Chapter 905: Chapter 778: Looking for a Son

Upon hearing this, Jiang Jiangyu angrily shouted, "Nonsense niece, she’s just a foster daughter of my husband’s family."

The elder woman dismissed it with a smirk. Such disgraceful affairs always emerge, and for sure, it’s unacknowledged. But these things have nothing to do with herself; as long as the message is conveyed, it’s fine.

"Can I have a drink of water first?"

Jiang Jiangyu regretted letting the other person in.

Without the other person speaking, she could already guess what that dead girl wanted? But when she thought about how she had taken a few items from the package that her sister-in-law secretly sent to her daughter, she decided to stay calm and see what it was all about.

Exactly. Chen Jingru, far away, was worried about her husband’s and son’s futures, and dared not issue proof to come to the Northwest. But in private, she frequently sent packages for her brother-in-law to pass on to her daughter.

She knew her sister-in-law’s character well, and each time deliberately signed as Lin Aidang, hoping that her brother-in-law would have some sympathy for his niece on his brother’s behalf.

But she overlooked one thing. No man wants to be involved with a woman with such conduct issues. Not to mention that in this household, Jiang Jiangyu was in charge.

Every time Lin Aidang received a package, he handed it to his wife to handle. As for whether there was anything missing or not, after going through Zhou Jiao’s packages, whether it was intentional or not, he stopped asking any questions.

The saying goes, "A family that isn’t united falls apart."

Jiang Jiangyu picked a broken bowl, filled it with well water, and handed it to her.

"Sister, have another bowl."

Jiang Jiangyu glanced at her expressionlessly, handed her another bowl, and looked at the grime-covered black hand that reached out, secretly lamenting the loss of another broken bowl at home.

The narrow-eyed elder woman finished drinking and her eyes darted around wildly. This little movement, thinking no one noticed, only irritated Jiang Jiangyu further.

She feigned a few coughs to remind the other person.

The narrow-eyed elder woman immediately slapped her thigh, "Look at me, look at me, I’m so hungry I’ve gone dumb."

Upon seeing this, Jiang Jiangyu quickly changed the subject: "So, what message did she ask you to bring? I tell you, raising her in this household wasn’t easy, where did she ever suffer? This disappointing one... sigh, just tell me."

The narrow-eyed elder woman’s eyes flashed with irritation, then showed a fawning smile, "Last month she asked me to bring a message, I really couldn’t leave. These days just stepping out requires proof, and I went through a lot of trouble to make this trip. That child, truly pitiful..."

Jiang Jiangyu snorted lightly through her nose. She didn’t think Lin Xuelin was pitiful; her own four children were the ones dragged down and pitiful.

To not mention anything else, her eldest son’s bright future was ruined by that dead girl; now the daughter-in-law he married can’t even be compared to the high-ranking ladies in Beijing. And not to mention, since the marriage, she hasn’t even conceived a single hair.

Whenever she thought of her children’s dim future, Jiang Jiangyu could just about eat that dead girl’s flesh alive.

"... She said her body can’t hold on much longer, wants you to deliver a message to her mother and try to transfer to another place for reformation through labor. If successful, the things you want will be returned to you..."

Jiang Jiangyu’s heart throbbed wildly at these words. Does that dead girl really have gold stored somewhere? That year, to get a transfer back to Beijing, that dead girl had personally promised ten small yellow fish once it was done.

This was also the reason she resented the kind old lady. Her eldest son was the eldest grandson, yet the old woman was so generous to have supported the eldest family.

Once the narrow-eyed elder woman finished, she observed her expression and, seeing her silent, continued, "And one more thing, she said she knows how much dowry that bitch has and where it’s hidden?"

Jiang Jiangyu suddenly stood up and began pacing back and forth on the ground. If the earlier reward proposal could have made her hesitate, this final condition was too enticing.

She recalled the conditions mentioned by the middle-aged woman, didn’t they just want to topple the Zhou Family? Years ago, who knew how much dowry the nun prepared for her daughter, but it surely wasn’t a small amount.

If such evidence were given to that person, perhaps the family could return gloriously to Beijing, and her two sons’ futures would be bright.

"Sister, look at the hour, it’s not early, and I need to hurry back. Could you give some assurance, or best, a token to take back to her?"

With a prompt from the old woman, Jiang Jiangyu snapped back to reality. She stopped her steps, smiled, and said, "You just tell her to hang in there at the farm. In light of her being my niece, I’ll pass the message to her mother. As for whether it’ll succeed, it depends on her mother, even if we want to help, we’re powerless."

"What kind of thing can prove I passed by?"

Jiang Jiangyu didn’t make it difficult for her, thought for a moment, and said, "Tell her that Yang has two sons and a daughter now, what else could she not believe."

The old woman secretly cursed her as truly stingy. How did she know Jiang Jiangyu wasn’t going to leave any evidence for Lin Xuelin, lest she accuse her and not even the waters of the Yellow River could wash it clear.

Jiang Jiangyu now just wanted to quickly send the person away, to catch the early bus to find her eldest son Lin Dingsheng to discuss matters. As for seeking her own husband, she looked down on his timid nature.

Out of good will, she gave the old woman two steamed buns from the kitchen to send her off.

...

In the military camp, when a soldier came to call for someone, Lin Dingsheng was chatting idly with his comrades. Hearing that someone from home was looking for him, he was startled.

"Who is it?"

"Who else? Your wife. She said there’s a guest at home, asked everying to take leave and hurry back, then left in a hurry."

"Thanks." Lin Dingsheng said and then looked at his comrade, "It must be something urgent, otherwise my wife wouldn’t come. I’ll go back first, if anything happens, cover for me."

His comrade nodded, "No problem, before you go, check with the commander."

After Lin Dingsheng took leave and returned to the family housing, more than two hours had passed. Upon arriving home, he saw his mother anxiously stretching her neck waiting for his return.

He asked in surprise, "Mom, what brings you here so suddenly? Grandpa shouldn’t reply this early. Did you have a fight with Dad? Does he even know you’re here?"

"None of that, drink some water first to calm down." Jiang Jiangyu patted the seat beside her, "I left a note for your dad, saying I’d be back in two days."

"Oh, that’s good. Perfect timing to see what little brother is up to. I’ve been so busy, haven’t been able to check on the lad. Where’s Jiajia?"

Jiajia referred to his wife, Qian Meijia—a lively art soldier and the late-born daughter of his superior.

"She said the group has tasks, I told her to go to work first."

Lin Dingsheng noted the empty coffee table, slightly furrowed his brow, then smiled and said, "She’s hopeless with people, what task could be more important than my mom? Mom, have you eaten? How about I cook you some noodle soup?"

Jiang Jiangyu couldn’t bear to let her son do the work.

This was why she disliked the pampered daughter-in-law. If it weren’t for scraping the bottom of the barrel, a few years back, how could such a woman even be a match for her son!

"Alright, I’m not hungry now, I’ll wait for dinner. Old lad, let’s find a place to chat properly, this time you have to make the decision."

Lin Dingsheng advised his mom not to rush, went into the bedroom to fetch two apples, returned to the kitchen to wash them, and also brought out some grapes.

"Mom, let’s go to the study, it’s quiet there."

Jiang Jiangyu looked at her smiling eldest son and, recalling her daughter-in-law’s dismissive attitude upon entering, her nose tingled, nodded, and turned to walk into the study first.

Lin Dingsheng watched his mom, glanced at the bedroom door, and his gaze flickered—thinking of his wife, it seemed his mom had been wronged by being here.

He felt it necessary to again declare to his wife that no matter how imperfect his mom might be, she’s still his mom, and in this world, a wife can be replaced, but a mother, there’s only one.