What happened in the Jiang household had absolutely no effect on Jiang Li.
She had gone to bed early for her “beauty sleep,” completely unaware of the commotion the Jiang family caused while running around half the night dealing with Jiang Xiaoxiao’s affairs.
She slept wonderfully.
Yawning, Jiang Li walked out of her room and discovered that despite yesterday’s chaos, the Jiang house was once again spotless. The floor had been swept clean, and even the black-and-white television in the living room had been polished until it gleamed.
“Stop looking. They’ve all gone to work.”
Ye Suqin had gotten up early to clean. Standing by the doorway, one hand resting on her stomach and the other holding a bowl of pitch-black herbal medicine, she spoke quietly.
Last night, after the house had descended into chaos and Jiang Qingfeng disappeared, Ye Suqin had taken the prescription herself to the medicinal company, bought two doses of herbs, and brewed a bowl immediately after returning home.
“The medicine you prescribed really works. I boiled and drank a bowl last night. After one night’s sleep, my body feels much lighter, and my stomach hasn’t tightened up again.”
Jiang Li hadn’t expected Ye Suqin to move so quickly and smiled.
“You weren’t afraid I prescribed the wrong medicine and something bad would happen after drinking it?”
Ye Suqin blinked in surprise.
“You could even tell Dajun was going to vomit blood. Why would you prescribe the wrong medicine?”
Well then.
She clearly hadn’t even considered the possibility of Jiang Li being wrong. She trusted her completely.
Jiang Li leaned closer to inspect the medicinal soup and reminded her:
“One dose should be boiled twice. Then mix the two batches together and divide them into two bowls. The medicinal effects will be stronger that way.”
“Alright. I’ll do it like that next time.” Ye Suqin didn’t ask any further questions. Overall, she still trusted Jiang Li.
At that moment—
The master bedroom door finally opened.
Xu Huili’s carefully maintained face now looked sunken and exhausted. Her complexion was yellow and lifeless, her eyes bloodshot from clearly having stayed awake all night because of yesterday’s events.
She had spent the entire night waiting for Jiang Xiaoxiao. Seeing her daughter collapse into her arms sobbing had felt like knives cutting through her heart.
Her daughter had suffered outside for nineteen years, and now even after finally returning home, Xu Huili still hadn’t managed to protect her.
When she lifted her eyes and saw the strikingly beautiful Jiang Li standing in the doorway, resentment surged up uncontrollably.
If Jiang Li’s birth family hadn’t switched the children by mistake, her own daughter would never have been lost outside.
Her daughter would have grown up safely and smoothly. Since she liked medicine, she would have been raised under her famous doctor grandfather’s guidance. She would have attended medical school and then been assigned directly to a hospital.
How could she have ended up humiliated like this?
“When will things between you and Zhou Xueming be finalized?” Xu Huili asked hoarsely, her voice laced faintly with hatred.
Jiang Li glanced at her in surprise.
“You really want me to marry into the Zhou family?”
“Zhou Xueming isn’t bad. Compared to being sent to the countryside to suffer as an educated youth, marrying him is already the Jiang family burning incense in gratitude.” Xu Huili swept her gaze across her indifferently. Naturally, the “Jiang family” she referred to was not Jiang Li’s original family. “If you don’t believe me, go ask around. What country girl could ever marry into such a good family?”
Ye Suqin paused mid-swallow but silently finished drinking her medicine.
Jiang Li laughed in anger.
“Fine. I’ll definitely help you climb into the Zhou family through marriage. Just don’t regret it later.”
“Regret it? What would I regret?” Xu Huili said irritably. As long as Jiang Li married out soon, she no longer cared who the man was or whether his character was good. She only wanted peace in the household again so she could properly shower Jiang Xiaoxiao with affection.
“As long as you won’t regret it.” Jiang Li’s tone turned cold.
Xu Huili felt as though her heart had been stabbed, anger surging inside her.
“Things have already come to this point. What else are you dissatisfied with?”
Jiang Li shrugged carelessly.
“I’m satisfied. Aren’t all of you quite satisfied too?”
Xu Huili nearly fainted from anger again. Unwilling to remain in the living room any longer, she turned and returned to her room.
After finishing her medicine, Ye Suqin waited until Xu Huili had shut the bedroom door before lowering her voice.
“Grandma already went to bring Zhou Xueming over. You’re dressed so neatly—are you going out? Hurry and leave.”
If Jiang Li didn’t leave now, once the old woman returned with Zhou Xueming, she definitely wouldn’t be able to escape.
“I’m heading out for a while. If they ask where I went, just say you don’t know.”
Jiang Li winked at Ye Suqin, patted the举报信 (report letter) and bankbook hidden in her pocket, and walked out without another glance back.
Sure enough, when Yang Zaohua returned with Zhou Xueming and waited stiffly in the living room for another hour, the sun had already climbed high enough to roast someone’s backside.
Yet Jiang Li still hadn’t appeared.
Furious, Yang Zaohua stormed over and flung open the bedroom door, only to find the room empty.
The wrinkles on her old face twitched with rage.
“Good! She dares run away? When she comes back, I’ll break this worthless girl’s legs!”
Jiang Li first went to the bank with her bankbook.
Since it was still morning, only a handful of people were inside. On the wall was painted a large slogan:
“Practice increased production and thrift to accumulate funds for socialist industrialization. Participate in patriotic savings and support the nation’s large-scale economic development.”
Jiang Li stood in line behind one of the windows, and soon it was her turn.
The female clerk behind the counter wore a dark gray work uniform and looked up at her.
“What business are you handling?”
“A withdrawal.”
“How much?”
“All of it.”
The clerk flipped through the bankbook twice.
“Account holder Xu Huili? Are you the account holder herself?”
“My mother.”
The bankbook for Jiang Xiaoxiao had been given by Xu Huili, so naturally the account was under Xu Huili’s name. Fortunately, proving their relationship wasn’t difficult.
Jiang Li already knew the withdrawal procedures and handed over the prepared household registration booklet.
“My name is Jiang Li. I’m the account holder’s daughter.”
The clerk examined the household booklet, confirmed their identities, then passed it back through the window.
“State the password.”
After Jiang Li provided the password, she quickly received the money.
Only then did she finally relax.
Money never felt secure unless it was in her own account.
She immediately deposited the money into a new account before putting the bankbook back into her pocket. Just as she was preparing to leave, she spotted Su Siyu entering the bank.
“Little Li!”
Since she was off duty, Su Siyu had changed out of her work uniform and looked youthful and fashionable. She wore a coffee-colored knitted sweater over a white collared shirt, paired with a matching long skirt.
“I was just about to go look for you.” Su Siyu happily grabbed Jiang Li’s hand. “My cousin came back. She heard you wanted to meet her, so she said you can come over whenever you have time.”
Jiang Li’s eyes lit up.
She had brought the report letter specifically looking for a chance to submit it. Now that Su Siyu’s cousin had returned, things became much easier.
“Then hurry and deposit your money. I’ll wait for you here.”
“Huh? How did you know I came to deposit money?” Su Siyu asked curiously.
“Aren’t you holding money in your hand?” Jiang Li pointed at her.
“Hahaha!” Su Siyu looked down and laughed. “Right! Payday just came.”
After Su Siyu finished depositing her money, the two headed off together to find her cousin.
At that time, the procurement department of the North City Grain Administration was spread across multiple districts to make grain purchasing from different sources more convenient.
Chen Fang’s division was already located in the suburban outskirts of North City.
After finishing calculations for the latest grain shipment in the warehouse, Xiao Liu from the transportation department came over.
“Comrade Chen, someone’s looking for you at the entrance. She said her name is Jiang Li.”
Chen Fang nodded and carefully filled in the final numbers on the document sheet before quickly tucking away her fountain pen and paperwork.
“Comrade Liu, I’ll leave this shipment to the research institute in your hands. There absolutely can’t be any losses. There are experts over there waiting to eat.”
Although the nation had already survived its hardest years, food supplies were still tight.
Scientific researchers tightened their belts to carry the burden of the nation, while ordinary people still lived half-starved lives.
Chen Fang was determined to ensure every grain reached the people who needed it.
“Guaranteed to complete the mission.” Xiao Liu solemnly accepted the paperwork.
“Siyu!”
Chen Fang hurried out of the grain procurement station and immediately spotted the two girls waiting outside.
“Cousin, let’s find somewhere private to talk.” Su Siyu exchanged a troubled look with Jiang Li.
After all, Su Siyu had only just learned that Jiang Xiaoxiao had directly stolen Jiang Li’s job and academic placement.
Inside the office, Chen Fang listened to Jiang Li recount the entire story.
Her naturally imposing face turned furious as she slammed her palm against the desk.
“Ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous! This is outright deception against the nation and the people!”
The wooden desk shook violently, causing even the tea leaves in the porcelain mug to slosh around.
Although she was Su Siyu’s cousin, Chen Fang was several years older. Her son was already two years old, and in order to secure an academic placement, she spent most of her time stationed at grain depots, barely returning home.
Hearing about stolen placements and job replacement schemes filled her with rage.
Jiang Li took out the prepared report letter.
“Sister Fang, I’m formally reporting Jiang Xiaoxiao and Jiang Yumin. Without Jiang Yumin manipulating things behind the scenes, Jiang Xiaoxiao could never have stolen my job and placement so smoothly.”
There were only three worker-peasant-soldier student placements in the entire Grain Administration Bureau.
Because the grain stations and departments were spread so far apart, information rarely circulated between them. As a result, almost nobody knew that the third student placement originally assigned to Jiang Li had already been replaced.
If Jiang Li hadn’t personally come here today, Chen Fang likely would have remained completely unaware until Jiang Xiaoxiao graduated and returned.
“I’ll absolutely report this truthfully,” Chen Fang said solemnly as she accepted the report letter.
Then, after a moment’s hesitation, she looked at Jiang Li seriously.
“Comrade Jiang Li, have you truly thought this through? Once this report is submitted, given the Jiang family’s actions, even if the placement becomes vacant, you’ll lose any chance at reclaiming it.”
Of course Jiang Li understood.
Worker-peasant-soldier student placements heavily valued family background.
Once the Jiang family became labeled as “troublemakers,” then as their daughter, Jiang Li would naturally lose eligibility as well.
She smiled calmly.
“Sister Fang, this placement was never mine anymore. If you can obtain the third spot, I’ll sincerely congratulate you. At least then the placement will belong to someone with genuine qualifications.”
Chen Fang’s nose turned sour with emotion.
What kind of extraordinary comrade would willingly make such a painful sacrifice?
There wasn’t only one candidate on the waiting list. Jiang Li could have given the report letter to anyone. When someone’s future was at stake, who wouldn’t fight with everything they had for a successful report?
Why insist on handing it specifically to her?
Su Siyu didn’t understand—but Chen Fang did.
Reporting Jiang Yumin and rooting out corruption from the Grain Administration Bureau would count as a major achievement.
Comrade Jiang was deliberately trying to give her the placement through the best possible justification.
Looking at Chen Fang’s tear-filled eyes, Jiang Li said sincerely:
“Sister Fang, for all these years, among the Grain Bureau’s candidates, there have only ever been two women—you and me. Everyone knows how much effort you’ve poured into safeguarding the people’s food supply. This opportunity rightfully belongs to you.”
Chen Fang thought about all the countless days and nights spent rooted in grain stations, the sleepless nights guarding food supplies, the husband and child she had neglected.
She gripped Jiang Li’s hand firmly.
“Comrade Jiang, I promise you. No matter the outcome, I’ll fight to seek justice for everyone involved.”
“For this matter, I owe you a favor.”
“Then I’ll trouble Sister Chen with it.” Jiang Li showed no envy whatsoever toward the placement.
Worker-peasant-soldier student placements looked attractive for now, but from a doctor’s long-term perspective, they were still insufficient. In the future, further education would inevitably become necessary.
Besides—
In another two years, the national college entrance examination would reopen.
Even if the placement didn’t belong to her, it could still go to another hardworking woman.
Just not someone like Jiang Xiaoxiao, who relied on opportunism and only knew how to steal the fruits of others’ labor for free.