Shen Mingzhi leaned against him, sobbing softly.
The phone rang at that moment, and Jiang Qing immediately tensed up, immediately accusing Jiang Guofu, "Why aren't you guarding the phone? Why are you standing so close to us? Answer it now!"
“It’s only a few steps…” Jiang Guofu was speechless.
He picked up the phone, and after answering, the anxiety on his face turned into relief. After hanging up, he told Shen Mingzhi and the others, "The child has been found. He was taken away by that old lady on the third floor of the family compound with her daughter-in-law, and they are hiding him in their house."
No sooner had she finished speaking than Jiang Yinyin returned carrying the medicine.
Jiang Shaochen's gaze fell on her, and he said coldly, "The conflict with this old lady started when she went to the family compound to spread rumors about Zhizhi. The old lady talked badly about her in the compound every few days, and that's how the trouble started."
“Yinyin, you shouldn’t go to university. Go to the Party School for a few years of reform. After all, you are a member of the Youth League. Your sister-in-law didn’t hold it against you, but if she complained to the leaders, you would be criticized, and our entire Jiang family would be disgraced because of you.” After Jiang Qing finished speaking, she gestured for Jiang Guofu to go with her to pick up the child.
"Second brother, I just bought medicine for her, and this is how you treat me—"
"Shut up, I'll deal with you when I get back!" Jiang Qing interrupted her. "You're a member of the Youth League, and this is the level of discipline you have?! Spreading rumors about women and damaging their reputations everywhere, is this something a Youth League member should do?!"
Jiang Yinyin did not speak.
Jiang Guofu's face darkened, his tone filled with disappointment. "I don't expect you to be as outstanding as your two older brothers, but as a military and political spouse, and a member of the Communist Youth League, you bully ordinary people and spread rumors about women. If this is sued, you'll face far more than just being sent to the Party School for reform."
Shen Mingzhi didn't hear the couple scolding Jiang Yinyin; she had already left with Jiang Shaochen.
"I'll go see the courtyard house in a bit, and then I'll pick up my parents," Jiang Shaozhen said to Shen Mingzhi after getting into the car.
Shen Mingzhi didn't reply immediately. Instead, she stared at her blood-soaked palm for a long time before slowly saying, "Let's ask Mom and Dad first. They've lived here for so long, they'll inevitably find it hard to adjust to moving to a courtyard house."
"Okay, whatever you say." Jiang Shao Chen said this, but he had also considered that when the two children grew up, he would have to prepare rooms for them.
Moreover, he felt that... the economy would get better and better in the future, and if he didn't buy now, he probably wouldn't be able to afford it in the future.
After Jiang Guofu and Jiang Qing got into the car, Jiang Shaochen told them that he wanted to buy a courtyard house.
“The courtyard house is quiet, and there are often elderly people outside listening to operas and playing chess together. It’s safer than the small Western-style houses and family compounds where we live,” Jiang Shaozhen explained to Jiang Qing and Jiang Guofu.
Jiang Qing didn't have any objections, after all, there were two more people in the family. She had previously considered buying a courtyard house for him to live in after he got married.
“Okay, but you only got the marriage certificate before, and you didn’t have the wedding banquet. Today, Zhizhi called us Mom and Dad, so the wedding process has to be done according to the rules. The banquet should be held.” Jiang Guofu hadn’t brought this up before because he could tell that Shen Mingzhi didn’t accept Jiang Shaozhen or the Jiang family.
At the time, they understood Shen Mingzhi's situation, and the Jiang family also felt guilty towards her, so they let her have her way.
Shen Mingzhi felt uneasy when she heard that a banquet was going to be held.
Jiang Shaozhen was driving when he heard this, and the veins on his hands bulged with nervousness.
Jiang Qing could tell from Shen Mingzhi's silence that she probably hadn't fallen in love with her son yet.
She looked Jiang Shaozhen up and down.
She was quite beautiful; back then, she was considered the most beautiful girl in the army.
She does have a good figure.
Looks like I'm still too stupid; I don't know how to pursue women.
Things are different now than before. Arranged marriages give people something to talk about. If she doesn't agree, the wedding banquet can't be held.
"Let the two children get to know each other first. They've only been living together for a month or two, and they don't know each other well yet," Jiang Qing said, not wanting to make things difficult for Shen Mingzhi.
Although she initially looked down on Shen Mingzhi, she was a kind-hearted person who apologized when she was wrong and didn't hold a grudge. Even though Jiang Yinyin bullied her behind her back several times, she was willing to help Jiang Yinyin sell medicine to make up for the Jiang family's losses in a timely manner.
Jiang Qing scolded her for not taking good care of the child, but then she thought that she was worried about Shao Chen and had been tricked into going out, so she couldn't blame her.
"It's alright, I've already got the certificate, I'm just still a little unaccustomed to it," Shen Mingzhi said softly.
She had developed some feelings for Jiang Shaozhen during their time together, but not to the extent she imagined. They could have a wedding banquet, but... everything else could wait.
Jiang Shao Chen was driving, so it wasn't convenient for him to look at her, but he still stammered a little, "If you... feel that our relationship isn't quite there yet, we can hold the wedding banquet later."
“Zhizhi, this is what I’m thinking. Moving into the courtyard house is a joyous occasion, and with you and him having a banquet, it’s double the joy, isn’t it? After the banquet, everyone will know you’re a member of the Jiang family, and they won’t dare to bully you.” Jiang Guofu discussed with Shen Mingzhi.
She came to the Jiang family on her own, so she probably doesn't have any parents or family members left.
The Jiang family cannot bully her or break the rules just because she is an orphan and a widow.
Shen Mingzhi unconsciously looked at him sitting beside her.
Jiang Guofu's eyes and brows were serious and earnest, and he appeared open and upright.
“The Jiang family is law-abiding; they don’t bully or take advantage of women. The dowry and banquet that are due to you are essential; otherwise, others will look down on you. It’s alright if your relationship with Shao Chen isn’t deep yet; you can cultivate it slowly after the banquet,” Jiang Guofu patiently explained to Shen Mingzhi.
"Then I'll listen to you." Even now, Shen Mingzhi feels that, apart from Jiang Yinyin, the members of the Jiang family have indeed treated her well.
Jiang Qing is willing to take care of her child and let her earn money, surpassing most modern mothers-in-law.
She thought that perhaps Jiang Guofu was so kind to her because he felt guilty about the man who had bullied her.
But she didn't dislike Jiang Shaochen, and the two had even gotten their marriage certificate, so the wedding banquet was just a belated event.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Guofu smiled and said, "Then let the child stay with us today. You two can discuss how much the bride price should be and what to buy for the three main items. Once you've decided, your mother and I will go buy you bedding."
Shen Mingzhi's cheeks flushed, and she nodded gently, "Okay."
We arrived at the family compound.
The compound was packed with guards.
The old lady and her daughter-in-law were being watched by the guards.
As soon as Wang Xinian saw Shen Mingzhi get out of the car, he immediately stepped forward and was about to kneel on the ground when Jiang Shaozhen, who had also gotten out of the car, grabbed him and said, "What kind of occasion is this? You kneel down all the time!"
The residential compound was packed with people, both inside and out, and the onlookers were all members of the public.
Wang Xinian looked at Shen Mingzhi, his eyes filled with tears, his face full of self-reproach, "I was so engrossed in my studies at the time... and in the blink of an eye, I was gone... I'm so sorry, sister!"
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