Golden Branches and Jade Leaves
The fact that Zhang Chenglin and Feng Yue have a child is something that not only Jiang Xiaoxiao, but probably even Jiang Yuanxing doesn't know.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have reacted so strongly every time he thought of Zhang Chenglin over the years, his eyes filled with regret and remorse.
Jiang Xiaoxiao was on a three-day business trip in Beijing. After finishing her business in Beijing, she visited Dai Zining's home on the day before she returned to Shanghai.
Dai Zining could roughly guess the purpose of her visit, but she didn't bring it up, waiting for her to speak first.
Jiang Xiaoxiao was never one to beat around the bush. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, she got straight to the point: "Since Alin left us years ago, my father's health has been deteriorating. Now he is terminally ill, and the doctor says he probably doesn't have much time left."
"I would like to ask you if I may take Qizhong home to meet my father, so that I can fulfill his last wish and make up for some of the regrets he had for Alin in his life."
Dai Zining had already anticipated this, and nodded: "I have no problem. Ask Qi Zhong. If he is willing, I will naturally not stop him."
Jiang Xiaoxiao's heart skipped a beat, and she was about to say thank you when Dai Zining interrupted her: "Three years ago, Feng Yue also fell seriously ill and stayed in the hospital for a long time before passing away."
“At that time, Qi Zhong was always by her side and witnessed his mother’s death. You and Qi Zhong are family, so I hope that while Ms. Jiang is concerned about her father, she can also consider the psychological capacity of a 15-year-old child.”
Jiang Xiaoxiao was taken aback, then nodded: "Okay, I'll be careful."
Zhang Qizhong eventually returned to Shanghai with Jiang Xiaoxiao. Since he had never met any of the Jiang family members, it was expected that Zhang Qizhong would feel distant from them.
She just didn't expect Zhang Qizhong to be so well-behaved. After coming to the Jiang family, he would take the initiative to talk to his grandmother Jiang Xuyin almost every day, and would also go to the hospital with Jiang Xuyin to take care of Jiang Yuanxing.
She didn't have a trace of the arrogance that Jiang Xiaoxiao had imagined.
After meeting Zhang Qizhong, Jiang Xuyin spent almost every day in tears and treated Zhang Qizhong extremely well, as if she wanted to make up for all the regrets she had for Zhang Chenglin in her life by giving Zhang Qizhong a chance.
After Jiang Yuanxing met Zhang Qizhong, the old man, who had been bedridden for a long time, suddenly regained his ability to walk and talk, and his spirits improved. He even ate more than before.
So much so that when Zhang Qizhong met Jiang Xiaoxiao at the Jiang family home one day, he smiled and said, "I now reasonably suspect that you are lying to me."
"I think my great-grandfather was a good man."
Jiang Xiaoxiao was taken aback, then remembered that when she brought Zhang Qizhong to Shanghai, she had told him, "My dad only has a few days left, and his consciousness may be becoming blurred. Please bear with him."
Now it seems that living for at least another three years is an underestimation.
Jiang Xiaoxiao looked at him and saw the obvious teasing in his eyes, just like Zhang Chenglin back then, and felt saddened again.
Seeing that she didn't speak, Zhang Qizhong remained silent for a while, then asked her in a low voice, "What's wrong? Did I say something wrong? I..."
“No,” Jiang Xiaoxiao interrupted him quickly, noticing his sudden tense tone and lowered eyes, “I just thought of your father.”
"Hmm?" Zhang Qizhong didn't know where she got this question from, and his tone was somewhat questioning.
“Your father used to…” Jiang Xiaoxiao paused and then said, “When he was about your age, just like you, he always liked to tease me. He never treated me like an aunt, only like a friend.”
"Then you must have a very good relationship, right?" Zhang Qizhong resumed his previous tone, his youthful energy carrying the upward momentum of the nation.
“Yes, that’s great.” Jiang Xiaoxiao laughed freely as she recalled that time: “After all, he grew up here.”
Zhang Qizhong looked around the courtyard where he had been living for a week. It was just a small courtyard, and the end of it seemed endless.
“No wonder Aunt Zi Ning said he was a pampered young master raised in luxury,” Zhang Qizhong said with a raised eyebrow and a smile. “In a place like this, it would be hard not to raise a pampered young master.”
After hearing his words, Jiang Xiaoxiao smiled and said, "You know about your grandfather's family situation, right?"
Zhang Qizhong suppressed his smile and nodded: "Aunt Zining mentioned something, saying that my maternal grandfather was once a leader of the Kuomintang."
Jiang Xiaoxiao nodded and continued, "So, your father used to be extremely respected in both the political and business worlds. To call him a 'golden branch and jade leaf' is too simplistic."
“They used to be extremely respected in the political and business worlds…” Zhang Qizhong repeated Jiang Xiaoxiao’s words carefully, his tone filled with a hint of envy and pride, and said, “They stepped forward when the country was in danger, and shouldered the burden of the country amidst the flames of war. After their deaths, they became heroes of the country and heroes of the people.”
"To live such a fulfilling life as him is truly enviable."
Zhang Qizhong deliberately hummed twice, but he couldn't hide the pride in his eyes.
Jiang Xiaoxiao smiled along with him, but she couldn't bring herself to say the unsatisfactory feeling in her heart.
After Zhang Qizhong came to the Jiang family, Jiang Yuanxing's condition visibly improved, and the Jiang family was overjoyed, wishing they could hold a grand banquet every day to celebrate.
But human life is predetermined; some people's lifespans are over, and no matter how good a person is, they can't be kept alive.
Jiang Xiaoxiao was in a company summary meeting when she received the news from the hospital.
Upon hearing from his assistant that Jiang Yuanxing was dying, he left without saying a word, abandoning everyone in the room.
Despite her best efforts, Jiang Xiaoxiao managed to see Jiang Yuanxing one last time.
The ward was crowded with people, including Jiang Xuyin, Jiang Qingju, Xu Wenwan, Jiang Guanyu, and even Jiang Rusu and his wife, as well as some relatives.
Jiang Yuanxing lay on the hospital bed, his consciousness completely confused, but he still pulled Zhang Qizhong to sit by his bedside and kept talking incoherently.
His voice was very soft, so soft that Zhang Qizhong had to lean over and listen very carefully to hear him. He said, "Ah Lin loves the candy that Grandpa buys the most. He always snatches it from Guanyu without hesitation. This time, Grandpa will take you to buy some more so that Guanyu won't see you..."
Everyone around was waiting for Jiang Yuanxing and Zhang Qizhong to speak, but Zhang Qizhong's eyes suddenly reddened.
Then Jiang Yuanxing closed his eyes, and his muttering gradually stopped.
Jiang Xiaoxiao stood next to Zhang Qizhong. She clearly heard Jiang Yuanxing's last sentence:
"...Grandpa took Ah Lin to buy candy..."
Sobs could be heard from the people waiting around, which made Zhang Qizhong, whose eyes were already red, unable to hold back any longer, and two lines of tears streamed down his red eyes.
Jiang Xiaoxiao stood behind him, gently patting his shoulder, offering him silent comfort.
After Jiang Yuanxing passed away, Zhang Qizhong stayed at the Jiang family home, helping them with his funeral arrangements and fulfilling his father's unfinished filial duties.
He and Jiang Guanyu knelt in the mourning hall all night long, which made Jiang Xuyin feel sorry for them and wanted to go and persuade them.
But Jiang Xiaoxiao stopped him: "Although Qizhong has never had any contact with the Jiang family since he was a child, it is said that blood is thicker than water. These days he has long regarded this place as his second home. After he learned that Alin grew up here, he has always been very good to his father. Now he is observing mourning for Alin, so don't stop him."
“It’s truly wonderful that he was raised by Fengyue and Madam.” Jiang Xuyin stood outside the mourning hall, looking at Zhang Qizhong’s tall and straight back, and quietly wiped away her tears: “Fengyue and Madam raised a good child.”
“Fengyue and Madam grew up in the best of families,” Jiang Xiaoxiao said with a smile. “How unruly must this child be to not be able to be taught properly?”
“It’s just so pitiful for this child. He’s never seen his father since he was born.” Jiang Xuyin said, tears welling up in his eyes again. “If Alin and Fengyue were still here, he would definitely be much happier than Alin.”
“But Ah Lin is gone. He knows that his father was a national hero, a people’s hero, a hero who is admired by thousands.” Jiang Xiaoxiao repeated what Zhang Qizhong had told her that day, her eyes filled with the spiritedness of a young man. “Just based on this, he has already surpassed Ah Lin by a lot.”
After all, although Zhang Chenglin was pampered by many people when Zhang Deyue was alive, he became the "son of a traitor" that everyone hated after Zhang Deyue's death.
All his later glory was earned by him, one bullet at a time.
"With Ah Lin as his father, this child won't turn out badly."
After the mourning period for Jiang Yuanxing ended and everything settled down, Jiang Xiaoxiao gave Zhang Qizhong a contract the day before she sent him back to Beijing.
It was the legacy that Jiang Yuanxing left to Zhang Qizhong.
Zhang Qizhong glanced at the words on the cover and was about to refuse when Jiang Xiaoxiao interrupted him in time: "This is the one that was originally meant for your father. Your appearance has made up for some of the debt he owed to your father. Just take it. It's not much for him. This is all that was given to your Uncle Guanyu."
"He's always like that, impartial and unbiased."
This time, Zhang Qizhong didn't refuse and readily signed the contract.
Jiang Yuanxing's inheritance to Zhang Qizhong wasn't much, but it was enough for him to live a worry-free life or at least a life of luxury. As for Jiang Xiaoxiao, Jiang Guanyu received only this much.
Throughout his life, apart from his youngest daughter Jiang Xiaoxiao, Jiang Yuanxing never showed any favoritism towards anyone else.
The only bit of favoritism he had as an elder was entirely given to Zhang Chenglin when he was young.
However, Jiang Yuanxing still harbored regrets about Jiang Xiaoxiao. He knew about her unfulfilled romance, but for the sake of the Jiang family's future, Jiang Xiaoxiao had no choice but to do this, and Jiang Yuanxing could only watch her make this choice.
A successor that is not entangled in factional strife or indulged in romantic love is the one that Chiang Yuan-hsing most desires.
His most beloved and favored grandson, Zhang Chenglin, had his own ideals and beliefs, and his heart belonged to someone else. So even though he really wanted Zhang Chenglin to be his successor from the bottom of his heart, when he went to talk to Zhang Chenglin about giving up loyalty to the party, he only promised Zhang Chenglin the power in the north.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
