“Please forgive me… I privately had someone investigate Zhou Changxun.”
The air froze for a moment. Seeing that his wife didn’t respond, He Linzhou looked uneasy.
“Sorry…”
Jiang Ning didn’t say a word. Instead, she expressed her approval of his actions through her own way—
She tiptoed and kissed those sexy thin lips she hadn’t had enough of last night.
Well done.
Trying to harm me, are you, dear father?
Then I’ll send you in to enjoy some ‘peanuts’ behind bars.
Without a doubt, He Linzhou deepened the kiss—long and lingering, filled with affection.
After the kiss, both of them were slightly out of breath.
“Ningning… did you already know about all the dirty things Zhou Changxun has done?”
He Linzhou asked in surprise.
“Of course. I was previously misled by Zhou Changxun and Wei Yurou—that’s why I made such a fuss about divorcing you.”
“Luckily, I came to my senses in time. Otherwise, after you left, I would’ve been completely devoured by the two of them—nothing left, not even bones.”
Jiang Ning wrapped her arms around his neck, their eyes meeting.
“You’re the one who truly protects me. How could I bear to leave you?”
He Linzhou’s gaze softened.
“I will never let anything happen to you.”
The people he had sent to investigate Zhou Changxun were old comrades who had once fought alongside the He family patriarch. Each of them was highly skilled—no secret was too hidden to uncover.
Let alone someone like Zhou Changxun.
So when He Linzhou said he wouldn’t let anything happen to her—he meant it.
Ever since consummating their marriage the night before, the two of them had been inseparable. After another round of sweet talk, He Linzhou reluctantly got up to return to the army.
There was still official business to handle and duties to hand over, so he had no choice but to temporarily set aside his tender feelings.
As soon as he left, there was a knock at the door.
Jiang Ning was puzzled—who would come at this hour?
This residence had been obtained by the He family patriarch through military merit, and very few people knew about it. It had been specially prepared as their wedding home.
When she opened the door, she saw a plainly dressed woman looking at her with gentle affection.
“Miss… Young Miss!”
Jiang Ning’s mind blanked for a moment before she finally recognized her—
This was the original host’s wet nurse.
The woman had no children of her own and had served Jiang Ning’s mother, Jiang Ting, since she was young.
After Jiang Ting’s death, Zhou Changxun falsely accused her of stealing Wei Yurou’s earrings and drove her out.
The original Jiang Ning, still young and ignorant at the time, never learned the truth and lost contact with her.
“Young Miss, please let me follow you to the border. Let me take care of you—please don’t drive me away again!”
The woman had grown much thinner since leaving. She hadn’t been eating or sleeping well, constantly worrying about Jiang Ning.
It turned out He Linzhou had gone through great effort to find her and bring her here.
“Aiya! What are you doing? Get up quickly!”
Jiang Ning felt a surge of emotion.
But the woman insisted on kneeling, refusing to stand unless Jiang Ning agreed to take her along.
Jiang Ning sighed helplessly.
“Alright, I promise you.”
Who would willingly go to the harsh borderlands?
She must truly see Jiang Ning as her own daughter.
“Come in.”
Jiang Ning led her inside and held her hand warmly.
“In less than half a month, we’ll be leaving.”
“Are you really sure you want to come with me? The border is harsh and cold—I’m worried about your health.”
“I’m strong, Young Miss. Don’t worry about me. I want to take care of you.”
“Before Madam passed away, she repeatedly told me to look after you. I can’t break my promise!”
Her tears fell endlessly.
Jiang Ning felt her heart ache and quickly changed the topic.
“Then from today on, you’ll stay here. Once I finish handling things, we’ll leave together.”
The woman nodded excitedly.
After chatting for a while, Jiang Ning headed out.
Since He Linzhou was already gathering evidence against Zhou Changxun, she couldn’t fall behind.
The Jiang family’s assets had to be taken back.
And those who had harmed the Jiang family—it was time to clean them out completely.
At the Jiang residence—
“That wretched girl Jiang Ning still hasn’t finished the divorce procedures? Why is she so slow?”
“Cheng Xuan, could she have changed her mind?”
“Changed her mind? Hmph—even if she does, she’ll still be our scapegoat!”
Zhou Changxun narrowed his sinister eyes.
“Hurry up! We still haven’t found all the property deeds—think of something!”
The one speaking was Zhou Xue, his daughter with Wei Yurou—Jiang Ning’s stepsister.
“Stop nagging! I’m already thinking!”
“Oh right—did Peterson from Britain say when we can leave?”
Zhou Changxun was extremely anxious.
The purge was approaching. The Jiang family’s massive wealth hadn’t been transferred yet, and Jiang Ning hadn’t completed the divorce.
His plan to flee abroad—bought through bribery—was full of risk.
“He said if we give him another sum of money, it can be arranged.”
Zhou Xue pouted.
“You can’t catch a wolf without sacrificing a sheep, Dad. Stop being stingy—spend what needs to be spent.”
“…Fine. It seems there’s no other way.”
Originally, the deal wasn’t like this.
To secure their escape, Zhou Changxun had secretly copied railway transport maps from his workplace and handed them to Peterson.
In return, Peterson had promised to arrange their departure.
Now raising the price at the last minute—of course Zhou Changxun was dissatisfied.
“How about giving him another box of gold?” Zhou Xue suggested. “The Jiang family has more money than we can spend anyway.”
“Where are you planning to go?”
A light, smiling voice interrupted them.
Jiang Ning pushed the door open and walked in.
“My dear father… and stepmother.”
“We haven’t seen each other in a few days—I’ve missed you.”
“You—! You ungrateful brat! You still dare to come back?”
Zhou Changxun’s eyes lit up the moment he saw her.
The scapegoat had returned.
He no longer needed to worry day and night.
“Didn’t I tell you to get the divorce done? Why haven’t you done it yet?”
“Divorce? When did I ever say I wanted a divorce?”
Jiang Ning looked around the Jiang family estate.
As expected—it was grand and luxurious, almost comparable to a prince’s residence from the Qing dynasty.
“Perhaps you remembered wrong.”
“Jiang Ning,” Wei Yurou said gently, stepping forward with a smile, “the border is harsh. Your father and I can’t bear for you to suffer there.”
“We’re doing this for your own good. A man like He Linzhou, devoted only to his career, isn’t suitable for you.”
“Be good—separate from him.”
Jiang Ning tilted her head slightly and smiled sweetly.
“But I really like him. What should I do?”
“When I don’t see him, I miss him. When I do see him, I want to kiss him.”
“And even after kissing… I still can’t get enough.”
“Ah… what a troublesome problem~”