During the latter part of the journey, Ruan Shujin leaned against Li Yinglan’s shoulder, completely drained of energy.
Li Yinglan gently patted her, like soothing a child.
“Don’t worry. You’ll meet them soon enough.”
Ruan Shujin thought about it and realized she was right.
Xie Zheng had a proper family; even if they could escape for a while, they couldn’t avoid it forever.
Ruan Shujin had considered avoiding meeting Xie Zheng’s parents, but she had never imagined doing so alone.
The train arrived on time at Jingdu station.
Since they had to transfer, everyone got off and waited nearby. Ruan Shujin entrusted Li Yinglan and Uncle Ruan Dong with instructions, then straightened her clothes and followed the soldiers.
The crowd around her gradually thinned, and the sounds in her ears faded.
She didn’t know exactly where she was being led, only that two guards stood at the entrance. A glance told her they were armed.
The next moment, following a hand signal from the guide, Ruan Shujin blinked and opened the tightly closed door.
Inside, everyone stood up at the sound.
Ruan Shujin stepped in, still trying to process.
A young woman approached her.
“Shujin, I’m Liu Yici, your husband Xie Zheng’s elder sister-in-law.”
Ruan Shujin nodded and respectfully called her “sister-in-law.”
She was then guided to the center of the room.
Liu Yici smiled and introduced everyone: “This is Grandma, these are his parents, this is my husband Xie Jun. Over there are Xie Zheng and your third and fourth brothers, Xie Lian and Xie Rui.”
Liu Yici also pointed to two twin children.
“These are my husband’s and my children, five years old, not yet had their birthday this year.”
Ruan Shujin greeted everyone, feeling a bit awkward, but Liu Yici’s presence helped ease her nervousness.
Liu Yici seated Ruan Shujin next to the elderly Xie lady and sat nearby herself.
Ruan Shujin looked at the kind-faced old woman.
“Hello, Grandma.”
The next moment, the grandmother couldn’t help wiping her tears. In her lifetime, she had the fortune to see Second Boy married—truly a blessing.
“Mom, why are you crying again? We agreed at home—this is a joyous occasion, control yourself!”
Ruan Shujin looked toward the voice and saw a woman in her fifties nodding and smiling at her. She returned the nod.
The grandmother held Ruan Shujin’s hands.
“Dear girl, marrying our Second Boy truly puts you out. Such a good girl, yet he tricked you into going there to endure hardships.”
“Grandma, it’s no hardship. I chose to go with Xie Zheng. As a couple, we can take care of each other.”
The grandmother observed Ruan Shujin—soft, delicate skin, slender frame. She sighed again.
“If the train hadn’t been so unpredictable, I would have insisted on bringing you home to taste your mother’s and my cooking.”
“Well, there will be other opportunities. No rush for now.”
She felt increasingly convinced that Xie Zheng had done good in his previous life to deserve such a thoughtful daughter-in-law. Of course, she also felt lucky she had pushed him a little; otherwise, that stubborn boy might never have left his cage.
Before Ruan Shujin could react, her hands were filled with parcels of food and water.
“Dear daughter-in-law!”
Ruan Shujin looked toward the woman in front of her.
“Mom, if there’s anything you want to say, just tell me—I’m listening!”
“These are things we prepared for your journey. We’ve also entrusted some items to acquaintances who have already brought them to your stationed location in Mengdu. The road can be unsafe.”
“All right, thank you so much.”
The woman smiled, her gaze full of approval for Ruan Shujin. Any gossips who claimed her son couldn’t find a wife would now have nothing to say. Both her daughters-in-law were good ones.
Ruan Shujin looked at everyone in the room.
“I’ll head to the assembly point now. Parents, grandparents, elder brother and sister-in-law, and my two younger brothers, we’ll meet again once Xie Zheng makes his next plans.”
She patted the heads of the two little children.
“Next time, Second Aunt will bring you sweets.”
Ruan Shujin was escorted out.
Once they had gone a distance, she heard rapid footsteps behind her and turned to see Xie Zheng’s father.
Ruan Shujin obediently held out her hands.
“Father, did you come to give me other instructions?”
Xie Shouguo looked awkward, unsure how to phrase his words. His tense expression showed plainly on his dark face. Ruan Shujin didn’t rush him, standing patiently.
After a few seconds, Xie Shouguo carefully handed a slightly crumpled letter into her hands.
“Please, give this to him. Everything I wanted to say is in this letter.”
Ruan Shujin nodded.
Xie Shouguo watched as she solemnly tucked the letter away, feeling a mix of relief and unease.
“Tell him, if he faces difficulties or hardships there, just send me a telegram. I’ll do everything I can, even risk my life, to help him.”
Ruan Shujin knew she shouldn’t speak too much, yet some words slipped out instinctively.
“Father, I understand. And you must understand—you are father and son. You don’t need to be so restrained. You are closest to each other in this world.”
Though she didn’t speak perfectly, Xie Shouguo understood.
Watching Ruan Shujin’s disappearing figure, he lowered his head. One decision had brought lifelong pain—they shouldn’t have sent Second Boy away.
Xie Zheng’s mother, Shao Yuen, appeared beside him, holding his arm.
“Old man, you need to let go too. Don’t trap yourself.”
For half his life, Xie Shouguo’s greatest mistake had been adopting Xie Zheng. Mentioning him always choked his voice.
“Yuen, I’ve wronged you too, forcing you to be separated from our son. He is your flesh, your child, and also mine. Back then, your father and I made a mistake.”
Shao Yuen stared at his face.
“If mistakes are to be counted, we all erred. No one expected them to turn out this way.”
Xie Shouguo looked toward the direction Ruan Shujin had left, then back at Shao Yuen.
“I wrote this letter for a long time, always wanting to give it, yet never able to.”
Shao Yuen smiled.
“I understand. Today, you’ve grown—you finally handed your precious letter to your son.”
“Change too—stop keeping up that strict father image. Times are different. If your child doesn’t come to you, go to him. Our Ah Zheng is a good boy.”
Nearby, Ruan Shujin carefully tucked the crumpled envelope into her bosom.
At the assembly point, a simple gesture conveyed understanding.
Ruan Dong looked at his eldest lady.
“Don’t worry about Xie’s son. I told you, his parents won’t trouble you. See? You scared yourself for nothing!”