When the people at the entrance saw the two children and found that they looked fine, with nothing wrong at all, they all let out a sigh of relief. After all, Jiang Hua’s attitude just now had been far too tense, making their own hearts pound as well.
But as long as the children were found, that was enough. Although they looked down on Jiang Hua, they were not bad people who wished for others to live miserably.
Everyone gradually dispersed, and Li Qingran had already left. After learning from Ma Fenghuo that it was he who had incited Yunkai and Yunshu to explore the “haunted house,” she was afraid that if something really happened to Yunkai and Yunshu, Jiang Hua would come to settle accounts with her.
Jiang Hua also thanked Auntie Chen and Song Jin, then brought the two children home.
The moment she stepped into the Xu family courtyard, the tears Jiang Hua had been holding back all the way finally broke free, falling drop by drop.
The little ones, who had already realized they were in the wrong, had been keeping their heads down and not daring to speak the entire way back. Now, seeing her like this, they were instantly startled.
After a moment of confusion and panic, Yunshu could not hold back anymore. She rushed over and hugged Jiang Hua’s leg. “Mommy, don’t cry. I was wrong.”
Yunkai stood stiffly to the side with a stubborn expression, not daring to say a word. His eye rims had also turned slightly red.
Jiang Hua was simply venting her emotions. From the moment she learned that the two children had gone to the Qian family courtyard, the string in her mind had been tightly wound, fearing they might encounter danger.
Only after seeing that they were safe and sound did her raised heart finally settle. Her whole body felt weak and drained of strength, and the tears flowed uncontrollably.
After a short while, she finally steadied her emotions, though her voice was hoarse and carried a slight nasal tone.
“You really scared me to death!” The anger in her heart had not yet subsided. She reached out and gave the two little brats a couple of swats on their bottoms.
Yunshu was already crying in hiccupping sobs, her long eyelashes full of tears. Even so, she did not forget to apologize in a soft, childish voice. “I’m sorry, Mommy.”
Yunkai kept his head lowered, his expression unreadable, but the ground in front of his toes was damp.
Jiang Hua’s heart immediately softened. She reached out and pulled them both into her arms. “You went out to play without telling me. When it was time to come home, you didn’t come back. I went out looking for you and couldn’t find you. I was really worried, afraid you’d run into danger.”
Yunshu cried even harder, wailing as she threw herself into Jiang Hua’s embrace.
Yunkai looked awkward and uncomfortable, but the next second, he suddenly hugged Jiang Hua. His voice was choked with tears, yet stiff as he said, “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”
For a moment, Jiang Hua felt both helpless and exasperated.
Both children had tears and snot on their faces, and they were about to smear it all over her. Jiang Hua paused briefly, then could not take it anymore and lifted them out of her arms. “Alright, stop crying. You’re the ones who did something wrong, not me. Don’t wipe your snot on me.”
The siblings, who were immersed in sorrow: …
A flash of embarrassment and anger crossed Yunkai’s face. He could not help but snort at her and turned around to grab a cloth.
He wiped his own face, then went to the water jar, washed the cloth clean, wrung out the water, and brought it back to help Yunshu wipe her face.
Yunshu took it, then immediately passed it to Jiang Hua like a little lackey. In a soft, childish voice, she said, “Mommy, you wipe your face first.” Then she turned to direct Yunkai. “Brother, Mommy is thirsty. Go pour Mommy a cup of water.”
Yunkai’s eyes widened in shock. He looked utterly speechless, but after glancing at Jiang Hua, he turned around without a word and actually went to pour water.
Yunshu’s jet-black eyes, washed by tears, looked even brighter. She blinked up at people, making hearts melt.
Jiang Hua could not help pinching her perky little nose. The touch was delicate and pleasant. “Little clever rascal.”
The emotions of one adult and two children finally calmed down.
The sunlight grew even more scorching. The slender willow leaves curled slightly from the heat, their branches swaying back and forth in midair.
The dishes on the dining table still carried a bit of warmth. Yunkai consciously went to fetch the bowls and chopsticks, while Yunshu sat obediently on a chair waiting.
Jiang Hua scooped rice with the serving spoon, then glanced at Yunkai. “You met the old grandmother in that courtyard?”
Yunshu nodded, then said cautiously, “Grandma is very nice.”
Jiang Hua glanced at her, then turned her gaze to Yunkai. “You stayed inside all morning. What did you do in there?”
Yunkai’s face immediately turned green. With great grievance, he said, “She forced me to write.”
Jiang Hua blinked in confusion.
Seeing this, Yunshu explained for her brother. “Grandma said she wanted to teach us to draw, but we don’t know how to hold a pen yet, so we had to learn how to hold it first.”
Jiang Hua suddenly understood. “So she made you practice first?”
Yunshu’s eyes lit up, and she nodded like a little chick pecking at grain.
Yunkai was dissatisfied and corrected her. “I was practicing writing. My sister was watching me practice.”
Jiang Hua looked at Yunshu in surprise.
Yunshu smiled shyly, revealing rice-grain-sized teeth.
In her previous life, by the time Jiang Hua knew of Grandma Qian, the woman had already been murdered. She only knew that later, many small cars were parked at the entrance of the Qian family courtyard. The people who came wore suits and leather shoes, and several of them were elderly. Everyone around treated them with great respect.
Jiang Hua did not know Grandma Qian’s identity, but based on her impression, she was certainly not a simple person.
She also did not know whether Grandma Qian’s death had been an accident or something premeditated.
Jiang Hua knew nothing about it. The only thing she could do was repeatedly remind the two children not to go to the Qian family again, in case they encountered danger.
As evening approached, the sky was dyed a fiery red.
After dinner, Xu Chenghuai heard about what had happened in the morning and was lecturing the two little ones in the courtyard. Jiang Hua waited patiently nearby.
Xu Chenghuai noticed her intermittent glances and knew she had something to say. He sternly warned the two children, then rubbed his temples with a headache before letting them leave.
Seeing this, Jiang Hua quickly moved a chair and sat across from him.
She could not let go of the matter concerning Li Qingran, nor did she know how the new project at the research institute was progressing. Jiang Hua did not beat around the bush. She briefly mentioned Li Qingran’s odd behavior and emphasized, “Even if it was just a dream, being careful never hurts. What if it’s real?”
Xu Chenghuai looked at her deeply, then nodded. “I know. Don’t worry.”
Jiang Hua thought to herself that she really could not feel at ease. Xu Chenghuai’s attitude did not look like something that would reassure her.
Sure enough, her unease had its reasons.
The next few days passed calmly.
The clothing shop was finished renovating.
At this time, shocking news also came from the research institute. Just like in her previous life, Ma Yuanhang came to inform her that Xu Chenghuai and Director Chen had both been taken away and could not return home for the time being.
Jiang Hua was stunned for a moment. Her first reaction was that Xu Chenghuai, that damned man, really hadn’t taken her words to heart.
However, her momentary blankness looked to Ma Yuanhang like panic from being unable to accept the reality. “Sister-in-law, you don’t need to worry. We all know Old Xu isn’t that kind of person. As long as the investigation is cleared up, he’ll be back soon.”
Jiang Hua’s gaze fell on Ma Yuanhang’s face.
The Ma Yuanhang in front of her looked much younger than the one in her memory.
The Ma Yuanhang she remembered wore a pair of glasses on the bridge of his nose and had a scar on his forehead. It was said that he had been injured while saving someone from a criminal. After that, Ma Yuanhang’s reputation became even better, and the internet was flooded with praise for him.
Jiang Hua frowned unconsciously. She put away the doubts in her heart, looked at him, and nodded calmly. “Mm. I believe Xu Chenghuai.”
Her composed reaction could not help but make Ma Yuanhang look at her differently. He had already prepared himself for Jiang Hua to lose control and cry hysterically, but the development of things was completely different from what he had imagined.
Ma Yuanhang froze for a moment before reacting. “Then Sister-in-law, I’ll have to trouble you to take good care of the children. If you need any help, come find me anytime.”
Jiang Hua said, “Alright. Thank you.”
The news that Xu Chenghuai had been taken away spread quickly, and the others in the compound soon learned about it as well.
The most pleased person of all was Li Qingran. She had vaguely learned earlier that something like this would happen. Otherwise, how could she have suddenly torn her face with Jiang Hua, when she had previously still kept up appearances and forced herself to interact with her?
“Have you heard what it’s about? How did they suddenly take away two people at once?”
“Who knows? My man works in the same laboratory as them, and he was completely confused. If I hadn’t told him, he wouldn’t have known either.”
“So secretive?” Song Jin exclaimed in shock, then widened her eyes and said blankly, “Then this must be a big deal.”
If it weren’t serious, how could the news be so thoroughly concealed?
Sure enough, rumors soon leaked out that Director Chen and Xu Chenghuai were suspected of selling information to the enemy and were currently under investigation.
As soon as this news came out, it immediately caused an uproar among the people in the compound. Those who had previously been close to Auntie Chen all hurried to distance themselves from her. Jiang Hua, on the other hand, was relatively unaffected, since she had never had much interaction with others to begin with.
The only exception was Song Jin.
The moment Song Jin learned the news, she came to look for Jiang Hua. “What’s going on with your Xu Chenghuai?”
Jiang Hua pinched the space between her brows. She was exhausted by this matter. The two children could understand the gossip outside. Yunshu had been waking up crying at night these past few days, and Yunkai, who already didn’t like to talk much, had become even more withdrawn.
“I don’t know the specific situation either,” Jiang Hua said as she looked at Song Jin. After thinking for a moment, she asked, “Did Wen Bo say anything to you?”
“He didn’t say anything,” Song Jin said with a frown. She glanced around, then leaned closer to Jiang Hua and lowered her voice. “But he’s definitely standing on Xu Chenghuai’s side. Otherwise, he would’ve stopped me from coming to see you long ago.”
Jiang Hua recalled what had happened in her previous life when this incident occurred. Back then, she had no contact with Song Jin. Wen Bo had actually come to see her and asked some questions about Xu Chenghuai.
It was presumably to help Xu Chenghuai, but she had been too terrified and grief-stricken at the time to pay any attention to him at all.
Jiang Hua said, “Xu Chenghuai definitely wouldn’t do something like this. The question is, who would frame him for no reason?”
Song Jin was smoothly led along by her words and said, “That means the person framing him must be getting something out of it.”
Jiang Hua said, “It’s also possible that Xu Chenghuai was simply implicated by Director Chen, or maybe Director Chen blocked someone’s path?”
After hearing her analysis, Song Jin felt as if the fog in front of her eyes had suddenly cleared. She looked at Jiang Hua in surprise and couldn’t help complaining inwardly. Just who was spreading rumors that Jiang Hua was stupid? In her opinion, no one in the compound was smarter than Jiang Hua.
Especially after Xu Chenghuai’s incident. If it were anyone else, they would’ve been completely at a loss, crying and panicking. Yet Jiang Hua, aside from looking a bit haggard, showed not the slightest sign of panic, and she was still taking very good care of the two children.
Song Jin said to Jiang Hua, “I’ll go back right away and talk to Wen Bo, see if he has any way to investigate things from this angle.”