After settling Song Yulan, Qin Mu came out and saw a figure running off in the distance. He asked Jiang Yao what had happened.
Jiang Yao shrugged. “Nothing. She just came over to greet me.”
Qin Mu was suspicious, but since the person had already left, he couldn’t judge anything.
He took the luggage from her hands. “Go inside. Tonight you’ll sleep with Grandma.”
Jiang Yao looked at him with slight hesitation, as if confirming something.
【If you dare kick me out, don’t expect me to come back even if you beg me in the future.】
Xiao Hei: 【Come on, Sister Yao. Isn’t it better if you don’t sleep together? Then you can sneak out at night without him noticing—much more convenient.】
【That’s true. I’ll save more money, and once Grandma recovers, I’ll file for divorce and leave. I’ll settle in a small village and wait for the reform era to begin. Then I’ll open the first high-end club in the country!】
Xiao Hei: 【Is that all you aspire to?】
Qin Mu: ……
“Tonight you’ll sleep with Grandma. Tomorrow, after we buy a bed, you’ll sleep with me.”
When Jiang Yao heard the second sentence, her expression clearly changed.
Jiang Yao: 【Why does he speak with such dramatic pauses? If he weren’t a local, I’d think he could read minds.】
Qin Mu: Local?
What does that mean?
After sending Jiang Yao inside, Qin Mu boiled some water and reminded them:
“Grandma, I’ll bring breakfast tomorrow morning. After eating, we’ll go buy what you need.”
Song Yulan had no objections. She also told Qin Mu, “Bring more money tomorrow. Buy Yao Yao some food and necessities. You haven’t sent money home for three years. Your wife has been earning work points to support the family. Now that she’s here with you, you must make it up to her.”
Qin Mu: “Alright.”
He trusted his grandmother’s words completely. It seemed he needed to find one of his comrades.
Three years ago, before going on a mission, he knew he might not return for a long time, so he had asked a young soldier in his regiment to send money home for him.
That night, before lights out, he went to find that person.
When Liu Dazhuang saw Qin Mu, he looked surprised.
“Commander Qin, after you left for your mission, Chief Lin’s daughter, Lin Shu, came and told me you asked her to handle sending the money. So I—”
Qin Mu closed his eyes briefly and said coldly, “I understand.”
…
Early the next morning.
Jiang Yao and the old lady got up one after another. When they came out after washing up, breakfast was already set on the table.
Six meat buns, two bowls of rice porridge, and a small plate of pickled vegetables.
“Grandma, you eat first. I need to go out for a bit. I’ll come back to pick you up later.”
Song Yulan nodded. “Go ahead. Yao Yao can keep me company.”
“Mm.”
Before leaving, Qin Mu glanced at Jiang Yao.
Jiang Yao felt it was strange.
【Xiao Hei, why do I feel like Qin Mu isn’t as cold toward me today?】
Xiao Hei: 【You’re overthinking it. I think he’s warning you to take good care of his grandmother.】
【Oh.】
Seeing Jiang Yao still in a daze, Song Yulan handed her three meat buns.
“Yao Yao, eat more. Now that we’ve found Xiao Mu, you won’t have to worry about money anymore. As long as I’m still alive, he won’t dare treat you badly.”
After living with Jiang Yao for so long, Song Yulan was deeply grateful to her and had already treated her like her own granddaughter.
Jiang Yao: 【Even though Grandma doesn’t say much, she understands everything clearly. If the original host were still here, she’d definitely be moved by this.】
Xiao Hei: 【That’s not quite right. The original host was timid. She might never have taken the step you did—coming all the way here to find Qin Mu.】
Even leaving the village would have taken her a long time to muster the courage.
Different people have different outcomes.
Jiang Yao thought about it and agreed. She took a sip of porridge.
【Staying with Qin Mu for now is the only choice. With Grandma backing me, it’s like having a protective shield.】
Meanwhile, Qin Mu took the young soldier to Chief Lin’s house.
The Lin family was having breakfast.
“Qin Mu, what brings you—”
Lin Shu had just sat down, her hair slightly messy. When she saw Qin Mu, she immediately ran upstairs.
Qin Mu called out to stop her, then looked at Lin Yuanchao.
“Chief, yesterday my wife and my grandmother came to the army to join me. They told me they haven’t received any money from home for three years.
Three years ago, before going on a mission, I entrusted all the money I was supposed to send home to Comrade Liu Dazhuang. But when I asked him, he told me Comrade Lin Shu took the money, saying she would send it for me.”
“I would like to ask Comrade Lin Shu where the money went.”
Lin Yuanchao knew his daughter had feelings for Qin Mu, but he was already married—she should have given up long ago.
He thought she had behaved herself recently. He didn’t expect her to have kept the money.
“Lin Shu, come here and explain yourself.”
Lin Shu came downstairs, tidied her clothes, and said awkwardly, “I… I didn’t send it. I just didn’t want you to spend money on that country woman. It would be better to—”
Slap!
Before she could finish, Lin Yuanchao slapped her. Doing something so ridiculous was utterly disgraceful.
“Dad, why did you hit me?” Lin Shu looked at him with tears in her eyes, full of grievance.
“Why did I hit you? You have no relationship with Qin Mu. What right do you have to take his money?” Lin Yuanchao was furious.
She used to be obedient as a child—how did she turn out like this?
After learning the reason, Qin Mu’s expression turned even colder.
“Comrade Lin Shu, let me make this clear—I am already married. Please do not interfere in my family affairs in any way.
That money may not mean much to you, but it is life-saving money for my wife and grandmother… Also, regarding the fake will you sent to my family, I will report it truthfully to the army.”
Hearing there was also a fake will, Lin Yuanchao nearly fainted.
What kind of sin had he committed to have such a daughter?
Lin Shu’s mother, Ling Xue, was so angry her hands trembled. “What?”
Lin Shu swallowed nervously. “I… I didn’t write it, I—”
Qin Mu sneered. “My will has always been a blank sheet, because I already left a letter at home before joining the army.”
“That… that still doesn’t prove I wrote it, I—”
“Whether it proves it or not, we’ll know by checking the letter.” Qin Mu handed over the letter he had taken from his grandmother that morning. “Chief, I believe you can recognize whether this is Comrade Lin Shu’s handwriting.”
After reading it, Lin Yuanchao passed it to Ling Xue. The two exchanged a glance and were about to speak—
Lin Shu suddenly said, “Qin Mu, you said your family already had your letter. Then the will I wrote doesn’t really matter, does it? I—”
Slap!
Another slap landed. Lin Yuanchao’s voice was filled with fury.
“What nonsense are you talking about?! All these years of education—did you learn nothing? Your words are disgraceful!”
Qin Mu’s expression turned even colder, his voice filled with suppressed anger.
“Lin Shu, do you really think that fake will wouldn’t affect my grandmother?
My grandfather died on the battlefield, his body never returned. My two uncles also died for the country, buried far from home.
She is extremely sensitive to these things. She has already lost her husband and her sons. I am her only remaining support.
Any small disturbance could become the final straw that breaks her.
Even if I left a letter beforehand, how could she not worry?
These past three years, it was only because my wife stayed by her side that she managed to hold on. If anything had happened to her, you… wouldn’t be standing here right now.”
By the end, Qin Mu’s tone carried real killing intent.
Lin Yuanchao opened his mouth, then closed it.
He could no longer defend his daughter’s foolish actions. If it had been an ordinary family, they might have settled it with money—but this was the Qin family.
He stood up and bowed to Qin Mu. “Qin Mu, I failed to educate my daughter. Handle this however it should be handled. I will not show favoritism.”
Qin Mu remained silent for a moment, then said coldly:
“Chief Lin, this matter cannot be resolved with a simple apology. I hope you will handle it impartially and strictly.
Lin Shu must pay for her actions. I want her to kneel and apologize to my grandmother, and promise never to cause trouble for my family again.”
Ling Xue immediately agreed. “Qin Mu, we will do everything as you say. She will resign from her position in the performance troupe, and afterward, we will send her away from the family compound.”
Lin Shu wanted to plead, but Ling Xue, still furious, scolded her harshly.
“Lin Shu, since high school, how many times has your father cleaned up your messes? You’re an adult now—you must take responsibility for your actions. If you’ve done wrong, then face the consequences yourself.”