Given the circumstances, if Jiang Ying didn't acknowledge it, her father feared that Han Cheng would wipe out the entire Jiang family in a fit of rage.
Jiang Ying's father is no longer the spirited man he once was. Now that he no longer has his marshal brother-in-law as a backer, every day he spends in this turbulent Yanjing city is like walking on thin ice.
“My dear daughter, it’s all my fault for being blind and finding you such an ungrateful son-in-law. I know you’ve been wronged, but we can’t let this small act of forbearance ruin our future. Let’s swallow this for now, and from now on…”
He tried his best to persuade his daughter, but he really didn't know what would happen next.
“My mother had already passed away at that time. It was my mother’s wet nurse who told me that in such chaotic times, preserving one’s own life was the most important thing, and nothing else mattered.”
Grandma Jiang seemed to be reminiscing, "Back then she said, 'Girl, they're just a pair of little brats. So what if we bring them back? Why make yourself angry because of them? Back then, your unlucky father wanted to marry your mother, so what? Only by living can there be a future.'"
"So over the years, no matter how difficult it has been, I have always remembered this saying: only by living can we have a future."
Looking at Daxia's sleeping face, her cheeks were rosy, like a big apple. "The trials of fate have never ceased. Only by living can there be hope."
"And then what?"
"Later, my father died a few years later. Hancheng completely took over the Jiang family. My years of being subservient and humble finally paid off, and he allowed me to come here to recuperate."
"Since he has already seized all of the Jiang family's assets, why does Jiang Fang insist on coming back now?"
Jiang Ying sneered, "Because his traitorous father discovered he had been deceived when he was dying."
"Scammed?"
"Yes, he only discovered on his deathbed that the Jiang family's wealth was far more than he knew."
Li Xiangdong's heart skipped a beat. "Jiang Fang is only here for the money!"
"Yes, he's taking advantage of the fact that I wasn't killed before and couldn't rightfully seize my family's property, so he's changed his methods now."
No wonder Grandma Jiang resisted so much; she knew exactly what was going on!
But thinking back to her past life, the old lady's gold was only taken away after she died.
The old lady never revealed a word about the valuable Yuan blue-and-white porcelain pillow that he had been longing for. It was only by chance that an old customer from the south managed to snag it.
At the time, he thought it was because his children were unfilial, but little did he know that these grandchildren were not the old lady's blood relatives!
"Since that's the situation, I know what to do. It's getting late, you should get some rest!"
It was dark outside, with only the occasional bark of a dog. I guessed it must be at least past ten o'clock.
Grandma Jiang seemed to have released a burden that had been weighing on her chest for decades, and she felt much lighter. She joked, "Want to know where my things are hidden?"
Li Xiangdong said seriously, "Master, I can earn money myself."
He can earn enough with his own hands to support the people he cares about, so he doesn't need to scheme for other people's money.
Seeing his expression, Grandma Jiang found it even more amusing. She waved for Li Xiangdong to go to the west room to sleep, saying, "Dream on! I wasn't planning on telling you!"
...
Li Xiangdong left early in the morning on his bicycle. There were still half a month before Jiang Fang returned to his hometown to visit relatives, so he planned to go to Hamaowo first before dealing with this matter.
...
We're so poor!
We're too poor!
This was Li Xiangdong's first impression upon arriving at Hamawow Brigade!
The whole village consisted of low-lying dugouts, and the fields were covered with alkali, white and barren, with only a few thin wheat seedlings growing on the ground.
At the entrance of the village, several people dressed in tattered clothes squatted down and chatted, picking lice off one by one and then chewing it.
When they saw a neatly dressed person appear at the village entrance, they were all quite interested. One of them shouted, "Hey, who are you looking for? Which family are you related to?"
Li Xiangdong politely replied, "Brother, where does Guo Mingxin live? I'm his friend!"
"You're looking for the second son of the brigade leader. Go in this road, turn left first, then right, and the house on the far west side is it. There's a big willow tree in front of his house."
Li Xiangdong thanked him and then carried his bag to Guo Mingxin's house as instructed.
Along the way, Li Xiangdong discovered that most of the people in Hamawo lived in earthen huts dug underground!
These earthen huts are less than a meter high above ground. The doors to the huts are made of woven corn stalks, and the cooking pots are stacked next to the doorway.
"You little brat! Can't you give me a break? Your brother and sister-in-law are fighting, and she hasn't been home for two weeks! Now you want to drop out of school! When your dad gets back, he'll beat you to a pulp!"
Suddenly, a furious female voice rang out.
Li Xiangdong looked up and saw a large willow tree in front of the door and three mud-brick houses behind it.
Good heavens, after seeing so many mud huts along the way, his mud-brick house suddenly looks like a mansion!
Before he could even knock on the door, a boy came running out of the yard, shouting, "Mom, even if you beat me to death today, I'm not going!"
Li Xiangdong recognized him immediately from his eyes and eyebrows!
He was much thinner and more youthful than he had been in his previous life.
At this moment, a middle-aged woman with a tasseled hairstyle also came out, holding a broom in her hand. She leaned against the door frame and continued to scold her son, "Are you trying to drive me crazy?"
"Auntie, don't be angry! Mingxin, stop making a scene!"
Li Xiangdong couldn't help but offer his advice.
But this advice left both mother and daughter completely bewildered.
Who are you?
Do you recognize me?
Li Xiangdong came up with a pre-prepared excuse: "Mingxin, have you forgotten? We participated in a long-distance running competition together last time, didn't you invite me to come to your house sometime?"
Guo Mingxin blinked, thinking for a long time but still couldn't recall whether he had met such a person during the long-distance running competition.
Li Xiangdong didn't give him time to think. He warmly put his arm around Guo Mingxin's shoulder and said, "I came to Honghai District on some business this time, and I thought of you so I came!"
Upon seeing this, middle-aged woman Wu Yuanxiu quickly invited Li Xiangdong into her home, then pointed to her son, saying, "I'll deal with you later!"
Despite its somewhat dilapidated appearance, the house is surprisingly clean and tidy inside.
Guo Mingxin still can't recall how he met Li Xiangdong, but he's a cheerful person. He chatted with Li Xiangdong for a few minutes and found they hit it off, so he quickly put the matter out of his mind.
"Xiang Dong, what are you doing in the Red Sea?"
“My dad is the brigade leader, right? He asked me to do some things for the brigade.”
Wu Yuanxiu was relieved after hearing Li Xiangdong introduce himself.
As the group was chatting, they heard shuffling footsteps outside. "Honey, bring me a clean pair of shoes!"
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