Zhao Pozi pretended not to understand, “Little sister, what are you saying? Aren’t all our matters things you already know? What else is there to say? Haha.” She smiled at her old man.

Zhao Lao Han was not good with words and felt a bit awkward standing in someone else’s home, not knowing where to put his hands or feet.

Jiang Lin said, “Let’s be open and honest. Initially, when I brought the two children here, I actually intended to deceive you for money. Later, seeing how hard you all had it, I felt ashamed. I apologize to you both.” She bowed to them.

Zhao Pozi quickly reached out to support her, “Little sister, please don’t stand on ceremony. It’s our greediness. Where can you buy such good children for two hundred? Would two hundred be enough for me to be their godmother?” She laughed again.

Cheng Dabao, watching from the side, nudged Xiao Bao and whispered, “Mom admits her mistake. She’s a good, and you should be like that too.”

Xiao Bao replied, “I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Yan Runzhi, hearing Zhao Pozi’s intention, understood she wanted to acknowledge Dabao and Xiaobao as godsons.

There was a local custom of acknowledging children as godchildren for their better upbringing.

However, people generally believed that having godchildren would bring bad luck to their biological children, so unless they had a particularly good relationship, they would not do so.

She guessed that Zhao Pozi might want to acknowledge them as godsons since she didn’t have children of her own, which might indeed bring prosperity to future generations.

Yan Runzhi discreetly tugged at Jiang Lin’s sleeve, suggesting that being a godmother would be acceptable, as it would solidify the bond between the two families and settle the matter.

Jiang Lin understood and smiled, “You are too kind. If you really like the children, let’s acknowledge the relationship of godmother. But could you tell me the truth?”

Zhao’s family used to buy children.

Why the sudden change in attitude? She needed to clarify this question.

Dabao and Xiaobao ran to fetch small stools and grassy mounds for them to sit on.

Zhao Pozi quickly brought out candies for the two boys.

Xiao Bao wanted to accept them but was stopped by Cheng Dabao, who gestured with his eyes towards Jiang Lin and Yan Runzhi.

Jiang Lin said, “Grandma isn’t a bad person. Go ahead and take them.”

The two boys happily accepted the candies.

Xiao Bao stuffed his pockets full and even tried to put some in Yan Runzhi’s apron pocket, while Cheng Dabao supervised him to ensure he didn’t put too many in his mouth.

The group settled in front of the door.

The sun was setting, casting a golden glow in the courtyard, cooler than during the day.

Zhao Pozi smiled, “Let’s start from the beginning. Ever since Zhiqing Jiang and Dabao Xiaobao visited our village, our home has been lively. Many people have come since then.”

Jiang Lin listened quietly, imagining that Liu Honghua and Chang Jihong had likely come, making the situation quite lively.

After hesitating for a moment and exchanging glances with her old man, Zhao Pozi continued, “Little sister, actually, on the second or third day after you left, a girl came looking for you.”

Jiang Lin was surprised, “Who? What did she look like?”

“It was the one who ran over and got scared away by Xiao Bao with the insects.”

“Damn you, Meng Yiyi!” Jiang Lin thought suspiciously.

Why did she go to Zhao’s house?

“What did she ask about?” Jiang Lin asked.

Zhao Pozi replied, “She just asked about the situation back then.”

She recalled that when Jiang Lin took Dabao and Xiaobao away, Zhao Pozi and Zhao Lao Han felt manipulated and swindled out of several dollars, which kept them up all night.

Later, when Meng Yiyi came to ask about Jiang Lin selling her son, Zhao Pozi was annoyed and said, “What nonsense about selling her son? She didn’t sell anything; she came to deceive us.”

She demanded ten thousand dollars; what else could it be if not a deception?

No one in the village has ten thousand dollars.

Meng Yiyi carefully asked about Jiang Lin’s visit, but Zhao Pozi refused to speak, feeling annoyed.

Later, Meng Yiyi took out three dollars, but Zhao Pozi demanded eight dollars, trying to get back the money Jiang Lin swindled from her.

Despite her headache, Meng Yiyi agreed.

Zhao Pozi then admitted that Jiang Lin came with her children and initially mentioned one hundred, then two hundred, and finally, she knelt down and demanded ten thousand.

It was just a few sentences, repeated over and over without anything new.

However, Meng Yiyi emphasized to Zhao Pozi several times that Jiang Lin did go to sell her son.

It was just that they couldn’t agree on the price.

She also asked Zhao Pozi to remember this if anyone else asked.

Later, when Liu Honghua and Chang Jihong went, Zhao Pozi said the same thing.

Jiang Lin thought to herself, ‘Damn you, Meng Yiyi! This is doubting my character, questioning before and after, and digging a pit for myself. Is Meng Yiyi planning for Liu Honghua or someone else to go to Zhao’s house to confirm?’

Is she instigating my unsuccessful return to the city, trying to set me up? If Cheng Rushan and Yan Runzhi knew that I really went to sell my child, wouldn’t they turn against me?

It seemed that Cheng Rushan was thinking, otherwise, there would be nothing I could use to lure her.

She hated men who cheated, but she also disliked women who hooked up with other men. If all men in the world are extinct, you still have to stare at me?

Jiang Lin was angry from the bottom of her heart. “Alright, you’re unrighteous, but don’t blame me for being unjust!”

“Then how did you think of changing your mind?”

As Meng Yiyi expected, Liu Honghua and Chang Jihong went to find Zhao Pozi to verify the situation, which would definitely make Zhao Pozi confirm that she had sold her child, causing a rift between herself and the Cheng family.

Zhao Pozi said, “I think they have evil intentions and add oil and vinegar to their words. Although I have no children, I cannot be unscrupulous. So I discussed this matter with my old man.”

Jiang Lin didn’t believe Zhao Pozi’s smooth words about Meng Yiyi and Liu Honghua.

Her story was filled with stumbling blocks, suggesting that there was more to the situation.

“Is there nothing else?” It wasn’t that Jiang Lin was suspicious, but she felt it wasn’t normal for Granny Zhao to help her without reason.

Liu Honghua and the others had gone to Granny Zhao, trying to pressure and tempt her into joining forces against her.

But now, instead of opposing her, Granny Zhao had helped resolve the trouble.

Jiang Lin felt there had to be more to it.

Love doesn’t come without a reason.

Even though Zhao Pozi said she admired Dabao and Xiaobao and wanted to adopt one as her godson, they had initially wanted to buy a son and hadn’t mentioned adopting a godson.

Now suddenly wanting to adopt one, Jiang Lin naturally felt something was wrong.

Jiang Lin: “I think you should explain things clearly to us.”

Granny Zhao hesitated again, glancing at Zhao Lao Han.

Zhao Lao Han said, “There’s nothing we can’t tell her, just say it.”

Granny Zhao playfully scolded him, implying there were things she couldn’t talk about.

Zhao Lao Han said, “He only said not to tell outsiders. Big sister isn’t an outsider.”

Granny Zhao thought for a moment. “That’s true. Big sister, a few days ago, two young men came to our house. One was tall and handsome, and the other looked like a educated youth.”

Jiang Lin: !! Could it be Cheng Rushan and Qian Bo?

Cheng Rushan did say he was returning to the provincial capital with Qian Bo.

How did they end up at Zhao’s house?

Before, Wei Qiongfang mentioned the incident about selling children.

She thought Cheng Rushan took it as a joke and wouldn’t mind it.

Unexpectedly, he actually went to Zhao’s house.

So does that mean he does care?

He asked around discreetly, then went to investigate at Zhao’s house, and even had Zhao’s family help cover it up for her.

What does that mean?

Does he believe her or not?

Is he not going to hold her accountable?

If he was angry, he should have come back that day to settle scores.

Since he didn’t, does it mean he believes she didn’t really intend to sell the child, but was just playing around or for some other reason?

She carefully asked the couple about Cheng Rushan’s visit.

That afternoon, when the couple returned from work to cook, two young men came to their door.

One of them was tall and thin, handsome with bright, cold eyes, which looked quite intimidating.

At that time, Zhao’s wife was worried he might be someone from the government and was very scared.

But he spoke up and asked about the incident where a woman brought two children to sell.

The man looked so intimidating that she didn’t even dare to think of deceiving him, and honestly told him everything about how Jiang Lin brought the children.

Initially, she said she wanted 100 yuan for selling the children, but later demanded 200.

After some back and forth and banging her head, she got up and didn’t want 200 yuan, but 10,000 yuan.

She even said she wanted the children to be adopted instead of being sold, which is illegal.

It was clear she didn’t really want to sell them and was just playing around.

Of course, this also includes the nonsensical things Jiang Lin said after hitting her head.

She recounted this entire process truthfully to Cheng Rushan.

Zhao’s wife couldn’t help but complain to Cheng Rushan, “That woman wasn’t serious about selling the children, she deliberately came to play tricks on us. If she really wanted to sell, who would ask for 10,000 yuan?”

Cheng Rushan didn’t comment at all, just listened.

He kept asking them over and over again until Zhao’s couple couldn’t provide any new information.

When Jiang Lin heard Zhao’s wife say that Cheng Rushan had asked repeatedly about the situation at that time, she couldn’t help but recall the incident when she couldn’t resist swearing at Bian Haitao, so she asked Zhao’s wife about it.

Zhao’s wife was a bit embarrassed and said, “The young man asked, at first we didn’t recall, but then he asked like this and like that.

The old man remembered you cursing that person, we didn’t know him and didn’t remember his name clearly.

But the young man knew his name was Bian Haitao.”

Cheng Dabao immediately stared disapprovingly at Jiang Lin.

That name, the old witch always talked about, urging her to go find that man!

Jiang Lin deliberately ignored his piercing gaze, but she thought to herself that Cheng Rushan indeed knew Bian Haitao.

What was he thinking?

Knowing she cursed Bian Haitao, he should think she had cut off her past and was living a good life now, right?

Forget it, don’t overthink it.

Jiang Lin asked again, “Did he ask you to say you were adopting the child?”

Zhao’s wife said, “That was my idea. At the time, the big brother said if no one came asking about it, we should forget it.

When he comes back, he’ll bring his wife and son to formally acknowledge the relationship.

If someone comes asking about this, just go along with them and say we’ll discuss the formal acknowledgment when we see the eldest sister.

We didn’t expect the big brother had actually calculated it out, and indeed someone came asking about it.”

Of course, she couldn’t tell Jiang Lin that the big brother was quite scary.

When he spoke to her and the old man, he had a smile on his face, but his eyes held knives.

Zhao’s couple told Jiang Lin that Jiang Zhiqing wasn’t actually there to sell the child; it seemed more like she was causing trouble and playing games with people.

Even if the big brother hadn’t come to explain, they would have told the truth.

They wanted the child for themselves and weren’t greedy for money!

They absolutely wouldn’t be bribed to harm others! They weren’t bad people!

After Jiang Lin asked, she understood that Cheng Rushan took Wei Qiongfang’s gossip to heart.

He asked about it while walking with Qianbo, then investigated at Zhao’s house and arranged things.

Thinking about how attentive Cheng Rushan was, Jiang Lin felt a bit uneasy.

She was glad he helped sort things out, but worried he might suspect her.

Yan Runzhi, however, was delighted. “Bao’er’s Mother, I knew Dongsheng cares about you. He must have heard gossip and got upset, so he arranged this before leaving.”

Zhao’s wife went to see Dabao and Xiaobao again, feeling rare excitement. “Jiang Zhiqing, can we consider each other as relatives? With Dabao and Xiaobao calling me mother, maybe we’ll have children of our own in the future.”

Jiang Lin replied, “You two should see a doctor for infertility instead of indulging in superstitions.”

She looked at Yan Runzhi.

Yan Runzhi wanted to say, “Mother Bao, you decide,” but seeing Zhao Pozi’s expression, she said, “I think it’s good to recognize each other as relatives. This way, we’ll have two more people caring for our Dabao.”

There used to be many rituals for adopting godparents and godmothers, picking auspicious days, giving gifts, and holding ceremonies.

Nowadays, it’s simplified to having a meal together, then the child bows three times to the godparents, who give money or gifts, and the child gives gifts to the godparents.

Zhao’s Pozi gave their names: the man was Zhao Dagen, and her maiden name was Wang Lanzhi.

They were quite old-fashioned in appearance, with Zhao Dagen being thirty-five this year and Wang Lanzhi thirty-two. Wang Lanzhi had done physical labor since childhood at her parents’ home, weathering storms, and looked like she was in her forties even though she was only in her thirties.

Some people thought she must have worn herself out during her maidenhood, which is why she hadn’t had children.

Jiang Lin said, “Let Dabao and Xiaobao kowtow to their godparents. When their father returns, we’ll visit them again.”