The sister-in-law began to cry briefly, then wiped away her tears and said, “Dad, our family has treated Zhuzi well, and the other family has been just as devoted to our child. Lele’s parents only have him, and if we switch the children back, can you really bear to part with Zhuzi, who has called you ‘grandpa’ for five or six years?”

Zhuzi was a clever and beloved child who had been pampered since birth, and Jiang Baomin did indeed have a fondness for him. However, it didn’t seem right to leave his biological grandson, Lele, behind.

The sister-in-law continued, “My husband and I, along with Lele’s parents, have thought of a solution. We could buy some connected single-story houses and move there as neighbors. This way, we can start fresh and avoid gossip. It will also allow both children to stay near their adoptive parents, which will be beneficial for their emotional well-being. That way, you gain an extra grandchild as well.”

The proposal seemed reasonable—it would show the children that both their biological and adoptive parents loved them.

“Alright, I agree,” Jiang Baomin decided.

However, Jiang Baomin’s eldest son and daughter-in-law’s plan to move out did not sit well with Liu Jinyun. “Where will you get the money to buy a house? Don’t expect me to dip into my savings to help you,” she said with a sarcastic tone.

The sister-in-law had anticipated her mother-in-law’s bitterness. She resented the fact that the woman could accept letting her biological daughter live with someone else, but she could not do the same. Even if it meant living frugally, she was determined to raise her own child.

She gave her husband a glare and whispered, “Do you want a divorce?”

Jiang Wangshan had no choice but to speak up. “We don’t have the money, so I plan to sell the two courtyard rooms we inherited after the family split.”

“Sell them? You want to sell my house? Jiang Wangshan, after all I did to raise you and give you a family, this is how you repay your mother?” Liu Jinyun scolded him, leaving Jiang Wangshan too ashamed to lift his head.

The sister-in-law cried, “Dad, who’s to blame for us having to sell the house? It’s all because Mom covered up for Dachun. Now that we’ve finally found a solution, she refuses to sell the house for new ones. Isn’t that just forcing us into a corner?”

After a moment of reflection, Jiang Baomin said, “You’re all my children. I have to be fair. Wangshan can sell his two rooms and use the money to buy the single-story houses. But he must give his younger brother an IOU to repay half the amount in the future. Consider this as us parents leaving something for both of you.”

“As for the two rooms your mother and I live in now, when we pass away, they will go to Dachun and Qingqing. Do you have any objections?”

The eldest son and his wife quickly agreed, “That works for us.”

Jiang Wanghai, the eternal second son of the family, was surprised that his father was still thinking about his share of the inheritance, especially during the family’s worst conflict. He was about to say, “I don’t really need…” when his wife kicked him, and he swallowed the rest of his words.

The second daughter-in-law said, “We’ll follow Dad’s arrangements. There’s no need for an IOU between family members; we trust our elder brother and sister-in-law.”

“An IOU is still necessary,” the sister-in-law replied. “My husband and I live on fixed salaries, but don’t worry, we’ll save and repay you as soon as possible.”

“There’s no rush. We’re family, money shouldn’t divide us.”

…

Jiang Ruan not only suggested the solution to her sister-in-law but also helped them find suitable houses. There was a catch, though: Qin Yan wanted to buy the Jiang family’s courtyard house for 4,000 yuan. The new house for the eldest brother and his wife was located a bit farther from the city center, but it was still a convenient place to live. With future development, it wouldn’t be a bad deal. Plus, it only cost 3,200 yuan and came with front and back courtyards.

After Qin Yan paid for the house transfer, the down payment for the new house was settled.

Qin Yan purchased the house with a large bag full of cash, leaving Jiang Ruan wide-eyed. “Brother Qin Yan, do you have an endless supply of money?” she asked.

Thinking back to his previous life, where he made a fortune despite not caring to live, Qin Yan knew that with proper planning this time around, Jiang Ruan’s spending habits would never run him dry.

Qin Yan said, “If your goal is to empty my bank account, that’s unlikely to happen.”

Jiang Ruan replied, “That’s great! Then I’ll work for you for the rest of my life. You keep making money, and I’ll wish you a long life.”

Qin Yan couldn’t help but laugh for a while.

Jiang Ruan then reported some news, “There’s progress with Shen Yuzhen. She’s truly remarkable; in just a few days, she’s managed to captivate Dr. Mu.”

Qin Yan was a bit taken aback. Shen Yuzhen was indeed skilled at charming people; this was faster progress than he expected. He decided it was time to give Shen Yuzhen a helping hand.

Qin Yan said, “I have another task for you. Shen Yuzhen has a younger brother-in-law who isn’t completely irredeemable. If she wants her in-laws to agree to her remarriage with the child, get this younger brother-in-law to convince his parents. Use both the carrot and the stick. Do you know how to do that?”

“Of course!” Jiang Ruan eagerly rubbed her hands. “I know how to handle the stick, but what’s the carrot?”

“Find him a job where he can make some decent money.”

…

Mu Xuehui was feeling quite frustrated lately. Han Qingqing was turning out to be a useless partner. In the previous life, Han Qingqing had leveraged her family’s connections to run a successful business, benefiting Mu Xuehui greatly through their friendship.

But in this life, Han Qingqing’s starting point was much lower, making her far less useful.

In her previous life, Mu Xuehui had not been so calculating, but after living for so long and seeing the world’s manipulations, she couldn’t afford to be naive after being reborn.

As she reached her house, the smell of delicious food greeted her. Her father never cooked, so she quickly rushed inside. The house was filled with laughter. Her father was relaxing on the sofa, sipping tea and reading the newspaper, while Shen Yuzhen was busy in the kitchen. Three dishes and a soup, all looking delicious, were already prepared.

Shen Yuzhen, both beautiful and attentive, managed to flatter her father while working. “Dr. Mu, you save lives. You should also take care of yourself. Seeing you so thin makes my heart ache. You mustn’t skip this herbal tea even for a day.”

“Alright, alright, I’ll drink it daily,” Mu Yongwang replied, feeling cared for in a way he hadn’t in a long time. To him, Shen Yuzhen was the ideal wife.

Mu Xuehui burned with anger as she watched. This shameless fox! Wasn’t she supposed to be at the research institute seducing Qin Yan’s father? How did she suddenly end up as her potential stepmother?

Suppressing her rage, Mu Xuehui asked, “Dad, why didn’t you mention hiring a maid?”

“Yuzhen isn’t a maid, Huihui. Put down your bag. I have something important to discuss with you.”

“Old Mu, I should leave now. Talk to your daughter after I go.”

Mu Xuehui scoffed internally. What else could they possibly want to talk about? Was Shen Yuzhen trying to marry her father already?

But she took some comfort in the fact that Shen Yuzhen’s in-laws would never agree to let her remarry. She said, “No need, Aunt Shen. Stay and have dinner with us. What is it that you need to tell me?”

Shen Yuzhen lowered her head shyly, while Mu Yongwang bravely took her hand and said to Mu Xuehui, “Huihui, your father has finally found true love and has decided to marry Aunt Shen.”

Mu Xuehui wanted nothing more than to dump the plate of spicy chicken onto Shen Yuzhen’s head. She didn’t even eat spicy food! Apart from the green vegetables, the other two dishes were spicy boiled fish and chili chicken, and even the soup was hot and sour.

Her mother used to cook mild dishes that weren’t to her father’s taste, but Shen Yuzhen was only interested in pleasing her father. Now, she was already giving Mu Xuehui a hard time through the meals. If her father truly married this woman, Mu Xuehui would lose all status in the family.

Mu Xuehui held back her emotions, forcing a smile. “Dad, I’m really happy for you. I’m just worried that Aunt Shen’s in-laws might not approve. Maybe it would be better if Dabao and Xiaobao stayed with their grandparents, and you and Aunt Shen could have another child.”