Chapter 59.1

On February 16th, the kindergarten reopened. The little one was reluctant to get out of bed early in the morning, and Jiang Rou’s coaxing was of no use.

Jiang Rou often said that Li Xiao spoiled the child, but in fact, she indulged her even more. An An would act coquettish and throw tantrums in front of her, but it didn’t work on her father. While he might tolerate a bit of fussiness, tantrums were something Li Xiao would not tolerate at all.

Li Xiao told Jiang Rou to go make breakfast and took it upon himself to dress An An.

After Jiang Rou left, he ignored whether An An stayed in bed or not and directly grabbed the clothes to put them on her. The little one knew that her father was resolute and sat up pouting, letting him dress her, and then said unhappily, “Daddy, it’s uncomfortable to wear.”

Li Xiao glanced at the clothes crammed together and calmly pulled at them, “It’s because you’re too chubby.”

An An grumbled, then got out of bed and ran to the kitchen to find Jiang Rou, “Mommy, I can’t lift my arm.”

Jiang Rou poured the hot milk from the pot into a cup and carried breakfast to the dining room. She told An An, “Come here, let mommy take a look.”

An An obediently followed her. After Jiang Rou put down the breakfast and turned around to squat and check, she found that Li Xiao had put An An’s outer clothes on inside out. The large sweater underneath was squeezed into folds. Annoyed, she said, “What are you wearing?”

She helped An An take off the clothes and redress her properly.

An An nodded in agreement, “Daddy is a dummy.”

In the morning, despite An An’s reluctance, she was sent to kindergarten.

A few days ago, Li Xin had gone to school. After sending An An to kindergarten, Li Xiao took Jiang Rou to G University, and the family of three returned to their routine life.

This semester, there were not many changes in Jiang Rou’s class. Besides the more difficult and numerous courses, two students were missing from the class: one was Xu Xiaowen, who had changed her major, and the other was a student named Han Lulu, who seemed to have gone abroad for further studies arranged by her family.

The girl who had been dating Xu Xiaowen had recently become much more low-key because, shortly after Xu Xiaowen changed her major, he had started a new relationship in that class.

Before Xu Xiaowen left, he came to find Jiang Rou and said he was leaving. Jiang Rou found it puzzling and thought, if he was leaving, then let him go. Did he expect to have a fight with her before leaving?

Jiang Rou couldn’t be bothered with him. After tidying up her books, she went to the cafeteria to find Dong Mingming.

Dong Mingming was now very envious of Lin Shujun. Despite Lin Shujun having found a partner after her, and that partner being introduced by Jiang Rou, Lin Shujun got married so quickly after the New Year. It had only been a few months.

“She’s married, and you’ve had a child. Only I am still in a relationship. It’s really unfair.”

“… What’s there to compare?”

Dong Mingming was clearly displeased. “You don’t know how clingy they are. Fu Fei brings her meals every day, and sometimes even cooks himself. My boyfriend doesn’t do that.”

“Then why don’t you find another one?”

Dong Mingming quickly changed her tune, “Well, it’s not that severe. He’s indeed very busy, only sleeps four or five hours a day, and sometimes even works through the night. His group can’t do without him…”

Whenever she started talking about her boyfriend, she could go on endlessly. Jiang Rou was used to this from her.

Dong Mingming suddenly remembered something and laughed, “This New Year, Dong Chenglei found another excuse not to come back, saying he was going abroad for a conference. So I just took my mom to my boyfriend’s house for the holiday.”

Jiang Rou looked up in surprise, “Did your mom agree?”

Dong Mingming was confident, “Of course. My mom always goes along with me. As long as she likes my boyfriend, that’s enough for her. She likes Shen He so much now that she just calls him Xiao He. I told my mom that my boyfriend didn’t know we were wealthy, so she should dress modestly. My mom even went out to buy some inexpensive clothes. Initially, she was a bit unhappy, but she forgot all about Dong Chenglei while having fun.”

“My boyfriend’s family isn’t well-off, but his parents are really nice people. His mom’s health wasn’t great; she used to work in a textile factory, and his dad was a retired senior police officer. My mom had a great time talking with them.”

Dong Mingming’s face was lit up with a smile. Her father’s criticism hadn’t crushed her or filled her world with resentment and distrust. On the contrary, it seemed she had a clearer understanding of what was truly important and cherished what she had even more.

Seeing her so happy, Jiang Rou couldn’t help but feel pleased for her, “That’s wonderful. You probably won’t have any mother-in-law issues in the future.”

Dong Mingming’s smile grew even brighter, “My mom likes me a lot. The first time we met, she gave me a big gold bracelet. Now she often invites me over for meals, and whenever they have something good to eat, she calls me. Actually, my mom is quite pitiable. Shen He said that before he was born, he had an older sister who died from an illness when she was young. His mom was deeply affected by it, and perhaps because of that, she treats me almost like her own daughter.”

Jiang Rou sincerely said, “Life will get better and better.”

“Yeah, I think so too.”

On Friday afternoon, with no classes, Jiang Rou decided to pick up her child from kindergarten and even lied to the teacher, saying she had something to attend to and had to take the child early.

The teacher did not ask many questions and waved goodbye after helping Jiang Rou pack up her things.

An An was delighted to be dismissed early and bounced along holding Jiang Rou’s hand, waving and saying goodbye to the classmates behind her.

The envious looks from her little friends made her feel quite pleased.

Once they were outside the school, An An looked up and asked, “Mommy, what are you going to do?”

Jiang Rou gave a mischievous smile, “Mommy is taking you to eat something delicious.”

She then placed An An in the back seat of the car, rode off, and took her to lunch. After lunch, they went shopping, where they bought a Donald Duck toy, cotton candy, and balloons. They also played ring toss, but An An didn’t manage to get any rings on the prizes. Jiang Rou took the last ring from her hand and won the porcelain doll toy that An An wanted.

An An clapped her hands excitedly, “Mommy is great!”

Jiang Rou handed the porcelain doll toy to her, and An An was even happier. She held the doll up and said to Jiang Rou, “This is Mommy, Daddy, and An An.”

The red, festive porcelain doll toy depicted the family of three. Hearing this, Jiang Rou’s heart softened. “Sit tight, we’re going to find Daddy.”

“Okay, An An will give the doll to Daddy.”

By the time Jiang Rou and An An arrived at the factory, it was already three in the afternoon. She went straight to Li Xiao’s office but did not find him there.

An An was very familiar with her father’s office. She immediately dropped her little backpack, kicked off her shoes, and started bouncing on the sofa. Then she remembered something, ran to rummage through her father’s drawer for snacks, and immediately shared them with Jiang Rou.

Jiang Rou sat in Li Xiao’s executive chair to rest for a while, wondering how her daughter could be so full of energy.

While the mother and daughter were leisurely eating snacks, they suddenly heard voices outside. Since Jiang Rou hadn’t closed the door tightly when she came in, they could hear the conversation.

An An recognized her father’s voice and was about to call out when Jiang Rou quickly covered her mouth.

—o—o—o—

Outside the Office.

Li Xiao’s face was cold as he instructed Cao Wang to send his mother back to her hometown.

“… You should have figured out what happened with your ex-wife from the last time. If you had any sense, you’d know what to do without waiting for me to remind you. If your son hadn’t come to me that night, your ex-wife might have ended up in a serious situation. Yes, you think that since she’s been saved now, it’s not a big deal. But have you considered what kind of consequences it would have had for the factory if something had really happened?”

“Once people find out that someone died in our factory, who will still want to buy our products? Who would be willing to cooperate with our factory in the future? We currently have 230 employees, and so many people need to support their families. If something really happened, could you bear the responsibility?”

“Look at what your mother has done. If I hadn’t gone to check, I wouldn’t have known our factory had turned into a trash dump. We’re a food factory—why is she picking up that garbage? Huh? Does she have a grudge against me? If others find out, do you know what the consequences will be?”

“Cao Wang, as a key member of our factory, is this the kind of leadership you provide? Do you still have the nerve to come and ask me if I’m biased towards your wife? What, do you suspect I have ulterior motives towards your wife? Are you completely brainless?”

Li Xiao scolded without any courtesy, his voice growing louder with each sentence, indicating his clear anger.

—o—o—o—

Inside the office, An An pushed her mother’s hand away from her mouth and whispered, “Daddy is angry again.”

Jiang Rou was surprised by how fierce Li Xiao was outside. She couldn’t help but ask her daughter, “Has Daddy ever scolded people like this before?”

An An nodded seriously, “He has scolded a lot of people. They are all very afraid of Daddy.”

“…” It was hard to believe.

—o—o—o—

Cao Wang felt embarrassed as many people downstairs were watching. He tried to save face, “My mom said you kept holding onto my wife’s hand that night, and before that, you also called her for private conversations several times…”

“Damn it!”

Li Xiao’s face turned grim in anger. “Do you really think I have a good temper? Do you think our factory can’t function without you? If I hadn’t felt sorry for you back then, do you really think I couldn’t find someone else?”

Li Xiao was too annoyed to waste any more words with him. He turned to the people who had been eavesdropping downstairs and said, “Come up and listen well. The factory belongs to everyone, not to any one person. The better the factory does, the better our lives will be. So don’t think you can curry favor with me or talk about old times. If everyone starts bringing up old grievances, will this factory still be operational? I only care about individual ability. If you have skills, I’ll value you. If not, just do your own job. I don’t want to deal with your personal affairs. Keep your family problems away from me. I’m not a saint; I don’t save people only to gain enemies.”

“Let me reiterate: anyone who does harm to the factory in the future, I will not be lenient. I don’t care if you’re one of my old associates.”

He then turned to Cao Wang, “Cao Wang, let me give you a final notice. Your mother must leave the factory by tomorrow. Either she leaves, or both of you leave together. No negotiations.”

“Finally, because Cao Wang’s personal abilities are lacking, the supervision of the branch factory’s construction work will be transferred to Yan Chang starting today.”

The factory staff who had been eavesdropping downstairs all came up obediently. No one dared to speak, and the entire third floor was so quiet that a pin drop could be heard.

After finishing his words, Li Xiao slammed the door and went back into his office.

A sudden burst of applause erupted outside, accompanied by the excited voice of a young man, “Director, I’m sure I did better than Cao Wang.”

Cao Wang’s face immediately turned pale.

At the entrance, Zhou Jian stepped out and said, “Alright, that’s enough. Everyone, go back to your own business. Don’t spread rumors about the director. It’s all nonsense. The director and the boss’s wife have a great relationship. If the boss’s wife hears any of this, things could get troublesome.”

“Our director is kind-hearted and does good deeds, yet people still maliciously speculate about him. It’s really too much. Who wouldn’t want to spend the New Year’s Eve peacefully with their wife and children? Running out to save people at two or three in the morning—just ask which boss can do that?”

As soon as Zhou Jian finished speaking, someone immediately agreed, “Some people just take advantage of the director’s good nature to bully others.”

“Not very capable, but skilled at framing others.”

—o—o—o—

Jiang Rou didn’t hear any more of what was being said. When Li Xiao entered, he saw Jiang Rou sitting at his desk and was momentarily stunned. His expression gradually returned to calm, and he then asked with a smile, “How come you’re here?”

Jiang Rou replied, “This afternoon, the teachers in the courtyard held a meeting and gave us a break, so I came to find you.”

Li Xiao walked over, placed the booklet he was holding on the desk, and then picked up a cup to get some water. After returning, he walked over to Jiang Rou, and as he was about to bend down to affectionately embrace her, Jiang Rou quickly dodged. Li Xiao wouldn’t let her escape and leaned down to give her a kiss on the lips.

From the moment he entered, An An had been hiding under the desk, originally intending to surprise his dad. However, he ended up witnessing this scene. The little one blinked his big eyes and suddenly touched his face with his finger, saying, “Daddy, shy.”

“……”

Li Xiao turned his head to meet the little one’s big eyes, then, maintaining a composed demeanor, stood up and asked, “What are you doing here too?”

Jiang Rou, with a flushed face, straightened her posture, cleared her throat, and looked up at the ceiling, pretending to be absorbed in the room.

An An crawled out from under the desk, looked at his dad, then at his mom, and didn’t answer the question. Instead, he curiously said, “I saw you two kissing.”

“……”

Fearing she might say more, Li Xiao changed the topic and asked Jiang Rou, “Did you hear what was said outside just now? Were you scared?”

Jiang Rou nodded seriously, “I heard some of it. I wasn’t scared.”

Feeling that this response seemed too careful, she quickly added, “How is Qin Xiuxiu doing?”

A few days ago, Jiang Rou had heard from Zhou Jian that Qin Xiuxiu had divorced and left with her child, leaving everything behind. Zhou Jian had rearranged her accommodation, placing her far from Cao Wang.

Previously, Zhou Jian had been with Qin Xiuxiu for a while before, and Li Xiao was determined to train her well. Cao Wang, who had been with them for a long time, was an older man, but his skills were mediocre, which made it difficult for him to be promoted. However, if they pushed him aside and marginalized him further, it would make their factory seem heartless. So, when Li Xiao saw that Qin Xiuxiu showed potential, he had her assist others in the factory.

Unexpectedly, after spending more time with her, he realized that Qin Xiuxiu was truly exceptional. She was careful, thoughtful, and intelligent, much better than he had been when he first started. Back then, he needed constant reminders from his brother.

Since Qin Xiuxiu is the only one supporting her children, as long as she is willing to work hard, there will be plenty of opportunities in the factory, and she will certainly make a name for herself in the future. Taking care of her now would ensure her loyalty to the factory later, a win-win situation.

Li Xiao turned and retrieved a thick ledger from the nearby bookshelf, “She should be fine. According to Zhou Jian, she’s been learning to read recently.”

Jiang Rou nodded, believing that Qin Xiuxiu’s future would not be too bleak.

Li Xiao flipped through the ledger briefly and then put it back, “Alright, it’s getting late. Let’s go home.”

Jiang Rou stood up as well and reached out to hold An An’s hand, but the little one looked up at them curiously. “Didn’t I just ask why you kissed? Why won’t you answer me? You’re avoiding the question.”

He said this while casting them a sidelong glance.

“……”

Were children really this sharp nowadays?

Jiang Rou blushed and directly handed the child to Li Xiao, giving him a light glare, indicating he should handle it himself.

Li Xiao’s face grew awkward. He then sternly addressed An An, “Why are you asking so many questions? Your mom and I are married. What’s wrong with giving her a kiss?”

An An responded confidently, “But I’m your baby, so why do you always kiss me here and here?”

He pointed at his cheek and forehead with his little chubby fingers.

Li Xiao replied simply, “I didn’t kiss you there, that was your mother. In this family, I can only kiss her because we’re husband and wife.”

An An didn’t fully understand what he heard, but Jiang Rou, who was walking ahead, heard everything. Noticing that Li Xiao was getting more and more ridiculous, she scolded him with irritation, “That’s enough. Let’s hurry up and go. Stop talking nonsense.”

Li Xiao saw that An An still wanted to speak, so he gently pinched her upper and lower lips. “Alright, listen to your mother.”

An An stared at him with wide eyes, her expression mirroring Jiang Rou’s exactly.

It was a look Li Xiao had often seen from Jiang Rou when she was annoyed with him. He couldn’t help but laugh.

As the family of three just came down the stairs, Qin Xiuxiu suddenly ran over in a hurry, calling out, “Boss—”

Li Xiao, holding An An, stopped and turned to look, frowning, “What’s the matter?”

Qin Xiuxiu, teary-eyed, asked with concern, “Boss, I don’t want to leave.”

Li Xiao wasn’t sure what she had heard but didn’t feel like explaining. He answered directly, “You don’t have to leave. If you want to stay, keep working.”

Qin Xiuxiu wiped her tears and hummed gratefully. Watching the backs of Li Xiao, Jiang Rou, and An An as they walked away, she bowed deeply, performing a 90-degree bow.

At that moment, Cao Wang’s mother also ran over, with Cao Wang following behind her.

Seeing her mother-in-law approaching to cause trouble with the boss, Qin Xiuxiu wiped her tears, gritted her teeth, and fiercely pulled her back.

Cao Wang’s mother watched as Li Xiao’s family got into their car and left. Enraged, she turned and began hitting people. Qin Xiuxiu, for the first time, fought back and, after a brief struggle, forcefully pushed her away. “The boss has spoken. You must leave by tomorrow, or you and your son will go home together.”

After saying this, she didn’t even glance at Cao Wang and turned to run away.

Cao Wang’s mother stunned that her usually submissive daughter-in-law had the audacity to stand up to her, yelled in rage, “You shameless woman! You’re hooking up with other men now, and you dare to push me? I always knew you were a loose woman who couldn’t live without a man. Do you think the Big Boss really cares about you? Take a look in the mirror!”

Cao Wang shouted, “Stop talking.”

Cao Wang’s mother was startled, “Why are you shouting at me?”

She then covered her face and cried, “I knew it, you’re just like your brothers, always listening to your wife’s words…”

Cao Wang looked at his mother and, for some reason, felt a surge of sadness. He didn’t understand why a once-happy family had ended up like this.

—o—o—o—

The next day, despite his mother’s desperate clinging, Cao Wang sent her away and stayed behind. However, he soon realized that the other workers at the factory looked at him with disdain. The female employees, in particular, would curse at him whenever they saw him, calling him a fool and a mindless sycophant. Even the cafeteria lady would deliberately serve him smaller portions of food.

After two weeks, Cao Wang couldn’t bear it any longer and decided to leave. Before he left, he went to meet Qin Xiuxiu and asked if she wanted to return to their hometown with him, to start over.

Qin Xiuxiu refused without hesitation. She could already imagine what life would be like back in their hometown—she never wanted to live that way again. Life was better now, even though it was poorer. She had her dignity, didn’t have to flatter anyone, didn’t have to watch others’ expressions, and didn’t have to humbly hope that a man would believe in her.

She only wanted to work hard to earn money and buy a house, so her two children could have a better life.

After receiving her answer, Cao Wang was silent for a moment. Then, he handed over all his savings to Qin Xiuxiu. She declined, saying, “I don’t need it now.”

She had needed it before, but he hadn’t given it to her. Now that she could earn it herself, she didn’t need his money.

“I have things to do, so I’ll be going now.”

Qin Xiuxiu turned and left, not even glancing back at him.

Cao Wang watched her retreating figure with a heavy heart. Since the divorce, he had felt that Qin Xiuxiu had completely transformed. She spoke up boldly and was no longer afraid to refuse him.

—o—o—o—

Lucia: As she should!