The clock in the living room chimed eight times—it was eight o’clock in the evening.
The three members of the Shu family sat together in the room when Shu Ye suddenly stood up, putting on his military cap with both hands: “Let’s go pick up our child and bring her home!”
Shu Cheng’an quickly followed him: “Dad, when are we going to tell Aunt and Uncle?”
“Don’t scare the child. Wait until tomorrow morning to discuss it with Xiaoying first.” Tang Heping stopped them and headed toward the herbal medicine room at home. “I’ll prepare some medicine for our niece. You two eat first. The dumplings were made by Mom and me together. The fish and pork in the dumpling filling were all bought by our niece.”
Their niece’s pulse was complex; it would take time to fully regulate her health—they couldn’t rush it.
Tang Heping spent half an hour in the herbal medicine room before emerging, holding seven packets of medicine. She placed them in a plastic bag and headed out: “I’m going to check on Mom’s place. Whatever you do, don’t act impulsively.”
Shu Cheng’an threw down his chopsticks: “Mom, wait for me! I’m coming too!”
Shu Ye wasn’t about to be left behind.
A short while later, the family of three drove neatly into Mudan Hutong.
Qu Jinghong had already returned to her room to sleep.
Wen Zhile was sitting in the courtyard reminiscing when she heard a knock at the door. She quietly walked over to the door and asked, “Who is it?”
“Xiao Dai, it’s Aunt Tang.”
Wen Zhile opened the door and, by the moonlight, saw three people standing outside. She froze for a moment.
Why had her uncle, aunt, and cousin come to Grandma’s house so late?
They should know Grandma was already asleep.
Wen Zhile’s gaze swept over the three of them, their eyes filled with unspoken words, and she blinked.
Did they already know the truth?
The young girl stepped aside, lowering her voice: “Aunt Tang, why are you back?”
“Grandma just fell asleep a little while ago. Please keep your voices down.”
At her request to keep quiet, the three fell completely silent.
Only after Wen Zhile locked the door again did Tang Heping hand her the prepared herbal medicine: “Zhizhi, this is a seven-day supply. Grandma’s house has a special clay pot for brewing medicine. Tomorrow…”
“Never mind, I’ll hold onto it for now. I’ll come over after work tomorrow to brew it for you.”
“Mom, how about I brew it?” Shu Cheng’an stared at Wen Zhile for a moment, feeling that if he kept looking, he’d arouse suspicion. He quickly chimed in while patting his father’s back, signaling him to stop staring too.
Shu Ye averted his eyes.
“Zhizhi, this is my husband and son.” Tang Heping swatted away Shu Cheng’an’s hand as he tried to take the medicine from her. “It’s getting late. You should go to sleep. We’ll turn in soon too.”
Wen Zhile was certain they knew her identity now.
Hearing this, she didn’t say anything, simply nodded and returned to her room.
The courtyard remained quiet for a few minutes before Shu Cheng’an spoke up: “Our sister looks so much like Uncle—she’s really beautiful, much prettier than that impostor.”
He had no good impressions of Wen Nuan and spoke without holding back.
“Pretty and well-behaved, just as gentle as your aunt was when she was little.” Shu Ye glanced back at Wen Zhile’s door. “The most urgent matter now is to figure out who was behind swapping the children back then.”
Tang Heping nodded: “We also need to find out whether Wen Nuan was aware of it.”
Shu Cheng’an thought of what he had uncovered, his expression darkening: “Whether Dai Nuan knew or not, once Zhizhi comes home, we must send her back to Jianghe Village.”
“The Dai Family tormented our family member like that, while their child lived in comfort at Aunt’s house, eating well and having everything she wanted. When Zhizhi was treated like a slave by the Dai Family and fed slop, that girl feasted every day and got whatever she desired. Mom, Dad, there’s no room for discussion—Dai Nuan must be sent away!”
Shu Cheng’an spoke in a hushed tone, his gaze fixed unwaveringly on his parents’ faces.
Shu Ye glared at him, while Tang Heping shot him a disdainful look.
“Do you think we spoil Dai Nuan because she’s naturally endearing?”
With that single sentence from Shu Ye, Shu Cheng’an felt relieved.
His greatest fear had been that his parents might soften.
Wen Zhile slept until eight in the morning, then put on the freshly washed short sleeves and jacket from after dinner last night before heading out.
Qu Jinghong stood in the center of the courtyard, wearing a navy blue short-sleeved qipao.
“Good morning, Grandma.”
“Oh, you’re awake?”
“Zhile’s awake?” Shu Cheng’an strode toward the stone table carrying two bowls of porridge. “Go wash up and have breakfast.”
“…” Wen Zhile hesitated slightly.
Was her cousin being this obvious really okay?
Weren’t they afraid of scaring her and Grandma? That didn’t make sense – based on her understanding of her uncle’s family, the reason they hadn’t revealed the truth when they first saw her yesterday was precisely because they feared frightening her and Grandma.
Her analysis couldn’t be wrong.
As Wen Zhile hurried into the bathroom, she reached a conclusion: her cousin was tactless.
After washing up, the young woman seized the moment when Shu Cheng’an was alone in the kitchen to approach him with a stern expression. “Comrade Shu, you should still call me Xiao Dai.”
If he kept calling her Zhile, she was afraid Grandma might guess the truth.
Grandma was advanced in years – what if the shock made her ill?
The corners of Shu Cheng’an’s mouth lifted. “No problem. If you prefer, I’ll even call you ancestor.”
“…” Wen Zhile flashed him a smile before going out to find Qu Jinghong.
The three of them sat around the stone table for breakfast. After the meal, Qu Jinghong tapped Shu Cheng’an’s arm. “Aren’t you going to work today?”
“Grandma, I took the day off.”
“That’s good,” she then turned to Wen Zhile. “Xiao Dai, how about Grandma takes you shopping for dresses? Let my grandson drive us.”
Wen Zhile pressed her lips together.
She didn’t want Grandma to see the scars on her body.
“Grandma, I have plans this morning. I promised Sister Xiuxiu I’d visit her today.”
Qu Jinghong maintained her smile. “Visiting friends is good too.”
Shu Cheng’an glanced subtly at Wen Zhile’s jacket, his eyes darkening and the veins on his arms bulging briefly before he turned to fetch a bowl of traditional Chinese medicine from the kitchen. “Xiao Dai, this is the medicine my mother asked me to prepare for you. She said you need to take it twice daily, after breakfast and dinner. Here, drink up.”
Wen Zhile sighed.
Having grown accustomed to it in her previous life, she didn’t refuse but took the bowl and drank it in large gulps, startling both Shu Cheng’an and Qu Jinghong, who quickly peeled a piece of candy for her.
Just as she tasted the candy, the courtyard gate knocked.
“Madam, it’s Xiao Liu! The commander’s wife sent me to deliver something for Brother An.”
Shu Cheng’an rushed out immediately.
When he returned moments later, his shorts pockets were bulging noticeably, earning a glance from Qu Jinghong.
As Wen Zhile moved to clear the table, Shu Cheng’an pushed her aside. “I’ll do it.”
“Xiao Dai, when are you meeting your friend? I need to stop by the unit soon, I can give you a ride.”
Wen Zhile guessed he had something to say to her.
“I’ll leave in a few minutes. Thank you, Comrade Shu. You and Grandma are both so kindhearted. It’s wonderful to have met you.”
Shu Cheng’an felt delighted hearing anything from his biological cousin – from the moment the young woman began speaking, the smile never left his face.
Several minutes later, Wen Zhile got into the police car driven by Shu Cheng’an.
The car drove out of the alley and headed toward Shuhai Inn.
Shu Cheng’an parked near the inn and pulled out the contents of his pocket. “My mother asked me to give you these. Just let me know when you run out, and I’ll get you new ones.”