☆ 6. The Portrait

With the owner not at home, Ji Meng, not accustomed to waiting for news at other people’s houses. After closing the door to Su Youqing’s home and leaving, she headed to the nearby families that grew a lot of vegetables, planning to exchange some money for rice and vegetables.

Earlier, when she spoke with Qiuqiu about trading rice and vegetables, it wasn’t entirely to comfort her.

They really had no rice or vegetables left at home.

Su Cheng had gone on a mission more than half a month ago. After being shot three times during the battle, he fell off a cliff while struggling an enemy and died. The cliff was deep, and below it was the sea, with many rocky stones, they couldn’t even recover his body.

Fearing that he wouldn’t find his way back home, the army sent back a portrait of him, and the village helped organize a grand funeral for him.

All the chickens and ducks raised at home had been slaughtered, and the vegetables grown by Fang Aihua and the allocated grains were nearly all used up.

When Ji Meng went to cook at noon, the rice jar was nearly empty, and the only vegetables left were two sprouting potatoes, a wilted bunch of vegetables, and a small piece of cured meat.

Having just arrived, Ji Meng didn’t have the mindset typical of people from this era who could eat a few meals with a small plate of pickled vegetables. She took all those ingredients out for lunch, knowing that if she didn’t trade for some vegetables to take back, there would be nothing to eat by evening.

Since the original owner had a bad reputation in the village, word had spread about her leaving in the morning. When Ji Meng went to exchange for vegetables, the villagers were surprised to see her, looking as if they wanted to say something but hesitated. Ji Meng pretended not to notice and took out her money to explain her purpose.

Every household in the village could grow vegetables in their yards, basically being self-sufficient, even having extra to spare. If someone offered money to buy vegetables, they were more than happy to provide an additional source of income for their family.

For a moment, no one cared how the person who had already left had returned, so they quickly gathered some vegetables from their homes.

By the end of February, the variety of vegetables wasn’t particularly large, but there were still quite a few.

The white radishes, lettuce, and amaranth in the fields were growing particularly well, and a casual pull would yield a basket full. Ji Meng also managed to get some spring bamboo shoots that she brought back from the mountains. Seeing a family hanging dried chicken and rabbit under their eaves, she collected some of those too.

Ji Meng was always generous when it came to food, and although she only had a vague idea about current prices, she hadn’t yet adapted and was very liberal with her spending. Upon hearing her offers, people were eager to trade everything with her.

With enthusiastic selling and some rice and flour exchanged, Ji Meng quickly left with her hands full.

Qiuqiu was still at home waiting when Ji Meng quickly returned after trading for the vegetables.

Just as she arrived at the door, she heard a clear voice call out:

“Mom, you’re back!”

Looking up, she saw Qiuqiu sitting on a stone outside the courtyard. When Qiuqiu spotted Ji Meng, her eyes lit up, and she quickly ran towards her.

“What are you doing outside? Where’s Grandma?”

Qiuqiu ran quickly, her small figure like a gust of wind. Worried that she might fall, Ji Meng hurriedly put down what she was carrying and caught her.

“Grandma has woken up. She asked me to come out and wait for you.”

“Mom, if you’re tired, you can go rest in the house. Grandma Manman came by a little while ago and helped her back to her room.”

Since Ji Meng left, Qiuqiu had already come out to check a couple of times. When Ji Meng first left, Qiuqiu had peeked outside and, seeing her mother carrying a hammer out of the door, she felt an inexplicable uneasiness. She worried that her mother was going to do something dangerous.

Now that her mother had returned safely, the heavy stone in her heart finally lifted. She looked up at Ji Meng, her eyes sparkling like stars, her soft voice light and sweet, like a yellow oriole singing.

Ji Meng gazed at her delicate smiling face, her expression softening unconsciously. “Okay, but Mom isn’t tired. Let’s go see Grandma first.”

“I’ll help Mom carry it.”

Qiuqiu said this and went to help Ji Meng with the basket of vegetables.

There were quite a few vegetables and meat, making the basket heavy. The little girl didn’t have enough strength and struggled to lift it. After trying a couple of times with all her might, her little face turned red from the effort.

Seeing this, Ji Meng quickly took the basket. “It’s fine, Mom can handle it. You’re too little to lift it. You can help when you’re stronger.”

“I’ll help Mom carry some first.”

Qiuqiu really couldn’t lift much, but seeing so many things, she was worried her mother would tire out. After thinking for a moment, she picked a few larger, heavier radishes from the basket and hugged them in her arms.

A few big white radishes didn’t lighten the load much, but they did make the basket feel a bit lighter, and it was the thought that counted.

Feeling warm inside, a smile appeared in Ji Meng’s eyes.

“Thank you, Qiuqiu. You’re amazing, Mom feels so much lighter now.”

Having grown up without ever being praised by her mother, Qiuqiu felt her heart race. Her little face grew warm as she hugged the white radishes tightly, feeling a bit shy and lowering her head.

“Qiuqiu will help Mom more in the future.”

After they got home and put everything in the kitchen, Qiuqiu eagerly volunteered to help tidy up.

Seeing her so engaged, Ji Meng let her be. After telling Qiuqiu to continue, she went to the room to check on Fang Aihua.

Fang Aihua was already awake, leaning against the bed. Her complexion was not good, still looking weak, and she was holding a wooden black lacquer frame, looking intently at it.

She was so absorbed that she didn’t notice Ji Meng approaching.

Ji Meng glanced over and saw that the frame contained a black-and-white portrait of a man in military uniform.

The man in the photo had smooth, clear facial features, well-groomed eyebrows, and striking good looking face. That was the original body’s husband, Su Cheng.

In modern society, with so many celebrities and handsome men around, Su Cheng stood out.

When Ji Meng was in college, she worked various jobs to earn tuition fees. During her time as a model, she had close encounters with some celebrities, including a few main characters from spy films who were adored by countless fans.

However, Ji Meng felt that none of them could compare to the man in the photo, not even one-tenth.

Even if she could barely pick someone with a similar appearance, they lacked the aura that radiated from the man in the photo.

That was a man who had spent over a decade in the military, who had endured countless battles of life and death, exuding a resilient and unwavering spirit akin to reinforced steel. Even a simple black-and-white photo couldn’t diminish that essence.

For a moment, Ji Meng was lost in thought. Due to the insufficient energy of Sansan, the memories of the original husband hadn’t been transmitted to her. Even the original body’s appearance was like a mosaic in her mind, blurred and indistinct.

She had never imagined that her original husband looked like this.

A strange emotion accumulated in her heart.

A sense of regret, sorrow… He was a soldier bearing heavy burdens, who had sacrificed himself at not even thirty.

“Mom, how are you feeling? Are you feeling better?” Ji Meng took a deep breath, suppressing the inexplicable discomfort in her heart, and asked Fang Aihua.

“Is there anywhere else that hurts?”

“Better now.”

Fang Aihua returned to her senses, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes. Noticing Ji Meng’s gaze on the photo she was holding, she recalled the previous time she had seen her daughter-in-law staring at her son’s picture with a gloomy expression. Her face turned slightly unnatural, and she subconsciously covered the photo beside her. Then she looked at Ji Meng and asked:

“Qiuqiu said you went out to trade for vegetables. Did you manage to get some?”

“I just told Manman that during this time, we’ll go to their vegetable field to get some vegetables to eat, and she agreed. Since we’re out of rice, we can also get some from her house. Later, I’ll have Erwa help us pound some back…”

Fang Aihua’s voice was soft, tinged with nasal congestion and faint breaths, revealing her fatigue and her concern for the family in her weak words.

It wasn’t suitable for someone still sick to overthink, so Ji Meng quickly responded:

“I brought back a lot of rice and vegetables. Once we finish what we have, I’ll go to Manman’s house to trade again. When I went out earlier, their door was closed, so I traded in the village.”

Considering the original body’s usual aloofness and reluctance to speak, Ji Meng didn’t say anything about her health.

Although Sansan mentioned that she didn’t need to worry about maintaining her character, Ji Meng still needed to pay attention to certain things.

However, just that one sentence was enough to surprise Fang Aihua.

She had never seen her daughter-in-law being so patient before.

Was it because she had already decided to return to the city, so she was showing her last bit of kindness before leaving?

Recalling what Qiuqiu had said earlier, Fang Aihua tightened her grip on the photo frame and replied, “That’s good.”

The room fell into a brief silence. Ji Meng initially thought she would ask about the original body leaving in the morning.

She must have fainted from anger in the original body’s room after realizing that the original body had emptied their home of money and belongings.

But to Ji Meng’s surprise, the old lady didn’t ask.

Since she didn’t ask, Ji Meng hadn’t quite figured out how to explain it either, so she decided to postpone that conversation.

While Qiuqiu was tidying up the vegetables in the kitchen, Ji Meng took the opportunity to tell Fang Aihua about Wu Kaifen’s situation and what Su Erhu said when he bullied Qiuqiu.

“I just went to her house and asked the captain for help to report it to the police. The officers should arrive soon to understand the situation.”

“Don’t blame me for making a big deal out of this. Regarding your fainting, whether Su Erhu’s grandmother did it intentionally or not, she definitely had the mindset of leaving you to die at that moment.”

“And Su Erhu, no matter how bad he is, he’s just a child. If he hadn’t heard those things from the adults, he wouldn’t have said such words. So, for Qiuqiu’s sake, I can’t let this go.”

“So she was aiming for this all along…”

Fang Aihua listened quietly and murmured.

It was hard to say whether she felt disappointed or had gained insight into human nature, her expression became numb, and she could no longer muster any other reaction.

There were many people with the surname Su in Xiaopan Village, but Fang Aihua’s husband, Su Gu, belonged to a distant branch of the family, with a thin bloodline. The only relatives close enough were the Su Dazhi family.

Su Gu and Wu Kaifen’s husband, Su Shanhe, were cousins, and she and Wu Kaifen were cousins-in-law.

When Su Gu was alive, he was considered a successful person in the village. He graduated from high school and found a job at the grain station in town through his own abilities.

Su Shanhe was much weaker, he was tall and strong but not suited for work and had little education. He could only work in the fields and occasionally set traps in the mountains. Later, he had an accident and injured his foot.

At that time, Su Dazhi was not engaged in any productive work, and their family relied entirely on the Su family for support.

It wasn’t until Su Gu fell ill and passed away that the Su family fell into decline, while Su Shanhe’s family improved their situation by marrying off several daughters.

Wu Kaifen straightened up and became arrogant, turning her back on them and even coming over several times to mock and embarrass them.

Later, when Su Cheng graduated from high school at 16 and joined the army, he was recommended for university due to his excellent performance. After he left, he achieved military success and was promoted to a battalion commander. Only then did Wu Kaifen lower her proud head again, frequently coming to curry favor.

But Fang Aihua had long seen through her true colors and had never bothered to engage with her.

Now that her son was gone, Wu Kaifen was jumping up and down, thinking she was just watching the show.

But little did she know that Wu Kaifen was eagerly waiting for her to die, ready to enjoy her inheritance and sell her granddaughter as a child bride.

“Mom, are you okay?”

Fang Aihua had been silent for a long time, and her complexion didn’t look good, which made Ji Meng a bit worried.

At this moment, after experiencing a sudden surge of anger, it was crucial not to let emotions fluctuate too much, but this situation with Wu Kaifen couldn’t be delayed any longer. Ji Meng had already planned that if the police didn’t come today, she would go to the station herself to file a report.

Before reporting, they had to ensure their statements were consistent.

Otherwise, if people misunderstood her as filing a false report or deliberately setting a trap, that would be troublesome.

Ji Meng tried to persuade Fang Aihua, “Mom, I know you’re kind-hearted, but we really can’t continue to tolerate this. You know that Erhu’s grandmother used to scare Qiuqiu so much that she didn’t even dare go outside…”

“I’m fine.”

Fang Aihua shook her head, then looked up at Ji Meng with determination, saying, “^[1]“Good people can be bullied; gentle horses can be ridden” means that kind or gentle individuals are often taken advantage of or mistreated because they are perceived as weak or … Continue readingGood people can be bullied, gentle horses can be ridden. You’re doing the right thing.”

“When the police arrive, I will speak to them personally!”

Fang Aihua clenched her hands tightly, the veins on her aged hands bulged like tree bark, and there was a rare anger in her eyes.

With her son gone, Qiuqiu was her life, and no one could harm her.

Wu Kaifen wanted to send her granddaughter away as a child bride. She couldn’t tolerate it any longer, even if it meant going to hell, she would drag Wu Kaifen down with her first.

—

The police arrived quicker than Ji Meng had expected.

After finishing her conversation with the old lady, she went to the kitchen to check on the vegetables Qiuqiu had tidied up, then she and Qiuqiu cleaned the house and yard. Just then, Su Youqing led the police to the door, accompanied by a young man in a wool coat who seemed to carry a bit of authority.

The officers looked serious. They didn’t immediately approach Fang Aihua to ask about the situation in the morning, instead, they first questioned Ji Meng about the earlier incidents involving Su Dazhi, including the specifics of his threats.

Ji Meng understood what the police wanted to know. Su Dazhi had indeed harassed the original owner and had used his daughter to threaten her. However, the original owner didn’t care much about her daughter, and when Su Dazhi’s wife showed up, the original owner managed to escape danger.

She was straightforward and shared everything she knew.

Remembering that there was a character named Ah Qiang who was Su Dazhi’s accomplice in the book, Ji Meng paused and slipped that name into her explanation.

Upon hearing the name Ah Qiang, the police officers stiffened, and a man in a ^[2]“Zhongshan suit,” also known as the “Mao suit,” is a traditional Chinese outfit named after Sun Yat-sen. It features a straight-cut, high-collared jacket with four pockets and … Continue readingZhongshan suit exclaimed darkly, “So it’s him!”

The man in the wool coat’s expression turned cold for a moment as he seemed to recall something, then he hurriedly rushed out.

The officers exchanged glances and confirmed with Ji Meng again, “Comrade Ji, are you sure you heard Su Dazhi mention this Ah Qiang?”

“Yes, he said Ah Qiang is very powerful and capable, and he would help him make a fortune. He also said that I wouldn’t suffer if I followed him…”

Ji Meng couldn’t help but ask, “Officer, who is this Ah Qiang?”

The police didn’t respond to her, merely stating that the case was still under investigation and it wasn’t convenient to disclose details. They then went inside to talk to Fang Aihua about the events of the morning.

Su Youqing did not follow them inside, so Ji Meng quickly and quietly asked him for more information.

Su Youqing hesitated for a moment before telling Ji Meng that a few days ago, a child had drowned near the nearby Langshan Village, and that child’s father was the man in the wool coat from earlier.

He was a young educated man who entered university in the year the college entrance examination was resumed. Unlike the original owner, who didn’t care about her daughter, the man in the wool coat was very concerned about his child. When he heard that something had happened to his child, he rushed back from school that very day.

He didn’t believe that the child could drown without even recovering a body, convinced that something was amiss. After discovering some irregularities himself, he reported the incident.

As the first batch of university students after the reinstatement of the college entrance examination, two years had passed, and he knew quite a few people, which made the police take this case very seriously.

When Su Youqing went to gather information, he happened to run into the police. Su Youqing shared everything he knew, prompting the police to act quickly.

The person named Ah Qiang was from Langshan Village, but Su Youqing wasn’t too clear on the specifics of the situation.

Upon hearing this, Ji Meng was already quite certain that Su Dazhi was related to the disappearance of the child from Langshan.

Judging from the police’s reaction, it seemed they had some clues.

Sure enough, just as Ji Meng had guessed, after learning about the situation from Fang Aihua, the police went straight to Su Erhu’s home and took Wu Kaifen and Su Dazhi away.

As Ji Meng watched them being taken, Wu Kaifen was unaware that her son’s actions had been discovered. While being led away, she kept cursing Ji Meng.

“Ji Meng, you filthy wretch! You’ll get what you deserve! You’ll never have a good end!”

Ji Meng let her curse, being yelled at wouldn’t make her lose a piece of meat. As long as they got their retribution, she smiled back at her and replied:

“What a pity that you, with all your misdeeds, won’t be around to see the day I die!”

However, it was Su Youqing who, with a sinister look, stared in the direction Wu Kaifen and the others had been taken, then turned back to Ji Meng and said:

“I misjudged you regarding Leizi’s matter. You don’t need to worry about Su Dazhi, this time he won’t escape.”

“As for his mother, I asked the police, and there’s a high possibility that she’ll be convicted. Even if they can’t convict her in the end, I’ll have a meeting with the village committee to keep an eye on their family, ensuring they won’t have the opportunity to cause trouble again.”

Ji Meng had refrained from going directly to the police because she wanted this assurance from Su Youqing.

After all, if Wu Kaifen couldn’t be convicted, who knew how insane she would become after losing her son?

She could leave here with Qiuqiu, but what about her mother-in-law, Fang Aihua? Not to mention her current health issues, would she even be willing to leave with her?

So, Ji Meng smiled and thanked him: “Thank you, Captain.”