Just then, Xiang Jin heard several men talking outside. She jumped, put down her bowl, and darted out the back door.
Grandpa Liu said that the urban management bureau doesn't allow them to build houses here, saying it affects the city's appearance. Recently, they've been coming to arrest people from time to time. She can't be arrested, otherwise Grandpa Liu won't be able to live here, and he'll have his wages deducted or even lose his job.
The city management officers quickly spotted her and gave chase.
Xiang Jin ran faster and faster, almost using up all her strength. She dared not stop, and was afraid to stop.
"Bang—"
In her panic, she bumped into someone. The other person cried out and took a few steps back to stop. Xiang Jin was already exhausted, and the collision caused her to stumble back several steps and fall to the ground, crashing into the wall behind her.
With a "thud," everything went completely dark.
"Where did this slut come from, daring to bump into me when she's blind!" The woman raised her foot, and her sharp high heel slammed into Xiang Jin's stomach.
Xiang Jin was in so much pain that she curled up all over, sweating profusely. At the same time, she quickly realized who was in front of her.
That voice... it was Xiang Qi!
She must have had the worst luck in her life to run into her so soon after being released from prison!
"Watch where you're going next time, don't be so blind." After saying that, Xiang Qi kicked him twice more hard. Xiang Jin was in so much pain that he almost fainted and collapsed to the ground.
"Mom, let's go." Xiang Qi clapped her hands, preparing to pull Li Shuhui up, but Li Shuhui stopped and looked at the person on the ground.
"Mom, what's wrong?"
Li Shuhui squatted down, gently brushed aside Xiang Jin's hair, looked at that familiar face, and smiled: "It really is you! Xiang Jin, we've been looking for you for ages."
……………………
The First Hospital, Inpatient Department.
Xiang Jin woke up in a sharp pain and found herself in a hospital. The wounds on her legs and hands were bandaged, and she felt a dull ache in her stomach.
Xiang Qi's kicks were really vicious. At that time, she thought she was going to die. She never expected that they would bring her to the hospital.
After her injuries healed somewhat, Li Shuhui completed the discharge procedures, took her back to the Xiang family, and had someone buy free-range chickens, ingredients, and various nutritional supplements for her to recover.
Xiang Jin glanced at the fruit on the table, her expression calm, and said bluntly, "Just say what you have to say. I can't accept Mrs. Xiang's enthusiasm."
"Mrs. Xiang? What, is this how Jiang Anqing taught you to respect your adoptive mother?" Li Shuhui's eyes were full of sarcasm.
"I'm sorry, but that's how my adoptive mother taught me to raise me," Xiang Jin said crisply, returning the pen.
“You—” Li Shuhui choked on her words.
"Mom, why waste time talking to this ill-mannered convict? Let's get down to business." Xiang Qi, who was standing next to her, gradually lost her patience.
Li Shuhui nodded, trying to calm her breathing, and gave a fake smile: "Xiang Jin, you haven't seen Jiang Anqing in a long time, have you? Do you want to see her?"
Xiang Jin raised her head, her eyes filled with wariness.
“I didn’t mean anything by it, I just happened to have some news about her. If you want to meet her, we can make the connection.” Li Shuhui’s words were light and casual, but they made Xiang Jin’s breathing become unsteady.
Given Li Shuhui's personality, "having news about her" doesn't necessarily mean the literal meaning; it could mean that Jiang Anqing is in her hands.
If that's the case, then things are terrible. Mother... might be having an even worse time than me.
Xiang Jin silently gripped both ends of the quilt, her knuckles turning white.
Even though she appeared calm and composed on the surface, the emotions in her eyes were still impossible to conceal.
Li Shuhui witnessed all of this.
"Don't worry, I kept my promise and released her from the mental hospital. After all, she is your biological mother and a servant of the Xiang family for many years. I won't mistreat her. She is currently somewhere in Huadu. I have people taking care of her, and she is doing quite well."
She changed the subject: "If you're willing to do one thing, I'll arrange for you to meet, and I won't hinder you from recognizing your mother in the future, how about it?"
Xiang Jin's face turned cold.
She was right; her mother really was in their hands!
She adjusted her breathing, suppressed her anger, and wrote: "What is it?"
“She will marry in place of Xiang Qi,” Li Shuhui said.
……………………
A week later, a dilapidated van covered in mud pulled up in front of the Xiang family's house.
The driver was Su Ming.
The Xiang family members all looked grief-stricken and heartbroken. Li Shuhui cried so hard she almost fainted, while Xiang Jin, dressed in a wedding gown, remained expressionless.
She got into the van, waved goodbye with a fake smile, and wrote on a piece of paper: "Dad, Mom, please don't miss me, or I'll have nightmares."
Li Shuhui was startled and quickly checked Su Ming's reaction. She was relieved to find that he hadn't noticed at all, and then cast a resentful glance at Xiang Jin in the car.
Xiang Jin closed the car window.
She never wanted to see that disgusting face again, if it weren't for her own mother.
After that, the car wobbled and swayed as it drove towards the suburbs.
It was already evening when we arrived at our destination.
Su Ming woke up the sleeping Xiang Jin and led her into a stone bungalow.
"Sister-in-law, please make yourself at home. My brother has something come up and might be a little late. If you need anything, just give me a call. Don't hesitate to ask." Su Ming picked up a pen and paper and wrote down his phone number.
Xiang Jin gestured, "Where...where are his family?"
Since we came in, we haven't seen a single person. Although the house is decorated with "double happiness" characters and looks like a wedding celebration, there is no banquet or wedding candy.
"You mean family?" Su Ming was taken aback for a moment before realizing what she meant.
Xiang Jin nodded.
“My brother’s entire family is dead, he’s all alone now. Oh no, from now on there will be two of us.” Su Ming smiled and politely withdrew.
As soon as he left, the whole room fell silent.
Xiang Jin was stunned for a long time before she slowly adapted to the new environment.
She first looked around the bridal chamber. The bed was an old wooden bed, facing a television set. There were some men's clothes in the wardrobe, and it was no different from an ordinary house.
Stepping out, you enter the living room, which contains only a sprained coffee table and a few old, worn-out sofas. The walls are covered with yellowed paper. The other two rooms are even older, but they are still fairly clean.
There is a small door on the other side, which leads to a backyard where you can collect water to wash vegetables.
It seems this will be her home for the rest of her life.
Xiang Jin's stomach started growling.
She went to the kitchen, which was quite spacious. Although it was rather old, it was fully equipped with pots, pans, and utensils, and there was also plenty of food in the refrigerator.
Xiang Jin was in a great mood. She first went to her room to change out of her wedding dress, then went back to the kitchen, took out two tomatoes and two eggs, and cooked two bowls of tomato and egg noodles.
She ate one bowl, and the other bowl was placed in the kitchen, upside down on a plate.
It was already past ten o'clock when I finished all this, and Feng Jianian still hadn't returned.
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