Chapter 82 Zhu Jianmin and Qiao Aimei? Mingxiqian…
Mingxi had just told Qiao Aimei to be prepared that the police would be coming to her soon, and then the police arrived.
The police officers came to inform Qiao Aimei of Qiao Zhenjun's arrest and to also tell Qiao Aimei to prepare clothes for Qiao Zhenjun and send them to the detention center.
The case of Qiao Zhenjun is very simple. In broad daylight, many people saw Qiao Zhenjun commit the crime. In addition, the half of the brick he used to injure someone was still at the scene. With all the witnesses and physical evidence, it makes no difference whether or not there is a trial.
Of course, that's just a joke.
The police officers won't really not conduct a trial.
When Qiao Zhenjun made his move, he was filled with rage and acted recklessly. But when he saw the person opposite him fall down in front of him and blood gushing out, he realized that he had probably made a huge mistake.
Before he could even react, the Wang family had already spotted him and reported him to the police.
Qiao Zhenjun was led into the familiar interrogation room by the police officers, and his feverish mind finally calmed down.
He regretted it right now.
Why did he suddenly act impulsively and rush forward with a brick?
But it was too late for him to regret it now. The police had plenty of evidence, which they presented directly in front of Qiao Zhenjun. Qiao Zhenjun immediately lost the strength to defend himself, his body went limp, and he admitted to the fact that he had injured someone.
Qiao Zhenjun signed his name on the confession, and the case was quickly submitted to the procuratorate. Qiao Zhenjun was also transferred from the police station to the detention center.
Detention centers, police stations, and prisons are all different. Detention centers allow the families of criminal suspects to prepare daily necessities for Qiao Zhenjun.
The police officer looked at Qiao Aimei and said, "Okay, nothing else. I came here to update you on the case progress and to tell you that you can prepare daily necessities to send to the detention center. If you want to send something to your father, hurry home and prepare it!"
It took Qiao Aimei a while to come to her senses, and she quickly nodded.
Knowing that Qiao Aimei was young and inexperienced in such matters, Officer Li kindly advised, "Don't prepare all sorts of random things for him. Just prepare a change of underwear and basic toiletries. Don't prepare food or money; they won't need it inside. Besides, these things can't be handed to him directly. They have to be checked by the prison guards first, and only after they confirm there are no problems can they be sent inside. If you bring too much random stuff, it will only cause trouble for the prison guards, and they'll return it, and you'll have to take it home yourself."
Qiao Aimei nodded seriously, keeping Li Gong'an's words in mind.
Seeing Qiao Aimei's simple-minded appearance, Mingxi quickly stepped forward and pressed down on Qiao Aimei's back, bowing to Officer Li: "Thank you for reminding us, Officer Li. If you hadn't told us, we really wouldn't have known there were so many things involved."
Police Officer Li waved his hand: "Hey, no need to thank me, I was just casually reminding you."
"That won't do!" Mingxi said with a deliberately stern face, "In your eyes, you just said it casually, but for us, your advice is a great help. That's why our seniors in the Women's Federation say that you, Officer Li, are so kind-hearted. When I see you, you're just like a hero in a martial arts novel, speaking out for justice and being loyal to your friends. You're a hero among heroes!"
Police officer Li couldn't help but curl up his lips, but he still tried to pretend that nothing had happened, keeping a straight face and not giving himself away.
"Ahem." Officer Li covered his mouth and coughed lightly twice, saying, "Exaggeration, you're exaggerating too much."
Mingxi: "This is no exaggeration. We all think the same way about you. If you don't believe me, just ask Qiao Aimei."
Mingxi pulled Qiao Aimei over, gesturing for her to speak.
Although Qiao Aimei was young, she wasn't stupid. Her eyes caught Mingxi's hint, and she knew what she meant. She quickly nodded vigorously: "Yes, that's what we all think!"
Now, Officer Li could no longer maintain his serious demeanor. His mouth stretched almost to his temples as he was completely overwhelmed by Mingxi and Qiao Aimei's flattery.
Police Officer Li knew that Mingxi was only saying this to please him, but Mingxi's words just sounded pleasing to him. Even though he knew there was some exaggeration in her words, he still felt happy.
Mingxi and Qiao Aimei spent half an hour praising and coaxing Officer Li. Officer Li couldn't resist and gave Qiao Aimei a lot of tips on preparing things to see Qiao Zhenjun.
After seeing Officer Li off, Qiao Aimei hesitated for a moment, then looked up at Mingxi and asked, "Sister Mingxi, do you think I should go visit him in the detention center?"
Although Qiao Aimei didn't name names, both she and Mingxi understood that "he" she was referring to was Qiao Zhenjun.
Mingxi shrugged indifferently: "It's your decision. If you want to go, then go; if you don't want to go, then don't go. Don't let other people's opinions affect you."
She looked at Qiao Aimei: "So, do you want to go see him?"
Qiao Aimei clutched the hem of her clothes, lowered her head and thought seriously for a while, then looked up and said, "I kind of want to see him, but I also kind of don't really want to go."
Qiao Zhenjun is, after all, her biological father. Although she can now see through Qiao Zhenjun's cold nature, it is still difficult for her to completely sever her ties with him so quickly.
But she was also afraid that if she saw Qiao Zhenjun, she would soften her heart.
Mingxi: "If you want to go, then go; if you don't want to go, then don't go."
She said something nonsensical, then shut her mouth and remained silent.
In other matters, Mingxi would offer advice to Qiao Aimei, but she wouldn't say a word about this kind of thing.
Regardless of the circumstances, Qiao Aimei and Qiao Zhenjun are father and daughter. If Qiao Zhenjun is sentenced to ten or eight years in prison, it's uncertain whether Qiao Aimei will ever see him again.
If she told Qiao Aimei not to see Qiao Zhenjun, then if Qiao Aimei regretted it later, she would inevitably blame her.
Therefore, Mingxi does not intend to get involved in this matter.
Qiao Aimei didn't necessarily want Mingxi to help her come up with ideas. Seeing that Mingxi didn't speak, she started to think about it herself.
Qiao Aimei pondered for a long time before finally making up her mind.
"Mingxi, I still want to visit him in the detention center."
Mingxi nodded noncommittally.
Qiao Aimei raised one eyelid and secretly looked at Mingxi, asking, "Sister Mingxi, do you think I'm particularly useless?"
Even though Qiao Zhenjun had treated her this way, she still couldn't help but want to see him.
Mingxi ruffled Qiao Aimei's hair and said, "You silly girl, why are you thinking so much?"
Qiao Aimei has been suppressed by Wang Zhaodi and Qiao Zhenjun for so many years, and she is not a strong-willed person to begin with. It would be strange if she suddenly woke up and immediately transformed into someone who cuts off all feelings and love.
Mingxi rubbed Qiao Aimei's head until Qiao Aimei's face turned red with embarrassment before letting go.
Qiao Aimei blushed and, disregarding her sadness, fled as if saying, "Sister Mingxi, I need to go home to pack his things."
Mingxi nodded: "Okay, go ahead."
After saying that, she asked again, still worried, "Are you sure you can go back by yourself? Do you need me to come with you?"
Qiao Aimei shook her head. Seeing this, Mingxi didn't insist. He just waved to her and said, "Then go ahead. I'll put in a good word with Director Shen for you."
Qiao Aimei nodded, blushed, and ran out the door.
Qiao Aimei was only focused on her feet and didn't notice that there was someone in front of her. At the corner of the stairs, she bumped into a man head-on.
The first thing Qiao Aimei felt was hardness. The man's body was as solid as a wall. She bumped into him on the nose, and the moment she felt the pain, tears involuntarily fell down her cheeks.
"Hey comrade, be careful! Watch where you're going! You're doing this..."
The person opposite was about to criticize Qiao Aimei for not watching where she was going and crashing into him, but before he could finish his sentence, he saw the thin, frail girl with a red nose and tears streaming down her face.
The man opposite him, Zhu Jianmin, was immediately at a loss. He said in a panic, "Hey, comrade, don't cry. Well, it's not your fault, I wasn't watching where I was going. I wasn't watching where I was going, okay? Please stop crying. If you keep crying, the security guards standing guard will rush up and arrest me."
To appease Qiao Aimei, Zhu Jianmin made fun of his appearance, pointing to his face and saying, "Look at me, I look fierce and menacing. People don't like to think of me as a good person when I walk on the street. Now that you're crying next to me, people will think I'm even worse and might take me to the police station in a minute."
Qiao Aimei's nose hurt, and on the other hand, she was indeed intimidated by Zhu Jianmin's appearance.
Seeing that he was tall, strong, and looked menacing, she instinctively thought he was a bad guy and started crying, half scared and half panicked.
But as soon as Zhu Jianmin spoke, the image of him as someone who was not to be trifled with shattered instantly in her mind.
Qiao Aimei calmed herself down, and her tears gradually stopped. She looked at Zhu Jianmin and said apologetically, "Brother, I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't see where I was going and bumped into you."
Seeing that she had stopped crying, Zhu Jianmin breathed a sigh of relief. As for Qiao Aimei bumping into him, he didn't take it to heart at all.
He waved his hand generously and said, "It's okay, girl. Look at all my muscles. With your skinny arms and legs, I wouldn't even feel a thing if you bumped into me."
Upon hearing this, Qiao Aimei gave a faint smile.
Zhu Jianmin saw this and thought to himself, "This girl is quite pretty when she smiles."
After realizing what he was thinking, Zhu Jianmin couldn't help but want to slap himself.
This girl is so thin and small, she's probably not even an adult yet. What are you thinking? Have you no shame?
Feeling embarrassed, Zhu Jianmin waved to Qiao Aimei, "Sister, I still need to find someone. If you're not busy, I'll be going now."
Qiao Aimei nodded, waved to Zhu Jianmin, and then left first.
Zhu Jianmin stared intently at Qiao Aimei's departing figure until she was out of sight.
Once the other person had completely disappeared from sight, Zhu Jianmin raised his hand and slapped himself in the face.
You're shameless!
Although he vehemently criticized himself, Zhu Jianmin couldn't help but ask Mingxi when he found her: "Matchmaker Ming, was that woman who just left your office also an employee of your Women's Federation?"
He remembered that Qiao Aimei had just come out of the Women's Federation office.
Mingxi raised her eyelids and stared at Zhu Jianmin for a long while.
She thought Zhu Jianmin came today to ask her about introducing her to potential partners, but she didn't expect him to ask about Qiao Aimei right away.
Mingxi raised an eyebrow, but instead of answering Zhu Jianmin's question, she simply said, "No."
Zhu Jianmin lowered his head, ready to hear Mingxi continue, but to his surprise, Mingxi didn't say anything more.
He was dumbfounded, staring blankly at Mingxi, his expression momentarily comical.
Mingxi ignored him and deliberately changed the subject: "By the way, what brings you here today?"
Zhu Jianmin: "Oh, well, I came here today to ask you about introducing me to potential partners..."
He had asked Mingxi to introduce him to someone a few days ago, but Mingxi hadn't given him any new information, so he couldn't help but come over to ask how things were going.
Mingxi: "Speaking of which, I was just about to look for you. I recently met a woman who seems to be a good match for me. I feel that you two are in similar situations and would be a good fit. Would you like to hear about her?"
Zhu Jianmin scratched his head: "Ah, this..."
Before he could express his opinion, Mingxi spoke first: "Okay, let me tell you about their conditions first, and you can listen to them."
Zhu Jianmin scratched his head.
Mingxi: "It's like this, this girl is named Ran Jing, she's 23 years old, has a vocational school diploma, and is currently working as a nurse at our hospital. This girl's situation is a bit special, she has never been married, but she had a relationship before."
Zhu Jianmin: "Hey, wait a minute, Xiaoming, the matchmaker, this girl you're talking about is way too good, isn't she? Introducing her to me... isn't that a bit inappropriate?"
Zhu Jianmin was quite self-aware. As an older man who had been married three times and had a child, he couldn't possibly think that he was a good match for a young woman like Ran Jing.
Mingxi: "Listen to me first. Ran Jing's love life is quite tragic. I can't go into details, but she met a jerk who made her a bit depressed. Her family thought they should introduce her to a new guy to distract her and help her get over it."
Mingxi didn't want to tell Zhu Jianmin too much, but she knew for herself that Ran Jing was truly pitiful.
Ran Jing met her previous boyfriend through a blind date. When they first met, the man's attitude was quite good, and he seemed to be a refined and nice guy.
Anyway, it left a good impression on Ran Jing.
She continued to get to know him, and not long after, he confessed his feelings to Ran Jing. Ran Jing was also a little moved at that time, so she nodded and agreed, and that's how they started dating.
However, once Ran Jing started dating, she found that her boyfriend had become a completely different person. Before they started dating, he would always come to her with concern and care about her situation. But now that they were actually dating, he became indifferent and unwilling to take the initiative to contact her.
Although Ran Jing felt awkward, she didn't think much of it at first, assuming that her boyfriend was probably too busy with work to come see her.
If her boyfriend doesn't come, she'll go find him.
But the more she did this, the more impatient the other party became with her, and they would nitpick at Ran Jing all the time.
One minute he'd say Ran Jing was too short, only about 1.5 meters, and that a mother's height affects a child's height; if he married Ran Jing, their children were destined to be short as well.
Then they said Ran Jing was fat and couldn't compare to a certain female colleague in their workplace. That colleague was truly slender, and compared to her, Ran Jing looked like a pig.
Then they said Ran Jing's job was so-so. They said she was a hospital nurse, but in reality, she was just an assistant to the doctors, responsible for taking care of patients' bodily functions. They suggested she quit her job.
Although Ran Jing felt that what he said was wrong, she couldn't pinpoint what was wrong with him because he always claimed it was for her own good, and she didn't know how to refute him. She could only keep her anger inside.
At first, Ran Jing felt unconvinced and wanted to argue when her boyfriend said that. But as time went on, she gradually couldn't help but start to doubt herself.
Is she really as bad as her boyfriend says, with many flaws and completely inferior to others?
When Mingxi heard this from Aunt He, she immediately realized that the other party was manipulating Ran Jing.
But people don't even have the concept of PUA yet. Ran Jing really doubted whether she was bad in every way. Over time, she became depressed and almost committed suicide.
Fortunately, Ran Jing's parents noticed something was wrong with her and stopped her in time when she was about to do something foolish.
Under pressure from Ran Jing's parents, Ran Jing truthfully recounted what her boyfriend had said.
Although Ran Jing's parents are intellectuals, they know nothing about psychology, do not know what PUA is, and are unaware that Ran Jing already has obvious depressive tendencies.
However, they were clear about one thing: Ran Jing's current boyfriend had problems, and if Ran Jing continued to date him, he would ruin her life.
Therefore, Ran Jing's parents forced her to break up with the other man and went around looking for matchmakers to introduce her to a normal partner so as to erase the impact of that rotten person.
Of course, if Mingxi were to say it, that girl was simply being manipulated too much and became depressed. At this point, finding a partner would be useless; she should seek professional psychological help.
However, these days, society lacks a proper understanding of mental illness, and there are very few professional psychologists nationwide. In fact, most people still view mental illness as simply being crazy.
So Mingxi ultimately didn't say those words.
She met Ran Jing once later. Ran Jing had a well-proportioned figure and wasn't fat at all; her face was just a little round. At around 1.5 meters tall, she wasn't short in a crowd.
After all, most people are malnourished these days, and very few are exceptionally tall.
Ran Jing's appearance was not particularly beautiful, but her round face and almond-shaped eyes would be considered a standard sweet girl look in later generations.
However, when Mingxi met Ran Jing, she was still in a bad mood and looked listless, with no energy at all.
Seeing her like this, Mingxi thought that Ran's parents' idea of sending her out for a blind date was not bad.
In any case, letting Ran Jing go out for a walk and chat with strangers might help ease their emotions.
The reason Mingxi introduced Ran Jing to Zhu Jianmin was that she felt Zhu Jianmin was emotionally stable and had a carefree personality, which should have a positive influence on Ran Jing.
Zhu Jianmin hesitated after hearing this. To be honest, he really felt that his conditions were not suitable for Ran Jing, and she definitely wouldn't be interested in him, so there was no need to waste time by asking her out.
Mingxi advised from the side, "Whether it works out or not is another matter, just meeting up is like making friends."
Zhu Jianmin: "Never mind, I won't take up any more of the woman's time."
Seeing his insistence, Mingxi didn't try to persuade him any further, but simply nodded and said, "Alright then."
Mingxi: "Then it won't work to introduce this one to you. Wait a minute, let me take another look. If there's a suitable one, I'll introduce it to you."
Zhu Jianmin immediately agreed.
But before leaving, he couldn't help but ask Mingxi, "Comrade Ming, what was the name of the woman who left your office when I came over?"
This was the second time Zhu Jianmin had asked about Qiao Aimei. Mingxi could tell he wasn't joking, but rather serious, so she couldn't help but ask, "What, are you interested in her?"
Zhu Jianmin couldn't help but feel shy. His face turned red, and he scratched his head, "I...I am..."
Seeing his stammering manner, Mingxi knew he was really serious, and she couldn't help but look at him more closely.
Qiao Aimei and Zhu Jianmin?
These two seem like an unlikely match.
Qiao Aimei is only eighteen years old this year, while Zhu Jianmin is already thirty. The two are exactly twelve years apart.
Zhu Jianmin was married three times and had a child with him, while Qiao Aimei herself was still a child.
Mingxi felt uneasy about having a young girl like Qiao Aimei become the stepmother of another little girl.
Mingxi: "If you're really interested in her, then I'll tell you about her. Her name is Qiao Aimei. You should have heard of her. She's the girl from the textile factory who's being forced into marriage, the one that's all the rage outside."
Zhu Jianmin's eyes widened: "It's her!"
The story of the Qiao family has spread throughout Beicheng. Wang Zhaodi and Qiao Zhenjun have become the representatives of the new generation of vicious stepmothers and heartless biological fathers in Beicheng.
Even Zhu Jianmin, who doesn't usually like gossip or joining in the fun, heard about it.
When he first heard Qiao Aimei's name, he didn't quite understand, but when Mingxi mentioned the girl who was forced into marriage at the textile factory, Zhu Jianmin immediately realized who she was.
His first thought was that no wonder Qiao Aimei looked so thin; she had been abused by her biological father and stepmother since childhood and was always hungry.
Mingxi: "Yes, it's this girl."
She said, "The day this girl ran away from home, our director happened to be at a meeting at the textile factory. When she came across her plea for help, our director brought her here and temporarily placed her at the Women's Federation."
Zhu Jianmin sighed, "Your Women's Federation director is such a good person."
Although Wang Zhaodi was arrested, her biological son is still outside. He is fourteen or fifteen years old this year, and can be considered a young boy.
If a petite girl like Qiao Aimei really goes up against him, she might suffer a loss.
Director Shen bringing Qiao Aimei back to the Women's Federation was also a form of protection, allowing her to recuperate in peace.
Mingxi: "It's not really appropriate for me, a matchmaker, to say this, but I still have to say something. You and Aimei are not really a good match. Her family is complicated, and she's quite young. It would be really difficult for her to get married and become a stepmother to a child."
Zhu Jianmin could understand Mingxi's thoughts.
He scratched his head and said, "Comrade Ming, how about this? You ask Comrade Qiao Aimei what she thinks. If she's not interested in me, I won't bother her. How does that sound?"
Mingxi thought for a moment and nodded: "Okay!"
She said, "When Qiao Aimei comes back today, I'll ask her for you. I'll give you a message after she replies to me."
Zhu Jianmin nodded repeatedly: "Okay, okay."
After seeing Zhu Jianmin off, Mingxi sighed and returned to her office. She poked her head with her pen, wondering how to bring up the matter with Qiao Aimei.
At this moment, Sister Wang came over and said, "Hey, Xiaoming."
Mingxi shuddered at the sudden appearance of Sister Wang. She turned around and patted her chest, saying, "Sister Wang, what are you doing?"
Why can't you just say what you want to say? Why do you have to sneak up next to her and talk to her like that? It's so scary!
Sister Wang chuckled: "Did I scare you? Don't be afraid, don't be afraid."
She patted Mingxi's head dismissively and said, "I heard what you were saying to that guy in the hallway. He wanted you to help him and Aimei get together, right?"
Mingxi hadn't actually noticed that Sister Wang was in the hallway while she was talking to Zhu Jianmin.
But since Sister Wang had already heard it, why did she ask her again?
Mingxi looked at Sister Wang with suspicion. Sister Wang inquired gossipily, "From what you two were saying just now, it seemed like you weren't too keen on helping him make the connection? I thought that young man was quite nice, tall and strong, and looked very energetic. Why don't you want to introduce him to someone?"
Don't underestimate someone as tall and strong as Zhu Jianmin. These days, families with limited means can't raise a tall and strong man like him.
So even though Zhu Jianmin was only wearing a simple blue work uniform, Sister Wang could tell that his family must be well-off.
The conditions are good, and he is genuinely interested in Qiao Aimei, so why is Mingxi unwilling to play matchmaker for the two of them?
Sister Wang knew that Mingxi wasn't an unreasonable person, and that there must be a reason why she did this, so she couldn't help but come up to inquire.
Zhu Jianmin's situation wasn't something that needed to be hidden, and Mingxi was looking for someone to help her with her ideas, so when Sister Wang asked, Mingxi just told her directly.
"Zhu Jianmin was married before."
As Mingxi spoke, she held up two fingers: "Twice still."
Sister Wang's expression immediately became complicated. If that's the case, she could understand why Mingxi was unwilling to help make the connection.
Mingxi: "Moreover, Zhu Jianmin also has a daughter, who is now seven years old."
Sister Wang made a "whoosh" sound.
That's not quite right to say it. If you really want to calculate it, Qiao Aimei is only a little over ten years older than Zhu Jianmin's daughter. It's really strange that she became his stepmother.
Mingxi tugged at her hair and looked at Sister Wang for help: "Sister Wang, can you give me some advice? I'm trying to figure out how to tell Aimei about this."
Sister Wang thought about it and realized that this matter was a bit difficult to discuss. If Qiao Aimei were a strong-willed girl, she would be anxious if she heard that Mingxi was going to introduce her to a man who had been married twice and had a child.
After considering it for a moment, she said, "I think you should just tell the truth."
It's really hard to say this out loud; it feels like it's easy to offend people no matter how you put it. So it's better to be straightforward and just say it directly.
Mingxi and Sister Wang were on the same page this time. Mingxi nodded and said, "Okay, I'll talk to Aimei when she gets back."
Mingxi waited and waited, from morning until afternoon, until almost the end of the workday, before Qiao Aimei finally returned.
Qiao Aimei returned from outside with a blank expression, empty eyes, and unsteady steps, as if she were in a trance. Mingxi saw Qiao Aimei and immediately stood up.
"Aimee, you're back!"
Qiao Aimei snapped out of her daze and nodded to Mingxi.
Although Mingxi wanted to tell her about Zhu Jianmin right away, she was clearly acting strangely, so Mingxi could only swallow the words that were on the tip of her tongue.
She stepped forward and asked, "What's wrong? Did your dad say something to you again, or make you do something you don't want to do?"
Qiao Aimei just went to the detention center. Her abnormal state right now must be because of Qiao Zhenjun.
Qiao Aimei nodded, but quickly shook her head.
Mingxi: ? ? ?
What does this mean?
Qiao Aimei said with mixed feelings, "I just went to the detention center and saw my dad. He told me that the house will be left to me in the future, and he told me where we hide the money and the land deeds, so that I can change the house name to mine when I have time."
When Qiao Aimei was young, Qiao Zhenjun told her that the house and money in the family belonged to Qiao Xiaodi and had nothing to do with her.
Qiao Aimei never dared to dream of such things.
But who could have imagined that one day her father would voluntarily hand over all of this to her?
Seeing her silly look, Sister Wang was afraid that she would be coaxed back by Qiao Zhenjun because of such a small favor, so she quickly raised her voice and said, "You silly girl, don't think that your father has turned over a new leaf and started to care about you. It's obvious that he has no one else to rely on."
Mingxi tugged at Sister Wang's sleeve: "Sister, isn't 'prodigal son returns' a bit inappropriate here?"
Sister Wang was also anxious and didn't care about anything else. She said directly, "Don't worry about whether it's suitable or not, as long as you understand what I mean!"
Afraid that Qiao Aimei wouldn't listen, she earnestly said, "Your father is definitely going to jail now, it's just a matter of how long. Let's assume it's short, he'll be in jail for at least four or five years, or more than ten years. Think about it, when he comes out in more than ten years, he'll be almost fifty years old. He won't have a job, he won't have any money, and he won't be able to work. What will he do then? He'll definitely come to you, his own daughter! He says he's leaving the house and money to you now, partly because he's afraid your brother from out of town will take it, and partly because he wants to curry favor with you so that you'll be willing to take care of him in his old age after he gets out of jail. Silly girl, do you understand this?"
Qiao Aimei pursed her lips and nodded.
She wasn't as naive as Sister Wang thought.
She didn't realize it at first, but after she was released from the detention center, she did.
How could her father, a man who only cared about himself, suddenly show her any tenderness and leave all his possessions to her?
When Qiao Aimei got home, she counted the money and sure enough, the place her father had told her about where he hid the money only contained a little over a thousand yuan.
Although she wasn't fully aware of her family's financial situation, she did know that her father often took advantage of business trips to other places to deliver goods and bring back in-demand items to earn a profit.
Even without considering these extra incomes, her father's salary alone amounts to several tens of yuan a month. It's impossible that the family only has a little over a thousand yuan in savings over the years.
Qiao Aimei immediately understood that her father was trying to bribe her with a small amount of money.
It was precisely because she understood this that Qiao Aimei's feelings were so complicated.
"However, don't let this make you give up your dad's things. Your dad is your dad, but the house and money are innocent. It's between the two of you, so don't take your anger out on the money." Mingxi was afraid that Qiao Aimei might do something rash and return the house and money.
She said matter-of-factly, "You should accept the things you're entitled to. Consider it compensation for all the years your father has wronged you. As for when he gets out, who knows how many years that will be? We might not even be able to find you by then."
Sister Wang agreed: "Yes, Xiaoming is right. You should take the things back and not lock him up yet. We'll talk about it when he comes out!"
Sister Wang thought to herself, "Maybe Qiao Zhenjun won't be able to get out."
Mingxi: "Don't forget, your brother, who's a traitor, still has your father's surname. If you don't want this house and money, he might take it away."
Mingxi and Sister Wang took turns trying to persuade Qiao Aimei. Under their watchful eyes, Qiao Aimei earnestly promised that she would definitely not return the money and the house.
After finally persuading Qiao Aimei, Sister Wang and Mingxi breathed a sigh of relief.
At this moment, Mingxi remembered the favor Zhu Jianmin had asked her to do. She took a deep breath and said, "By the way, Aimei, there's something else I need to tell you."
She began, "It's like this, a guy asked me to help you and him get together, and I've come to ask for your opinion, to see what you think."
Qiao Aimei was taken aback.
Mingxi: "You should know the man who asked me to make the connection. He happened to come by when you left this morning, and you two should have seen each other. Do you remember him?"
Qiao Aimei bit her lip. When she talked about the male comrade who came over in the morning, the face of the man she bumped into at the corner of the stairs instantly flashed into her mind.
Mingxi: "Well, let me introduce him to you first. His name is Zhu Jianmin, and he's thirty years old..."
Mingxi gave a brief introduction to Zhu Jianmin's situation. When Qiao Aimei heard that Zhu Jianmin had been married twice and had a child, she felt a little awkward.
However, after hearing Mingxi talk about Zhu Jianmin's divorce from his second wife and his love for his daughter, she felt that Zhu Jianmin should be a good person.
Mingxi: "Zhu Jianmin is a bit interested in you. If you think he's alright and don't mind, you can meet up, have a meal, and get to know each other better. Whether it works out or not is another matter, but meeting up and having a meal is still a good idea."
"Of course, if you think his conditions are not good enough, then don't force it. Just tell me directly, and I will reject him immediately."
Qiao Aimei hesitated, biting her lip, and finally blurted out, almost as if possessed, "I think he's a good person."
Although Qiao Aimei's answer was irrelevant, Mingxi immediately understood her meaning: she was willing.
Mingxi: "Just hearing me say he's a good person isn't enough. If you really want to know if he's a good person, you have to meet him in person. So, after I get off work today, I'll ask him when would be a good time for you two to meet."
Qiao Aimei didn't speak, she just nodded slightly.
After getting off work in the evening, Mingxi headed straight for the Zhu family's house. Just as Mingxi arrived, Zhu Jianmin had just picked up Zhu Lingling from school and brought her home.
When Mingxi saw Zhu Jianmin, she quickly recounted how Qiao Aimei had agreed to meet him.
"Now it depends on when you have time. Once you've decided on a time, I'll talk to Aimei."
As soon as Mingxi finished speaking, Zhu Lingling blinked and asked, "Sister, is Aimei the girl you introduced to my dad?"
Mingxi nodded.
Zhu Lingling's little mouth started chattering non-stop: "Sister, is Aunt Aimei pretty? What does Aunt Aimei do? Would Aunt Aimei like my dad? Aunt Aimei..."
Mingxi had no idea where such a small person like her got so many questions.
Moreover, the more she listened, the more she felt that Zhu Lingling kept calling her "Auntie Aimei," which made her feel very awkward.
After all, Qiao Aimei is younger than her.
Just as Mingxi was hesitating about whether to correct Zhu Lingling's way of addressing her, Zhu Jianmin suddenly grabbed her around the waist and pulled her into the room.
He smiled sheepishly and said, "Sorry, my Lingling talks too much."
Mingxi: "No, no, kids are just so cute like that."
Inside the room, Zhu Lingling, perhaps having heard this, pressed her face against the window on the side closest to the door and made a face at Zhu Jianmin.
Her chubby cheeks were pressed against the glass, making her look like a little dough ball—absolutely adorable.
Seeing his daughter like this, Zhu Jianmin couldn't bring himself to be angry, even if he wanted to.
He turned to Mingxi and quickly told her about his schedule: "I have time off this week, so I'm free on Saturday and Sunday. When would be a convenient time for you and Comrade Qiao, Comrade Mingxi?"
Mingxi: "For the two of us, this Sunday would be more convenient."
Zhu Jianmin readily agreed: "How about this Sunday?"
Mingxi: "Let me go back and ask Aimei what she thinks first. I'll send you a message once I've made a decision."
Qiao Aimei has no problem with that.
And so, the date for the meeting was quickly set.
On Sunday, Mingxi brought Qiao Aimei to the agreed-upon restaurant on time. As soon as they entered, they saw Zhu Jianmin and Zhu Lingling sitting at a table against the wall.
Mingxi was taken aback.
No, what's going on?
Why did Zhu Lingling come along too?
Mingxi didn't think there was anything wrong with Zhu Lingling, but perhaps it was a bit inappropriate for her to take care of the child?
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