Director Zhao continued, “Your sister tried to withdraw money pretending to be your mother, which counts as fraud. Even though she didn’t succeed, she’ll be detained for 72 hours for education. Your brother is still young, so we can only entrust these things to you. Make sure you keep them safe.”
Jiang Yan said earnestly, “Thank you, Uncle. I will definitely take good care of them.”
Why bother digging into why her mother and stepfather were being sentenced, or why it was happening so early?
Wasn’t this exactly what she had wished for?
Now she could finally act without any restraints!
Jiang Yan took the bankbook and documents, then went straight to the bank. She handed over the ID certificate from the neighborhood office. “I’m Shi Ronggui’s daughter. He sent me to withdraw money,” she explained, giving a reason similar to Hongmei’s.
The teller called over security. “Even if the seal matches, it’s no good. If you can’t tell us the password, we’ll send you to the police station just like your sister!”
Jiang Yan calmly spoke the password. She was surprised to find there was over 1,200 yuan in the account.
As she took the money and emptied the account, her heart was filled with mixed emotions.
In her past life, Liu Manli had also bought talismans and a doll from Granny Bao, but she hadn’t cursed her she had cursed Jiang Yan’s adoptive parents. She hoped they would die quickly so they wouldn’t be a burden, allowing her to bully Jiang Yan without fear.
And she had done it right in front of Jiang Yan’s face. That showed how cowardly Jiang Yan had been back then, and how arrogant Liu Manli was.
She had overheard the password by accident in her previous life, when Shi Ronggui told his precious son, “Dad’s money is all for you. I haven’t even told your mother. The password is your birthday.”
Jiang Yan rushed to the neighborhood office and filled out the form to go to the countryside. “Miss, can I leave tomorrow?”
The officer was delighted by her enthusiasm. She patted Jiang Yan’s shoulder. “Don’t be impatient. There are two others going too. One is Section Chief Zhu’s eldest son, Zhu Kaimo; the office has already been to his house to persuade him.”
“The other is your sister, Shi Hongmei. Since your hukou isn’t officially in the Shi family yet, she still has to go. Especially after trying to impersonate someone at the bank, she definitely needs to go and reform her thinking! But there are still procedures at the police station, so she can’t leave right away.”
Jiang Yan had to be impatient. Every day she stayed here, her adoptive parents had one less day to live.
“Miss, let them take their time! I want to throw myself into building up the countryside I can’t afford to waste a single day!”
The officer was deeply moved. “Good child! It’s late today, so go buy your supplies and train ticket tomorrow. I’ll contact Section Chief Zhu’s workplace; if he tries to stop his son again, he can forget about being a chief.”
“I’ll also talk to Director Zhao to finish Hongmei’s paperwork tomorrow. You two and the others can leave the day after tomorrow. Does that work?”
“Thank you, Miss! Perfect!”
Jiang Yan was about to leave when the officer called her back. “Oh, one more thing, Xiao Jiang. You used to live in the capital… do you know someone called Director Dai?”
Hiss!
It felt like a viper had suddenly coiled around her neck. The image of a pale, sharp face flashed before her eyes. Jiang Yan couldn’t help shivering. “N-no, I don’t know him. Why do you ask?”
“You don’t?” The officer looked puzzled. “Someone came by today asking about you. I asked why, and they said they didn’t know they were just following orders from their superior, who was asked by a Director Dai from the capital.”
Jiang Yan turned pale. “Miss, what did you tell them?”
The woman patted her shoulder reassuringly. “I said you’re a good girl, that you’ve cut ties with your adoptive family in the capital, and you’ve volunteered to go to the countryside. I told them there’s no need to keep bothering you about the past.”
“Thank you, Miss.”
Jiang Yan didn’t even know how she got home. When Shi Hongxing ordered her around like a servant, saying “I’m hungry,” she actually went to cook for him obediently.
During the meal, Shi Hongxing whacked her hand with his chopsticks. She yelped in pain and realized she had stupidly reached into his bowl to pick up a vegetable.
“You think just because you can stretch your hand that far, you can take what’s mine?”
“I can’t take what’s yours.”
Jiang Yan suddenly laughed. She pulled her hand back, picked up some greens, and ate heartily.
Right. That viper’s power base was in the capital. Even if he was powerful, his influence was weakened this far away. Otherwise, why would he need to go through so many people just to ask about her?
Once she went to the distant southern province, he would be completely out of reach.
She had to leave as soon as possible.
Early the next morning, Jiang Yan went out. She didn’t notice someone watching her from a distance.
Seeing her happily buying supplies, the person turned away in disgust.
What a fool, choosing to suffer like this. There was nothing left to miss here.
Besides, he had strict orders to return to his unit immediately for an important mission.
Leave quickly. Out of sight, out of mind.
Jiang Yan was exhausted from shopping, but she didn’t rest. She hurried straight to the train station.
It was packed with people, and every ticket window had a huge line.
Jiang Yan had just joined the end of a line when a man approached her. “Little girl, just pay a small fee.”
He held up ten fingers. “I can get you tickets without waiting in this long line. You pay me after you get the tickets. Sleeper tickets cost extra though.”
Jiang Yan was tempted.
The average worker earned about 20 yuan a month. A ticket from Jiangcheng to the southern province cost less than 10 yuan, so this “fee” was expensive.
But compared to the over 1,000 yuan she had, 10 yuan was nothing. And she knew the trip took four days and three nights a sleeper berth would be so much more comfortable.
Still, she gritted her teeth and refused. “No, thank you.”
Every cent counted for her adoptive parents.
The man left. Jiang Yan stood in line for over an hour, barely moving an inch. Her back ached, and the smell of the crowd was almost suffocating. She could only imagine how terrible it would be inside the closed train car.
Then a young man came into view. He wore faded work clothes with patches, cloth shoes with a hole showing his big toe, and his cap was pulled low.
He walked along the line, asking people one by one, but everyone shook their heads. Finally, he reached Jiang Yan.
“Comrade, are you buying a ticket to the southern province for tomorrow? I’m not a scalper. I just bought an extra one. I’ll sell it to you for face value, no extra fee.”
No fee? Jiang Yan’s eyes went wide. People around her craned their necks immediately.
“I’m going there! I’ll give you one yuan commission, sell it to me!”
“I’ll give three!”
“I’ll give five!”
But the man only looked at Jiang Yan. “A man keeps his word. I promised I’d give you priority, no extra fee.”