Jiang Lin rested her head in Cheng Rushan’s arm and touched his firm abs. “So, what do you want to do?”

She didn’t have strict requirements for his job; whether he worked in the fields, drove a car, or did something else didn’t matter to her.

She thought any profession, whether in the military, government, or law enforcement, would be fine as long as he was happy.

Cheng Rushan asked, “If I said I have no big ambitions, would you laugh at me?”

Jiang Lin laughed and then turned to face him, lying on top of him. “Shan Ge, countless facts prove that those who have abilities but no ambition, who are honest and without greed, are the ones who succeed in complex environments.”

She understood Cheng Rushan.

He wasn’t without ambition; rather, he valued a happy family life, being well-fed and clothed, having some spare money and time, and didn’t need great wealth or power.

He saw power as just a means, not something to yearn for.

Most men with some ability would want more power, wealth, fame, or beauty—that’s human nature.

Cheng Rushan’s normal developmental path had been cut off, so he didn’t follow the typical desires.

She hoped he would enjoy his work and not be burdened by power and fame, and especially not be dragged down by others.

Even if he held a high government position, he shouldn’t be manipulated.

Cheng Rushan pulled her closer, gently kissed her, and then they both fell asleep.

---

Outside, the autumn rain began to fall, making the air cooler and more refreshing, perfect for sleeping.

Jiang Lin, exhausted from the night before, was drowsily sleeping when she felt tiny hands grabbing at her chest. Instinctively, she brought the baby close to breastfeed.

She had become quite skilled at this, and after the baby finished feeding on one side, Cheng Rushan would help by switching her to the other side.

Both she and the baby were sleepy, and after feeding, they continued to sleep soundly, with Jiang Lin seeming to pick up where she left off in her dream.

Cheng Rushan changed the baby’s diaper and used a soft cloth to wipe the milk stains from her face.

Her delicate little face showed satisfaction and happiness, and her tiny mouth moved a bit.

His heart softened as he gently placed her on a small blanket with a soft oilcloth underneath.

He covered the baby with a small blanket, placed a pillow in the middle, and then lay down, pulling Jiang Lin into his arms.

He kissed her and fell into a peaceful sleep.

The next morning, when Jiang Lin woke up, Bao Sheng was already awake, lying there and babbling to herself, playing quietly.

According to Cheng Rushan, he would open his eyes and make eye contact with his daughter.

He’d change her diaper, and she would play quietly without crying, being very well-behaved.

Jiang Lin quickly got up to wash up. Meanwhile, Wensheng, Dabao, and Xiaobao also came over, eager to see their sister first.

Yan Runzhi got up and made breakfast. She quietly asked Cheng Rushan, “Dongsheng, can you arrange a car for us? Bao Sheng and I need to go to school every day now.”

Seeing her so happy, Cheng Rushan laughed, “Sure, He Liang has to go to the provincial university to teach a class. He can drive you.”

He Liang was initially an assistant instructor for several classes but was now a main instructor responsible for several classes each day.

Normally, he rode a bicycle, but Cheng Rushan let him use his car instead.

At that time, there weren’t strict rules against using official cars for personal matters, especially since it wasn’t a government department.

Cheng Rushan had work to do, so after a quick breakfast and kissing Jiang Lin and their daughter goodbye, he left for work.

After breakfast, while everyone else was eating, Jiang Lin took her daughter inside to see if she could calm her down.

She wondered why Bao Sheng was okay before but not now. How could such a little one be so clever?

Feeling a bit competitive, Jiang Lin fed Bao Sheng and softly hummed to lull her to sleep.

But even with her eyes half-closed, Bao Sheng clung to her mother’s clothes and wouldn’t let go.

When Jiang Lin tried to pry her little fingers off, Bao Sheng immediately started wailing, tears streaming down her face in less than a second.

Jiang Lin: “…”

Dabao and Xiaobao rushed in, “What’s wrong?”

Jiang Lin quickly soothed Bao Sheng, “It’s okay, it’s okay. Mommy isn’t leaving, not leaving.” She kissed Bao Sheng’s cheek. “You can play with grandpa and grandma at home. Going out with mommy will only get you sunburned.”

Bao Sheng pouted and sobbed, with tears still flowing.

Jiang Lin realized that her baby had become quite cunning.

Just yesterday morning, she was easy to feed and settle down before Jiang Lin went to school.

But today, the baby was fussing, refusing to sleep even though she was clearly tired.

She clung to Jiang Lin’s clothes or fingers, determined not to let go.

When Da Bao and Xiao Bao arrived, the baby cried even harder.

Wen Sheng also came over, and the three brothers were all concerned, asking what was wrong.

Jiang Lin watched as the baby cried with great effort.

This little one… really knows how to manipulate people.

How could she be so clever at such a young age?

Wen Sheng said, “Bao Mei, don’t cry. Mommy will take you to school.”

Da Bao added, “Mom, just take Bao Mei with you. Grandma is going too.”

Xiao Bao chimed in, “Yes, Jiang Lin, if you don’t take Bao Mei, she’ll be so pitiful. You don’t know, she cries at home every day when you’re gone. She won’t drink formula, so she just cries without milk. It’s really sad.”

Jiang Lin sighed and said, “Alright, I’ll take her.” She gave in, not wanting to resist any longer.

Yan Runzhi quickly finished her meal and told Cheng Yunzhi, “Old man, clean up the dishes and then go to the market to buy some vegetables. You can either cook lunch yourself or eat at the cafeteria, but wait for us to return in the evening.”

Jiang Lin added, “If my father were here and had nothing to do, he could come with us too.”

Yan Runzhi replied, “He’s not free. He has to help us buy groceries and then go play chess with a few old friends.”

Cheng Yunzhi used to be absorbed in reading, but now finds it tiring on his eyes.

He prefers to play chess with retired colleagues.

He’s very skilled and well-liked, and the old men always want him to join.

They feel it’s not as enjoyable if he doesn’t come.

Yan Runzhi didn’t want to force him to watch the baby, and since he’d be going to a girls’ dormitory, it would be inconvenient for him anyway.

As Jiang Lin held Bao Mei and got into the car, she was surprised to see the baby’s face with a contented smile.

“You little rascal, what are you so pleased about?” She teased, gently tapping her daughter’s cheek.

Bao Mei immediately smiled, her big eyes curving into crescent shapes, her lashes fluttering.

She was irresistibly adorable.

Jiang Lin sighed, realizing why Cheng Rushan was so doting on their daughter, and why Da Bao and Xiao Bao were so attached to their little sister.

This baby knew how to win people over.

As Bao Sheng grew older, she became quite the little performer.

Now that she could go to school with her mother, she was very happy and no longer had to find clever ways to nurse.

Fang Chengguang even gave her a handmade wooden folding baby stroller, which was very lightweight.

She could lie down in it when she was little, and as she grew older, it could be folded up for her to sit in.

Yan Runzhi would push her around the campus for walks.

When Bao Sheng was sleepy, she would cover her with a small blanket to nap.

When Bao Sheng was hungry, she would wait for Jiang Lin to finish class and nurse her.

They could visit the cafeteria, the library, and even attend dances, living a very comfortable life.

In just a few days, photos of Yan Runzhi pushing Bao Sheng appeared in the school newspaper.

There were candid shots taken by students and sketches by art students.

Yan Runzhi, with her graceful figure, beautiful appearance, and gentle expression, smiled while talking to the soft, cute baby, who smiled back, showing her chubby gums, looking innocent and adorable.

This scene attracted many students.

As a result, Bao Sheng quickly became popular at the provincial university, just like Wensheng, Dabao, and Xiaobao, receiving many small gifts such as rattles, pinwheels, teething rings, and red velvet flowers.

With Yan Runzhi taking Bao Sheng to school, Jiang Lin felt much more at ease.

She no longer had to pump milk or suffer from engorgement and leakage.

She could focus on her classes and work on the construction site, busy and energetic.

But no matter how tired she was, coming back to the dormitory and seeing Yan Runzhi and Bao Sheng, and hearing their gentle and innocent voices, would immediately lift her spirits and fill her with happiness.

Bao Sheng was very well-behaved on campus, rarely crying.

Even when she did cry, it was because she couldn’t express herself otherwise, and it was never a heart-wrenching cry without reason.

In this warm and fulfilling environment, time flew by, and the military district finally underwent restructuring.

…

The provincial military district completely withdrew from interfering with the government, and some institutions began to reform.

Bian Haitao, guided by Meng Yiyi, took off his military uniform and transitioned to a job at the provincial public security bureau, where he thrived and could finally pursue his ambitions.

Fang Chengguang joined the special forces, and without his father’s suppression, he quickly rose through the ranks.

He Liang became a full-time military theory lecturer.

Others transitioned to roles in the public security and judicial departments.

Zhao Quanyou and He Changjiang joined the city public security bureau as police officers, while Du Qiang and others went to the court to become bailiffs.

Cheng Rushan was promoted to the provincial government, taking a position in the Discipline Inspection Commission and also serving as the head of the newly established Integrity Bureau in the Procuratorate.

His subordinates, including Dai Guohua, Duan Chang’an, and Zhu Junjie, were reassigned to the provincial government’s transportation department and maintained business relations with the military’s transportation office.

Others, like Bie Dongshan, joined him in the Integrity Department as key personnel.

At this time, the Integrity Department was known as the Anti-Corruption Bureau.

Bian Haitao, upon learning that Cheng Rushan had moved to the Integrity Bureau, was extremely frustrated.

Right after the Spring Festival, on the 10th day of the new year, Cheng Rushan moved his family from their hometown back to the provincial capital to relocate.

They were moving from the provincial military district to the provincial government compound.

The provincial government compound at that time was not as organized as the military district and was still quite shabby.

With a surge in demand for construction in the provincial capital due to the need for more housing, the original government building department couldn’t keep up.

To meet the high demand, many projects were outsourced to construction teams connected to government officials.

However, these teams lacked professionalism and sufficient expertise, which compromised the safety and quality of the projects.

Eventually, they had to seek help from the provincial university’s architecture department.

The university’s laboratory began recruiting and formed a construction team, which later partnered with the provincial government’s construction department to establish the China X Province Urban Construction Co., Ltd., specializing in urban expansion projects.

Jiang Lin, Su Xingyun, and others worked in the technical design department.

With the increasing openness of economic policies, Jiang Lin also registered a textile import and export company under the name of Shuihuai Village, which became a subsidiary of the Provincial Textile Import and Export Group Co., Ltd., a public-private partnership.

She closed down the brick kiln factory in Shuihuai Village because the commune secretary’s relative had invested in a large mechanized brick kiln factory with a loan.

The new factory produced attractive and durable bricks quickly and at a lower cost, sufficient for the entire commune’s needs. With the village kiln closed, the male laborers could work at the mechanized brick kiln factory and still earn money.

In early summer of 1980, Cheng Rushan’s family moved to the government’s residential compound.

The compound only had small villas and no traditional courtyard houses, with new apartment buildings still under construction.

For now, everyone was living in the old-style tenement buildings.

With a large family, Jiang Lin’s household was assigned two adjacent small rooms.

Cheng Rushan had two large wooden beds custom-made, one for each room.

Yan Runzhi and Cheng Yunzhi, along with Wen Sheng, Da Bao, and Xiao Bao, stayed in the larger room, while Jiang Lin and Cheng Rushan, with their daughter, occupied the smaller room.

The bathroom and water room were shared, and the kitchen was located in the hallway.

This was a typical Soviet-era barracks-style building, often used as dormitories or barracks.

It was very inhumane, with negative comfort and privacy.

The current apartment building was designed by Jiang Lin’s team, featuring bright and clean windows.

The provincial government leaders and staff were full of praise and couldn’t wait to move in once it was completed.

On the Dragon Boat Festival, Jiang Lin went to school in the morning to discuss construction issues with Su Xingyun and Zhang Shaopeng.

She then went home and planned to supervise the construction site at the provincial government in the afternoon.

As she walked into the courtyard, she saw a crowd gathered around, cheering and applauding.

Curious, Jiang Lin approached and discovered that everyone was surrounding Yan Runzhi and Bao Sheng.

Bao Sheng was walking!

Bao Sheng was wearing a red jacket with yellow flowers, black knitted wool overalls, and red corduroy shoes.

Her tiny feet looked very delicate.

She had only learned to stand a few days ago.

Although she wobbled, she didn’t fall and soon stood steadily.

But she hadn’t started walking yet.

Today, she was walking! And she was only ten months old!

The little girl had chubby, rosy cheeks, long and elegant eyebrows, making her big, black eyes look like sparkling grapes.

Her cute little nose and petal-like lips opened and closed as she babbled, “Papa, Papa.”

With each “Papa,” she took a small but steady step forward.

Jiang Lin laughed and hid to tease her, “Bao Sheng—”

Hearing her mother’s voice, Bao Sheng happily stomped her foot, “Papa—”

She seemed clever but was lazy about learning to talk.

She only used “Papa” for everything and everyone.

When Jiang Lin fed her and coaxed her to say “Mama,” Bao Sheng would get anxious, repeatedly saying “Papa.”

Now, she eagerly walked towards Jiang Lin, “Papa, Papa!”