Chapter 108 Wedding Gift (Part 2)

Xiao Minglei quickly arrived with the police, apprehended Sun Sanjin, and took him away for investigation.

Sun Sanjin kept shouting, "Jiang Zhenhua, Jiang Zhizhi is my daughter, and she will take care of her old man in his old age."

Everyone present understood that the key point was about providing for the elderly.

Jiang Zhenhua blushed with anger, but seeing Fang Hua's unpleasant expression, he couldn't help but explain, "I suspect that Zhizhi isn't his daughter either."

Fang Hua frowned: "If not, then why did they take Xiaoyue away? Anyway, she's not their daughter, so what difference does it make whichever one they raise? Alright, Xiye, let's go and see what's going on. We need to resolve this matter quickly."

"It's fortunate that this is happening in northern Gansu. If this person had caused trouble in the compound, how embarrassing would that have been?"

Jiang Zhenhua shook his head: "No, he wouldn't dare to cause trouble in the compound."

If they wanted to cause trouble, they did when they took Sun Xiaoyue back last time. Not only do they not dare to cause trouble, they don't even dare to go near the compound. Not to mention anything else, the guards at the gate are so scared that they don't dare to speak loudly.

Jiang Zhizhi didn't care about that; whoever her biological father was, it had nothing to do with her.

Seeing Fang Hua's attitude towards Jiang Zhenhua made him feel a little uncomfortable, and he couldn't help but defend Jiang Zhenhua: "It's okay, if he dares to cause trouble, I dare to deal with him. Dad, you don't need to reason with this Sun Sanjin next time, I'll handle him."

Fang Hua frowned when he saw that Jiang Zhizhi's tone was casual but her words were sharp: "A young lady shouldn't always be fighting..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhou Xiye interrupted, "Let's go take a look first."

Fang Hua wasn't given a chance to nag Jiang Zhizhi at all.

Jiang Zhizhi smiled, her eyes crinkling, and darted over to Zhou Xiye, grabbing his sleeve: "Wasn't my style cool when I was dealing with Sun Sanjin just now?"

Zhou Xiye pulled back his sleeve, glanced at the people still around, and frowned slightly: "Speak properly. There are so many people here. Don't pull and shove."

Jiang Zhizhi chuckled and muttered, "An old relic."

How can there be such a conservative and stubborn old man?

Jiang Zhenhua watched the young couple's interaction from the side. Although Zhou Xiye and Jiang Zhizhi kept a little distance, it was clear that he was still very gentle with Jiang Zhizhi, and his tone was gentler than when he spoke to others.

She couldn't help but laugh: "Zhizhi is just spoiled by me and her mother. She's never been respectful of her elders since she was little."

Zhou Xiye suddenly spoke up: "Did you teach Zhizhi martial arts?"

Jiang Zhizhi's heart jumped instantly. She had been so focused on provoking Zhou Xiye that she had gotten a little carried away and even asked him to praise her looks. Wasn't that just reminding him that she knew a bit about martial arts?

Jiang Zhenhua thought about Jiang Zhizhi and Sun Sanjin's moves just now and was full of satisfaction: "I used to take her with me when I went to the grassroots level. They all liked her and would teach her some martial arts when they had nothing to do, saying that she could use it to defend herself when she grew up."

Hearing this, Jiang Zhizhi felt instantly relieved and straightened her back with her hands behind her back.

A faint smile flashed in Zhou Xiye's eyes. Jiang Zhizhi's skills were not as simple as Jiang Zhenhua had said. It was impossible for her to be so good just by learning casually. She had obviously received professional and systematic training.

...

When Jiang Zhizhi and the others arrived at the police station, the police had already taken their statements briefly.

Sun Sanjin insisted that he knew his biological daughter Jiang Zhizhi was getting married, so he quickly went to the village to get a certificate, intending to have Jiang Zhizhi take care of him in his old age.

He kept insisting that it was only natural for his own daughter to take care of him in his old age.

Xiao Minglei glanced at Jiang Zhizhi not far away, then shook his head and sighed at Zhou Xiye: "Having a father like this is really a nightmare. He's completely unreasonable. And how could Sun Sanjin, who's so ugly, have such a beautiful daughter like my sister-in-law?"

Zhou Xiye's thin jaw twitched slightly, his expression becoming more stern: "Come in with me and take a look."

The two men entered the interrogation room, accompanied by a police officer. The three sat down, looking at Sun Sanjin, who was handcuffed and confined to the middle of the chair.

Upon seeing Zhou Xiye, Sun Sanjin suddenly became arrogant again: "I know you are Jiang Zhizhi's man, that is, my son-in-law. I see that you hold a high position, so you can take care of me in my old age without any problem."

"I don't ask for much, just thirty yuan a month and twenty jin of grain coupons will do."

Xiao Minglei almost laughed in anger: "You're like a toad yawning, what a big mouth you have. When you switched the children, did you even raise Jiang Zhizhi for a single day?"

Sun Sanjin retorted, "If I hadn't switched her identity, would she be living a life of luxury in the Jiang family? All these years, we've been struggling to get enough to eat and wear, while she's been living the good life, with plenty of rice and flour at every meal. If it weren't for me, would she be living such a life?"

“She has enjoyed a comfortable life, so it is only right that she should take care of me in my old age.”

Xiao Minglei felt that it was impossible to communicate with this kind of person; they couldn't utter a single human word.

Zhou Xiye stared at Sun Sanjin with a calm yet sharp gaze, without saying a word.

Sun Sanjin met Zhou Xiye's eyes and suddenly lowered his voice: "Anyway, Jiang Zhizhi and you have to take care of me in my old age."

Zhou Xiye waited until Sun Sanjin's eyes began to flicker before he finally asked, "How did your wife die?"

Sun Sanjin was taken aback, wondering why Zhou Xiye would suddenly ask this question: "After giving birth, Xiaoyue's health was not good, so we sent her to Beijing, and then she couldn't take it anymore."

Zhou Xiye nodded: "Who issued you the travel permits for going to Beijing?"

Sun Sanjin was confused by Zhou Xiye's questions, wondering what they were for. But Zhou Xiye's cold voice made him dare not not answer: "Our village secretary said that we need to take Xiaoyue to Beijing to find her relatives, so he approved it for us."

Zhou Xiye's gaze grew even colder: "Looking for relatives? Aside from visiting relatives or official business, you're not allowed to leave the village unless absolutely necessary. Besides, your village is over a thousand kilometers away from Beijing. How do you know you can definitely find the Jiang family if you go to Beijing?"

"The Jiang family only moved to Xiangshan Compound after Jiang Zhizhi turned three. In those three years, unless you had been in constant contact, how would you have known the Jiang family's address?"

"Or is someone secretly giving you advice?!"

His tone was too cold, carrying a sharp aura, which made Sun Sanjin panic instantly. He shook his head vigorously: "I don't know what you're talking about. Anyway, my wife's health is failing, and I feel it's retribution, so I took Xiaoyue to the Jiang family."

Zhou Xiye ignored his topic and continued, "You'd better tell the truth. If you can't explain clearly, there might be something wrong with your identity, and we'll have to investigate thoroughly."

This last sentence was said to the police officers around him.

Sun Sanjin panicked completely. If he didn't tell the truth, would these people just arbitrarily label him a spy and lock him up?

But thinking of the threats from the person behind him, he dared not speak and could only stammer, "I am innocent. I just want to find my biological daughter."

Zhou Xiye didn't waste any more words with him and got up to leave, and Xiao Minglei quickly followed him out.

When the two came out, only Jiang Zhenhua and Fang Hua were waiting in the lounge, while Jiang Zhizhi was nowhere to be found.

Zhou Xiye once asked Jiang Zhenhua directly, "Uncle, have you ever doubted Zhizhi's background?"

Jiang Zhenhua paused for a moment, then carefully said, "When Sun Sanjin and his wife brought Xiaoyue to Beijing before, we didn't just believe she was our daughter because she looked like Wanying. It was because the couple told us about the place and details of the night she gave birth."

"It was indeed chaotic at the time. I was only concerned about Wanying's health, and I did leave for a short while during the time they mentioned. When I came back, I didn't notice anything unusual. I saw a child on the bed, so I carried him back."

“The details all matched up, and Xiaoyue looks a lot like Wanying, so we believed it. But Zhizhi, Sun Sanjin and his wife are both of average appearance, so I have some doubts that Zhizhi is not their child.”

Fang Hua asked anxiously, "So, Zhizhi is now a child with an unclear identity? What if she was left behind by spies?"

She was very concerned about this. Both she and Zhou Chengzhi came from good families, and Zhou Xiye was considered to have impeccable political background. Their bright futures could not be ruined by Jiang Zhizhi.

Zhou Xiye stopped her, saying, "Mom, don't talk nonsense."

Fang Hua felt uncomfortable again, but her son wouldn't let her speak, so she could only endure it.

The atmosphere in the lounge became somewhat strange.

Jiang Zhizhi came in from outside with a white envelope in her hand. She saw that the expressions of the others were all different, but Zhou Xiye was normal, just like usual.

Somewhat puzzled, he said, "What's wrong? Does Sun Sanjin insist that I take care of him in his old age? I'll go talk to him about it."

Fang Hua glanced at Jiang Zhizhi and stood up: "I'll go back to the guesthouse first. You guys go eat after you're done. Don't worry about me."

Jiang Zhizhi looked at Fang Hua's gloomy face and found it very strange. Wasn't he just fine a moment ago?

Zhou Xiye checked the time and looked at Xiao Minglei: "You should take my father-in-law home first. He has time restrictions there, and it's not good to go back too late."

Jiang Zhenhua wanted to clarify things before leaving, but unfortunately he wasn't a free agent. He was only able to come out this time because of Zhou Xiye's influence, and he needed to hurry back at the designated time.

In the end, all he could do was hurriedly tell Jiang Zhizhi a few words: "Live a good life with Zhou Xiye, and don't throw tantrums all the time."

Jiang Zhizhi was puzzled, and waited until Xiao Minglei and Jiang Zhenhua left.

On the way back to the guesthouse with Zhou Xiye, she asked curiously, "What happened? I just went to the photo studio to pick up the photos I took with my aunt. I'll give them to her when we get back to the village."

Zhou Xiye retained Fang Hua's words: "We suspect that Sun Sanjin is not your biological father."

Jiang Zhizhi blinked, somewhat surprised: "Just because of this? Don't even mention you doubting it, I don't believe it myself. How could Sun Sanjin, who is so ugly, possibly give birth to such a beautiful daughter as me? If that were the case, it would be very inconsistent with genetics."

Moreover, in the original owner's memories, Sun Sanjin's wife was also of ordinary appearance.

Zhou Xiye knew that Jiang Zhizhi always had an optimistic outlook: "Aren't you curious about who your biological parents are?"

Jiang Zhizhi suddenly stepped forward and blocked Zhou Xiye's path, forcing him to stop.

She tilted her pretty face up, her clear eyes filled with a smile: "I'm not curious about who my biological parents are. I'm married to you now, I'm your wife. Besides, as the saying goes, a woman's marriage is like a second reincarnation, and I've been reincarnated into your family!"

Zhou Xiye thought that Jiang Zhizhi was being so serious and had something important to say.

As it turns out, she's spouting nonsense with a straight face again! Where did she learn all this from?

My chest felt as if it had been hit, a little sore and numb, and something different seemed to be fermenting inside.

I'm still thinking about how to organize my thoughts and how to talk to Jiang Zhizhi. There are some things I can't say carelessly.

Jiang Zhizhi took another step closer, pulled a small photo out of the envelope, and quickly stuffed it into Zhou Xiye's left breast pocket, pressing it down with her hand: "This is my wedding gift to you, you must keep it safe."

Seeing Zhou Xiye raise his hand to reach for his pocket, he quickly reminded him, "You can look at it when you're alone. You can't look at it now."

After saying that, she pushed Zhou Xiye's arm and said, "Hurry up and go eat. I haven't had breakfast yet, and I'm starving."

After lunch, Zhou Xiye and Jiang Zhizhi were to return to their residence, while Fang Hua said she was going back to Beijing and told them to go about their own business.

Even after getting into the car, Jiang Zhizhi was still quite puzzled: "Your mom is traveling alone, don't you really need to see her off?"

Zhou Xiye knew his mother's temperament very well: "She's used to living in Beijing. After only a few days here, she's already finding it hard to adjust. It's better for her to go back sooner. Besides, she has a cadre's certificate and can buy a sleeper ticket."

Jiang Zhizhi glanced back at the brand-new bedding in the back row, feeling quite pleased. Tonight, she was going to provoke Zhou Xiye again.

I just want to see Zhou Xiye look like Tang Sanzang falling into a demon's cave.

Zhou Xiye caught a glimpse of Jiang Zhizhi's bright, mischievous smile and could guess that this girl was up to something again.

Upon arriving at Qingquan Village, Zhou Xiye accompanied Jiang Zhizhi to deliver photos to Yang Fengmei.

There wasn't much work to do at the moment, so Yang Fengmei and Dazhuang were digging a cellar in the yard to store cabbages and radishes for winter.

Seeing Jiang Zhizhi and Zhou Xiye enter the yard, he hurriedly threw down the shovel and patted the dirt off his hands: "You've only been gone for two days, but it feels like you've been gone for a long time. I've finished knitting the sweater, and I'm just waiting for you to come back for it."

She said she was going to wash her hands and get her sweater.

Jiang Zhizhi smiled and stopped her, saying, "No rush, no rush, Auntie, I've brought the photos back."

Upon hearing the name "photo," Yang Fengmei immediately stopped in her tracks, overjoyed: "The photos are back? Let me see how I look in them."

Jiang Zhizhi took out the photo from the envelope and showed it to Yang Fengmei.

Yang Fengmei wanted to take it, but seeing her dirty hands, she put it down, craned her neck to look, and then laughed: "My goodness, I look so fierce looking at this."

Facing the camera, she didn't know what to do with her hands and feet, and stared wide-eyed while pursing her lips, so the photo showed a serious and somewhat restrained expression.

Jiang Zhizhi smiled and said, "It's fine. You'd look even better if you smiled."

Yang Fengmei was very happy. When she saw the photo of her and Jiang Zhizhi, she exclaimed, "You look so beautiful! Your smile is so natural. You look so pretty. If you wore ancient clothes, you would look like a fairy in a painting."

Jiang Zhizhi chuckled: "Auntie, you're exaggerating."

The two chattered amongst themselves about the photos.

Liang Dazhuang couldn't resist his curiosity and ran over to take a look.

Zhou Xiye stood aside, watching Jiang Zhizhi smile with her eyes crinkling as she discussed the photos with Yang Fengmei.

He was unusually curious about what the photo Jiang Zhizhi had slipped into his pocket looked like.