Chapter 98. Cao Meiling stared at the ceiling, panicked...
Cao Meiling stared at the ceiling, panicking. If Jiang Quan was gone, how could things possibly go on?
She was only in her thirties, still young, how could she live a life of widowhood? But at this moment, she still encouraged Jiang Quan: "Brother Quan, take it slow, you can definitely do it."
Jiang Quan ignored Cao Meiling's words and continued to try, but it still didn't work. No matter what he did, there was no response, and it couldn't stand up at all.
Was he struck by lightning and turned into a eunuch?
He felt like dying.
Cao Meiling gritted her teeth, feeling that all of this was caused by that wretched weed. She should have just strangled that wretched weed back then! She wasn't worried about Xiaoyun. He Jianshe and his wife doted on Xiaoyun very much. Her Xiaoyun was smart and beautiful, a thousand or ten thousand times better than that wretched weed. What family would be willing to push such a good daughter away?
She tried her best to suppress her anger and said softly, "Brother Quan, you must be too tired. Tomorrow, make some stir-fried chives and eggs to help you recover."
There was a loud knocking on the door. Jiang Quan really didn't want to stay in bed, much less face Cao Meiling. He pulled up his pants and went outside, cursing, "What's all this knocking about in the middle of the night? Are you trying to summon my soul?"
After opening the door, I found several people standing there: Secretary Liu, the captain, the squad leader, and two policemen in uniform.
Jiang Quan asked warily, "What are you trying to do?"
The police officer said coldly, "Cao Meiling and Hu Chunmei maliciously switched someone else's child. The evidence is now conclusive. Where is Cao Meiling? Let her come with us."
Jiang Quan was shocked and raised his voice incredulously: "Meiling and Hu Chunmei deliberately switched the children? There's evidence? How is that possible! Meiling is so kind, she couldn't possibly do such a thing. We are victims too! You can't arrest Meiling."
In rural areas, soundproofing is poor; Cao Meiling inside could hear everything he was shouting. Evidence? Impossible! How could there be evidence for something that happened 18 years ago?
She quickly put on her clothes; she couldn't be taken away.
Jiang Tao rushed into the house, "Mom, I'll take you to the mountains to hide for a while, and then we'll come down after some time."
Cao Meiling didn't want to go up the mountain, nor did she want to be taken away.
Jiang Hai and Jiang Lu also ran into the house. Jiang Lu looked at Cao Meiling with tears in her eyes and said, "Mom, go quickly. I don't want you to go to jail."
No police came to the door in the afternoon, so why are they coming in the middle of the night? Does that mean they really have solid evidence?
Cao Meiling quickly put on her shoes and ran from the backyard. Jiang Tao first climbed over the wall and pulled Cao Meiling up from above, while Jiang Hai squatted below to support her. After Cao Meiling climbed over the wall, Jiang Tao jumped down. Just as Cao Meiling was jumping down, the courtyard wall collapsed with a loud crash.
Jiang Tao and Cao Meiling were trapped under the courtyard wall. Cao Meiling was almost knocked unconscious. How could she be so unlucky?
Jiang Tao, being strong, climbed out from underneath. Jiang Hai quickly went to help, and Jiang Lu, with tears welling up in her eyes, asked anxiously, "Mom, how are you?"
The Jiang family's wall was very sturdy, mixed with a lot of stones. When it was hit like that, it really hurt. Cao Meiling wanted to comfort the child, but she was in so much pain that she couldn't say a word.
By the time Cao Meiling was rescued, it was too late to run away. The police were standing right in front of her, blocking her way and handcuffing her.
Cao Meiling cried, "No, I didn't do anything, you can't arrest me. Brother Quan, save me."
Jiang Quan tried to take the man from the police, but the squad leader stopped him, saying, "Jiang Quan, have you thought this through? If you want to go to jail with him, I won't stop you."
Going to jail?
Jiang Quan ultimately didn't take that step, and watched helplessly as Cao Meiling was arrested by the police.
Jiang Lu cried anxiously, shaking Jiang Quan's arm: "Dad, save my mom!"
"Save them? Go and save them! Struck by lightning this afternoon and hit by a wall tonight, this is retribution." The captain sneered, "Your Jiang family's class status needs to be changed too."
If the composition changes, then work points and dividends will be different.
Jiang Quan's face turned pale: "Captain, our Jiang family has been poor peasants for three generations, and our ancestors were even farm laborers!"
The brigade leader said, "Stop talking nonsense. Once Cao Meiling is sentenced, your family's social status will also be affected." He looked at Jiang Quan and his two sons and said, "I still admire your arrogant and domineering behavior this afternoon."
Liu Xun thought the captain was a capable person, someone who knew how to talk.
Cao Meiling, handcuffed, cried, "Officer, could you please not handcuff me? It's hurting my wrists so much. Please, I won't run away."
The police completely ignored her.
Cao Meiling complained of stomach pain again and needed to go to the toilet.
The police handcuffed her to a small tree and made her relieve herself next to the tree, giving her no chance to escape.
If they can catch a criminal and let them escape, they shouldn't be police officers anymore.
The next morning
Yu Jiajia got up early and practiced the Five Animal Frolics twice with her third sister, feeling relaxed all over.
Today she chose a pale yellow dress, styled her hair in two braids, and wore yellow daisy hair clips, making herself look very pretty.
After breakfast, Cheng Xiuying rode her little green bike with Yu Jiajia on the back to the He family's house.
When they arrived, the He family was preparing breakfast.
Grandma He went to the food station in the morning and bought a pound of pork. She was making wontons while Zhenzhen rolled out the wonton wrappers next to her. The two chatted and laughed.
Upon seeing Cheng Xiuying and Yu Jiajia arrive, Grandma He quickly invited them in.
Cheng Xiuying brought two packets of brown sugar and handed them to Grandma He, saying, "For Zhenzhen to nourish her body."
Grandma He declined, saying, "We have enough at home, you can keep it for yourselves."
Brown sugar is a rare commodity; how could I possibly accept it?
Cheng Xiuying asked Grandma He to accept it, saying, "This is for Zhenzhen to drink. Zhenzhen is too thin and needs to eat more nutritious food."
Grandma He: "Oh, I went to the food station this morning and bought pork and big bones. I'll cook wontons for Zhenzhen this morning and make bone broth for her at noon. I guarantee I'll fatten Zhenzhen up in less than a month."
Cheng Xiuying smiled: "Auntie loves children."
When He Yao returned from washing up, he saw Cheng Xiuying and quickly called out, "Deputy Factory Director."
Cheng Xiuying glanced at him: "Engineer He, did you take a day off yesterday to go shopping in the city? Is the technical department very quiet lately?"
He Yao blushed. "Something happened at home yesterday, so I'll work overtime today to make sure I don't fall behind everyone's schedule."
Cheng Xiuying ignored him. He was a clueless idiot, just like Yu Songqing before. He had been living too smoothly and hadn't been beaten enough, so he couldn't tell his own worth anymore.
Cheng Xiuying enthusiastically shared stories about her eldest son with Grandma He. "My eldest son used to be so brainless. He was completely manipulated by a woman and almost got killed by her. That woman forged our family's handwriting and wrote a letter claiming it was written by my eldest son. Luckily, she didn't succeed in framing him, or our whole family would have been finished."
I knew then that just as jade needs to be carved to become a useful object, children also need discipline; sometimes they just get bored and act recklessly. Whenever my eldest son acted foolishly, I'd give him a good scolding and then make him eat two meals of cornbread.
Grandma He listened attentively: "And then?"
Cheng Xiuying: "My eldest son is very sensible now. He is focused on his work. He even developed thermal spray welding technology recently, which is a great contribution to the factory and saved the old machines! He has now become an intermediate engineer."
Grandma He exclaimed in surprise, "Intermediate engineer? That's amazing! He Yao is only an assistant engineer."
Cheng Xiuying: "My eldest son was also an assistant engineer before. He used to have good grades, so I spoiled him a bit. Little did I know that spoiling a child is like killing a child. Fortunately, I woke up in time and disciplined him when necessary. Now, he has become a talent that the country has nurtured who is dedicated to his work."
Grandma He looked thoughtful. "Your words have really woken me up. I used to think that Jianshe had no father, so I spoiled him and wouldn't lift a finger to lift him up. As a result, I raised him to be brainless. It's the same with this eldest grandson. I wanted to do everything for him and couldn't bear to see him suffer. Now he can't distinguish right from wrong, he doesn't care about his own children, but treats the bastard child of a murderer like his own flesh and blood! Yesterday I was so angry that I beat them up, and they behaved themselves. It's true that spoiling a child is like killing a child. I'm not raising children and grandchildren, I'm creating a disaster for the country."
Cheng Xiuying gave a thumbs up: "Auntie, your awareness is truly remarkable!!!"
Grandma He: "Xiuying, thank you for your kind words. They have cleared my head. I have figured out the things I couldn't understand all night."
Cheng Xiuying smiled. This old lady He was a very perceptive person; she understood immediately.
He Yao felt a chill run down his spine, a vague sense of foreboding creeping over him. He opened his mouth, wanting to interrupt them several times, but couldn't get a word in edgewise. Finally, when they finished talking, he said, "Grandma, Xiaoyun doesn't know anything. She's a victim too, and you raised her. Why can't you tolerate Xiaoyun now? Everyone knows who Xiaoyun's biological father is. How will she face people in the future?"
Seeing He Yao's indignant expression, Cheng Xiuying hardened her fists. She turned to look at Old Lady He. If she could still tolerate this, then all her words would have been for nothing.
The next moment, Old Mrs. He picked up a rolling pin and hit He Yao. "I really can't tolerate He Xiaoyun. I can't sleep when I think about her lying at home. What kind of victim is she? She eats well, drinks well, and dresses well! You feel sorry for her, but why don't you feel sorry for your own sister? I think all the books you've read over the years have gone to waste."
He Yao covered his head and ran away, crying, "Grandma, can't you speak properly?"
Old Mrs. He chased after him, hitting him. "I can't talk properly with someone as brainless as you. There's no need to talk properly with you." She was really hitting him, and He Yao could only take it, his shoulders and back aching terribly.
He Zhenzhen: "Grandma, slow down, don't hurt your leg."
Cheng Xiuying felt relieved.
Thank goodness for Grandma He, otherwise Zhenzhen would have suffered endless grievances if she had returned to this family.
Moreover, He Zhenzhen did not try to break up the fight; she simply advised Grandma He to be careful and prevented her from falling. She was just so pleasing to the eye.
He Jianshe and Xue Mei came out of the east room. They had just woken up and were awakened by the noise. Xue Mei exclaimed, "Mother, why did you hit A Yao?"
Grandma He not only beat He Yao, but also He Jianshe and Xue Mei. "It's past seven o'clock, and you're still lying in bed sleeping with your butts sticking out. Are you waiting for me to finish cooking and call you to eat? You're a daughter-in-law, how can you be so self-important? How dare you!" She then hit He Jianshe repeatedly, saying, "I'm just too good to you."
Xue Mei cried out in pain, "Mother, I didn't sleep well all night. I only managed to doze off for a little while after dawn."
Old Mrs. He gave her another beating, hitting whoever she could grab. "Where's that little brat? Sleeping so soundly! There's been so much noise outside, and she wasn't even woken up. Bah! Get her cleaned up right now, so I don't have to see her again."
Grandma He was tired from making wontons; she had already wrapped over forty. She planned to cook three bowls first, letting Yu Jiajia, Cheng Xiuying, and Zhenzhen eat first. She was fine with whatever she wanted to eat; as for the others, they could make whatever they wanted to eat!
Cheng Xiuying felt that Grandma He had grasped the essence of the matter and was very happy. She said, "Auntie, Jiajia and I have already eaten. Now that we see you taking such good care of Zhenzhen, we are relieved."
Yu Jiajia also gave her new schoolbag to He Zhenzhen and prepared to leave.
He Zhenzhen refused to accept it and wanted to return it to Yu Jiajia.
After much arguing, Cheng Xiuying finally managed to shove the schoolbag into He Zhenzhen's arms.
Yu Jiajia smiled and said, "Zhenzhen, study hard and start a brand new life."
[Stationary supplies*5, Intercontinental ballistic missile related blueprints*1 (13/20)];
Yu Jiajia glanced at it and saw that the reward was very generous. A set of stationery included a schoolbag, pencils, erasers, rulers, pens, ink, notebooks, etc. Basically, all the stationery items of this era were included.
Thank you for the generous system.
Moreover, the fragments of blueprints related to intercontinental ballistic missiles are almost complete!
Excited.
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