Chapter 85

When He Yan came back, Jin Xiuzhu asked, "Was it fun at your classmate's house?"

He Yan hummed in agreement and said while eating lychees, "It was good. I even had lunch at their place; it's just that the road is too far."

Jin Xiuzhu didn't notice anything unusual and nodded, saying, "This area is all mountains, so it's normal for the roads to be long. You're not going to the military base these few days, right? I promised to take you to the provincial capital next door, but we haven't gone yet."

He Yan agreed, "Sure."

He felt excited inside, "I want to have a good time."

Liu Liu, who was doing homework nearby, heard this and immediately raised her hand, "I want to go too."

Fu Yanyan joined in, "Let's all go together."

Jin Xiuzhu had originally planned to take them both along, "Alright, let's pack up tomorrow, and we'll leave the day after."

Liu Liu cheered, "Great!"

At this point, Jin Xiuzhu suddenly remembered something, "By the way, do you want to go back and see?"

He Yan didn't understand at first, "Go back where?"

Jin Xiuzhu: "Go back to your hometown and see. It's been so many years; you should go back and see at least your father."

He Yan didn't say anything. In the past, he had thought about going back, wanting to tell his relatives how well he was doing now. They hadn't treated him well, but his current parents did. He also wanted to see that woman and ask if she regretted it.

But now, he didn't think that way anymore. He cherished his current life and didn't want to be bothered by those people.

However, thinking of his biological father, He Yan hesitated, "Still, I should go and see. I want to see my dad."

Jin Xiuzhu hummed in agreement, "I'll go with you."

He Yan: "My hometown is very remote, and the roads aren't easy to navigate."

Actually, he understood Lin Zhaodi today. He saw Lin Zhaodi run into the house to avoid him. Lin Zhaodi's family conditions were poor, possibly making her embarrassed to meet him. Just like when he first went to the military base, knowing he was adopted made him feel inferior to Wu Xiaojun and other children, feeling unworthy to be there.

It wasn't until his mother remarried with his sister that he felt he had a home and another set of parents.

Jin Xiuzhu sympathetically said, "It's okay; you'll get used to it. Ask your dad tonight for the address, and we can go see him ourselves. As for your relatives on that side, it's best not to contact them for now."

She had heard Jiang Mingchuan mention that He Yan's relatives from his hometown weren't nice. He Yan hadn't fully grown up yet, and if they got involved, it would be hard to shake them off. The main reason was to take him to see his father.

He Yan was touched. His parents had never treated him differently because he was adopted. Instead, as the eldest child, his mother valued him more, teaching him many things. He never lacked anything, and whatever his sister had, he had too.

This made him gradually forget that he wasn't their biological child, and he still had biological parents. Now that he had been admitted to university, his mother was not only happy but also suggested he go back to see his biological father.

He felt both excited and sad, excited to see his biological father, but sad that he wasn't their biological child.

When Jiang Mingchuan came back at night, Jin Xiuzhu mentioned taking the three children out to play.

As she spoke, the three children looked at Jiang Mingchuan expectantly.

Jiang Mingchuan held his chopsticks without speaking, wondering why they were all waiting for him to eat together when usually they left food for him.

It turned out they wanted to go out to play.

Seeing Jiang Mingchuan silent, Liu Liu put down her chopsticks and ran to his side, tugging on his arm and cooing, "Dad, please agree. Dad, I love you the most..."

Jiang Mingchuan couldn't eat with her tugging him around.

Seeing this, He Yan also ran over to the other side, tugging on Jiang Mingchuan's arm and cooing, "Dad, please agree..."

Jiang Mingchuan, annoyed, turned to him and said, "Shut up."

Jin Xiuzhu and Fu Yanyan laughed.

He Yan ignored them and continued cooing with Liu Liu, making Jiang Mingchuan shiver and finally nod in agreement.

Once Jiang Mingchuan agreed, Jin Xiuzhu deliberately mentioned taking He Yan back to his hometown, otherwise, if she had said it earlier, Jiang Mingchuan would have agreed immediately, and there wouldn't have been any cooing.

Jin Xiuzhu enjoyed seeing him overwhelmed.

Indeed, upon hearing this, Jiang Mingchuan nodded without hesitation, "Yes, he should go back and see. I'll write down the address for you."

"Okay."

Later that night, in their room, Jiang Mingchuan told Jin Xiuzhu, "A few years ago, some of He Yan's relatives tried to contact him, but I didn't respond. It was only when his grandmother passed away that I sent twenty yuan. We've had no contact since then."

"His grandmother passed away?"

"Yes."

Jiang Mingchuan had a bad impression of He Yan's relatives. He remembered how he initially wanted to visit the child and his aunt but instead found little He Yan carrying a basin of dirty water, splashing it on himself, his face and clothes covered in grime. He was skinny and looked pitiful.

He deliberately asked He Yan why he was doing this. The little boy said it was his uncle's house, and if he didn't do these chores, his uncle wouldn't give him food. When asked about his mother and grandmother, he said his mother had run away, and his grandmother was also at his uncle's house, telling him to behave.

At that moment, Jiang Mingchuan saw himself as a child and decided to take the boy away.

The ones who mistreated him acted reluctant when he wanted to take him away, demanding money.

Jiang Mingchuan went straight to the Production Team leader, getting him to witness the adoption, writing a document and pressing his thumbprint.

At the time, he was determined to raise He Yan well, unlike his own childhood.

But he realized he had no time to care for him. Even when he did, he didn't know how to interact with the child. It was only after Jin Xiuzhu arrived that things improved.

"So I told He Yan that we're only going back to see his father, not the other relatives. He's still young, and if they cling to him, it could be troublesome, especially since he plans to join the military later. Those bad relatives should be kept at a distance."

"You're right."

Jin Xiuzhu thought for a moment and then asked, "About Aunt He Yan?"

"I've had someone inquire about her. After his father's incident, she remarried with half the compensation. I've also contacted her, but she told me not to disturb her anymore."

At that time, he thought the other party didn't know about He Yan's situation. Later, he realized it shouldn't be the case. They were just a few Production Teams away; how could they not know? They were simply pretending not to.

"Alright, write down all the addresses. When we have time, we'll go and see them."

"Okay."

The two of them chatted for a while longer. Jiang Mingchuan started getting handsy, and Jin Xiuzhu pushed him away twice. "Don't you feel hot?"

"We don't know how long it will be before we can see each other again."

Jin Xiuzhu hummed and stopped pushing him away, but said, "While I'm away, no cold showers, eat well, and make sure to have breakfast..."

"I know."

Jiang Mingchuan found it annoying and kissed her to silence her.

The next day, Jin Xiuzhu started packing with the three children. Summer clothes were easy to pack—just a couple of short-sleeved shirts and long pants, sandals, and everything fit into one bag.

Perhaps knowing they were going on a trip, the two daughters finished their summer homework overnight. Jin Xiuzhu was surprised and checked their work. While it was completed, the handwriting at the end was rushed, clearly done carelessly. Some parts even looked like different handwriting. Seeing her son's dark circles, it was evident he had been bullied by his sisters.

Jin Xiuzhu ignored the kids' little tricks and let it slide. After packing, she asked He Yan to buy the train tickets.

When He Yan returned at noon, he handed the tickets to Jin Xiuzhu and excitedly said, "Mom, I called Wei Ningqing earlier. He said Yang Yingxiong is in the neighboring provincial capital. We can visit him when we get there."

Jin Xiuzhu was delighted. "Really? That's great! It's been so long since we've seen Yingxiong."

"Right? He hasn't come to play with me. I'll show him when we meet."

"You talk tough, but we'll see."

"Hmph, Mom, just wait and see. I'll definitely make him cry."

Thinking about Yang Yingxiong being nearby, He Yan got even more excited. The next morning, he woke up early, cooked noodles, and bought steamed buns for the road.

By the time Jin Xiuzhu woke up, it was already seven. After eating noodles, they got ready and set off with the children.

Before leaving, they said goodbye to Li Yun next door. Li Yun was busy but envious of their trip. However, if given the chance, she would rather stay home and study medicine.

Nanxing could now call out "Aunt... Aunt..." though unclearly.

Jin Xiuzhu patted his head. "Auntie will bring you something delicious when I return."

Nanxing giggled in his mother's arms.

Liu Liu stood nearby, grabbing Nanxing's chubby feet and pinching them, giggling and winking at her sister to do the same.

Fu Yanyan turned away, pretending not to notice, but couldn't resist touching them herself. Soft and plump, they felt good.

After a brief chat, Jin Xiuzhu and Li Yun parted ways. Even from a distance, they could still see Li Yun holding the child at the door.

He Yan looked back and said, "Aunt Li is so nice, and little Nanxing is adorable. I wonder why that uncle did such a thing?"

Perhaps because Jin Xiuzhu taught him to have principles and be a gentleman, he couldn't understand why the uncle disregarded Aunt Li's dignity and kept another woman outside, leading to divorce without marrying anyone else. He couldn't figure out what the point was.

Jin Xiuzhu: "Your Aunt Li is doing well, taking care of the child and doing what she loves. That's enough."

He Yan sighed. "I will definitely treat my future wife well, like Dad, loving her and the children, never looking at others."

Jin Xiuzhu smiled. "No wonder you're my child, so enlightened. Family harmony brings prosperity."

He Yan proudly puffed out his chest. "Of course."

Only Fu Yanyan secretly rolled her eyes, thinking that only this world's dad was good; the previous one was clueless.

Liu Liu, not understanding their conversation, urged them to hurry up.

Arriving at the train station at 8:30, they boarded the train at 9 and reached their destination by 2 PM. Despite the crowded station, they were familiar with the routine. Jin Xiuzhu held Fu Yanyan's hand, and He Yan carried Liu Liu.

After getting off the train, Jin Xiuzhu took the children to the city center by bus. They booked two rooms at the State-owned hotel, one room with two beds for Jin Xiuzhu and the two daughters, and another for He Yan.

It was already 3 PM after settling in. They cleaned up and went to a public bathhouse, washing their clothes as well. Then, they had dinner at the State-owned hotel.

He Yan wanted to go out, but Jin Xiuzhu refused, concerned about safety after dark. "We'll go out tomorrow."

"Alright."

He mainly wanted to find Yang Yingxiong. Wei Ningqing mentioned that Yang Yingxiong came to look for business opportunities to earn tuition money.

Thinking about it, he figured Yang Yingxiong would be on the busiest street.

Sure enough, the next day, while walking through the black market, they spotted Yang Yingxiong selling clothes halfway through. Two years hadn't changed him much, just a bit taller and darker.

Next to him was a small child, equally tanned but very clever, praising customers with honeyed words.

As Jin Xiuzhu approached, the brothers didn't look up. "If you like it, take a look. Looking doesn't cost anything. The clothes are cheap and good, unique."

He Yan chuckled. "How cheap? Buy one, get one free?"

Surprised by such audacity, the brothers looked up. Before Yang Chaoying could react, Yang Yingxiong jumped over the stall and hugged He Yan. "Why are you here?"

He Yan laughed, ruffling his hair, and they wrestled together.

If it weren't for Jin Xiuzhu's intervention, the two of them would have continued their argument for a long time. Yang Chaoying also came to his senses and abandoned his business, running up to Liu Liu with a big smile, "Liu Liu—"

Liu Liu said irritably, "You big fool, you didn't even recognize me."

Yang Chaoying scratched his head and chuckled.

Yang Yingxiong, with He Yan draped over his shoulder, called out, "Auntie, Yanyan, Liu Liu—"

Yang Chaoying joined in, "Auntie, Sister Yanyan, Brother He Yan—"

He Yan reached out to ruffle his hair.

Seeing the brothers' cheerful demeanor, Jin Xiuzhu felt deeply comforted, "You go ahead and take care of your business. We'll walk around some more and come back to find you later."

"Sure."

He Yan didn't want to leave when he was with Yang Yingxiong, so he squatted next to him and helped sell clothes.

Yang Yingxiong, however, wasn't at ease and instructed his brother to follow Jin Xiuzhu, "Be alert and don't let Auntie encounter any pickpockets."

Then he explained to He Yan, "There are many people on the street, and pickpockets are common."

He Yan was carefree, "Don't worry, my mom gave me money to carry."

He even wanted to show him where he kept the money, but Jin Xiuzhu had sewn a small pocket into He Yan's underwear specifically for this purpose. She found it unrefined to pull money from an underwear pocket, so she had sewn it into He Yan's underwear instead.

Yang Yingxiong saw this and looked at him with disdain, "Enough, enough, I don't want to see your underwear."

He Yan picked up on his disgust and playfully hooked his arm around his neck, threatening, "Looking for a fight!"

The two started laughing and wrestling again.

Jin Xiuzhu and the others began exploring the black market. Thinking it was their first visit, Yang Chaoying carefully introduced everything to them. Liu Liu proudly reminded him, "Two years ago, Mom brought us here."

Yang Chaoying exclaimed, "Really? You're so lucky, Liu Liu."

Liu Liu chuckled, "But it wasn't as lively back then."

Jin Xiuzhu asked, "Where do you get the clothes you sell?"

"They're from Auntie Wang. They're planning to set up a factory here, but it hasn't opened yet. There are still some leftover goods from the textile factory. My brother and his classmates transported them here. His classmates bring the goods, we sell them, and we split the profits. We get a larger share because it was my brother's idea and he found the source."

"I see."

Jin Xiuzhu nodded in approval, "Not bad, not bad. You have quite a business mind."

When talking about his brother, Yang Chaoying had endless praise, "Right? My brother is the best. We were just planning to earn enough for tuition, but unexpectedly, we've made enough for our living expenses for the next six months."

Jin Xiuzhu asked further, "What does your brother plan for you?"

Hearing this, Yang Chaoying beamed, "My brother wants to keep me by his side. Next semester, I'll be studying here. He's worried that I might get bullied back home."

Jin Xiuzhu smiled, "That's wonderful. The two of you will be together again."

Yang Chaoying nodded vigorously, "My brother is the best."

In fact, he knew that his brother initially wanted to attend a military school like Brother He Yan, but changed his mind to an industrial university because he was concerned about taking care of him.

Throughout his life, his brother had always been the one who cared for him the most. So when someone told him he had a wealthy mother, he didn't have any other thoughts; he only wanted to stay with his brother.

After finishing their tour of the black market, they returned to find that Yang Yingxiong had sold most of his clothes. He stood aside collecting money while He Yan enthusiastically hawked the remaining items. With his tall and handsome appearance, he sweetly called every passing woman "sister" or "little sister," even addressing middle-aged women as "beautiful ladies."

Compared to the brothers' awkward local dialect, he spoke much more fluently.

Jin Xiuzhu and the others waited patiently until everything was sold before leaving together.

Yang Yingxiong, familiar with the area, led them to a nearby alley for lunch.

It was a residential house, but a simple sign outside read "Liu Family Restaurant." Inside, several tables were set up in the courtyard, with many diners already seated.

Yang Yingxiong ordered dishes, with He Yan following behind. When they returned, they carried several coconuts.

Yang Yingxiong had chosen local specialties and told Jin Xiuzhu, "This place serves delicious food at a reasonable price, much better than the state-owned hotel. It was recommended to us by locals, and my brother and I have eaten here twice."

He Yan asked, "When do you start school?"

"September 1st."

"What about your brother?"

"I'm not planning to live on campus. Instead, I'll rent a place near the school and work part-time. That way, my brother can live with me."

He Yan felt a pang of sympathy, "Does your father not give you any money for college?"

Yang Yingxiong shook his head, but there was no hint of disappointment on his face. He had long given up on any expectations from Yang Yao.

Yang Chaoying added angrily, "He wouldn't give us anything! All his money goes to his wife and kids. When my brother took me away, they wouldn't even let us in the door."

Yang Yingxiong remained silent.

Fu Yanyan watched Yang Chaoying. She couldn't recall if the child Yang Yao and Zhao Yun had in her previous life was this very Yang Chaoying. Nevertheless, she found it remarkable how the once-rejected Yang Yingxiong, burdened with various accusations, now had a loving brother by his side in this life.

The brothers studied and worked hard together, relying on each other, living a poor yet hopeful life.

Even more astonishing to her was that walking down these familiar black market streets, she felt no sadness or depression. She observed everything as if from the outside, even glimpsing a young, determined girl weaving through the crowd.

Perhaps, this time, she had truly let go.