Ji Yunshu escorted the Meng family to the courtyard gate and only turned back after watching them walk far away.
He Qiuxia was busy preparing dinner in the kitchen, while Ji Yunting was bringing in the laundry in the courtyard. Ji Yunshu returned to her own room, closed the door, sat on the edge of the bed, and opened the purse that Wang Wanru had stuffed into her hand.
Inside the purse was another layer—a handkerchief. The handkerchief was made of white cotton cloth, folded neatly into a square, with orchids embroidered on all four corners; one could tell that Wang Wanru had hidden the money very securely. Ji Yunshu unfolded the handkerchief, revealing a stack of money inside—ten-yuan, five-yuan, and two-yuan banknotes neatly stacked together.
Ji Yunshu counted it; there was actually a whole sixty-two yuan!
Ji Yunshu’s hand holding the money trembled slightly.
Saving for nineteen years, saving from her own teeth—her New Year’s money, pocket money, plus the red envelopes given by relatives during the New Year—only added up to a little over ten yuan and ninety cents. Wang Wanru casually gave sixty-two yuan at once; this was simply too generous!
Sixty-two yuan was enough for their family of four to eat for three or four months! Ji Yunshu only knew that her high school classmate who entered the cotton mill as a worker earned a monthly salary of just thirty yuan; this was two months’ wages for a worker!
Ji Yunshu hastily wrapped the money back up, took the handkerchief, and went to the kitchen.
“Mom,” Ji Yunshu spoke stammeringly, telling He Qiuxia about the money in the purse.
He Qiuxia was chopping vegetables; her movements also paused for a moment upon hearing the amount of money, but she quickly resumed: “If she’s willing to give it to you, then keep it. This was given to you by your birth mother; you were originally entitled to it.”
Ji Yunshu held the handkerchief in her hand, standing at the kitchen doorway without moving.
“Mom,” Ji Yunshu asked softly, “is the Meng family… exceptionally rich?”
He Qiuxia put down the kitchen knife and let out a sigh: “The Meng family runs factories; as capitalists, their foundation is certainly thick. You heard what Meng Guangze said—the fixed interest alone is over a thousand yuan a month. In our family, your dad only earns a little over two hundred and seventy yuan a month, and your dad is still a major general; this simply cannot be compared.”
Ji Yunshu also knew that the Ji family’s family conditions were already extremely good—Ji Haiguo was a major general and Ji Yunting was a pilot; she had indeed lacked neither food nor drink for the past dozen years.
He Qiuxia paused, her voice turning lower: “But you must know that having money isn’t necessarily good. In these current times, family background status is more important than money; your dad’s status cannot be exchanged for any amount of money.”
“Mom, I…” Ji Yunshu understood He Qiuxia’s meaning; just as she was about to say something, she was interrupted by He Qiuxia.
“Xiao Shu, I know you’re worried that if you don’t leave, there won’t be a place for Li’er at home when she returns. She is flesh that fell from my body, and you are also the one I painstakingly raised for so many years. To me, and to Sister Wang, you are both our loved ones, with no difference whatsoever. What we hope for now is just that you two sisters can be safe, peaceful, and harmonious…” As He Qiuxia spoke, the corners of her eyes turned red.
It was also at this time that Ji Haiguo and Ji Yunting returned after seeing the guests off.
Ji Yunshu said nothing more; she tucked the purse into her pocket and helped He Qiuxia bring the dishes to the table.
During dinner, the family sat around the table, and the atmosphere was somewhat gloomy.
Ji Haiguo ate two mouthfuls of rice, put down his chopsticks, looked at Ji Yunshu, and said: “Tomorrow morning, your mom and I will take you to the Affiliated Hospital of Medical University for a comprehensive check-up. Li’er is also there, so it’s convenient to have both checked together.”
Ji Yunshu nodded.
Ji Yunting shoveled a mouthful of rice and said indistinctly: “I’m going too.”
He Qiuxia glanced at him: “What are you going for? It’s enough for your dad and me to go.”
“Anyway, I’m on home leave and have nothing to do,” Ji Yunting countered. “With such a big matter, how can I rest assured without going?”
Ji Haiguo didn’t object further, so He Qiuxia didn’t say anything more either.
Early the next morning, Ji Haiguo took Ji Yunshu and Ji Yunting to the Affiliated Hospital of Medical University.
The Meng family had already arrived. Meng Guangze and Wang Wanru were sitting on the bench in the corridor, while Meng Yunzhen stood to the side holding a medical record booklet. Meng Li was wearing a hospital gown, sitting inside the doctor’s office, rolling up her sleeve to let the nurse measure her blood pressure.
Ji Yunshu saw Wang Wanru, and Wang Wanru also saw her. Wang Wanru stood up and walked toward her, her eye sockets turning red again.
“You’ve arrived?” Wang Wanru said softly, reaching out to touch Ji Yunshu’s arm. “Have you had breakfast?”
“Not yet; I can only eat after the physical examination is complete,” Ji Yunshu said.
“Look at my memory.” Wang Wanru showed an embarrassed smile and carefully pulled out an oiled paper package from her pocket, stuffing it to her. “I bought it at the guesthouse cafeteria this morning; sticky rice cake, it’s still hot. Keep it to eat when you’re hungry after the physical examination.”
Ji Yunshu took it over; the paper package was still lukewarm.
“Thank you.” Ji Yunshu still found it somewhat difficult to address her directly, but not wanting to make Wang Wanru sad, she ultimately made up her mind: “…Mom.”
“Ah, ah, Mom heard you.” Wang Wanru patted her shoulder and sat back down.
When it was Ji Yunshu’s turn for the examination, Wang Wanru followed beside He Qiuxia, walking toward the doctor’s office together. Her steps were very fast—even more anxious than He Qiuxia—and upon reaching the door she stopped again, not daring to enter, standing at the door looking inside.
The examinations were conducted for a whole morning.
Blood drawing, chest X-ray, blood pressure measurement, listening to heart and lungs—she was examined from head to toe. Guided by the nurse, Ji Yunshu turned back and forth among various departments until her head spun.
By the time all the examinations were completed, it was already noon. Both families sat outside the doctor’s office waiting for the results. Meng Li’s examination results came out first.
The doctor called Meng Guangze and Wang Wanru inside and spoke a few words. Ji Yunshu sat outside and couldn’t hear very clearly, only vaguely hearing the doctor say things like “no major problems,” “constitution is fine,” and “pay attention to rest.”
After a while, Meng Guangze and Wang Wanru came out, the expressions on their faces significantly relaxed.
Ji Haiguo asked: “How is it?”
Meng Guangze said: “The doctor said there’s nothing wrong; the child’s frequent headaches might be due to overthinking things. Just have her relax, go back, and eat more good food to nourish herself.”
Ji Yunting muttered softly to the side: “Doesn’t that mean there’s nothing wrong? Why was she coughing so severely yesterday?”
Ji Yunshu bumped him with her elbow to tell him to stop talking.
“Is Li’er still coughing? Is the cough serious?” Meng Guangze was clearly very nervous about Meng Li’s health; he immediately turned to Wang Wanru, “Then I’ll take her for another check-up. You wait for me here.”
Just then, Meng Li, coming out of the restroom, overheard their conversation, and her expression changed: “Okay.”
Meng Guangze then left with Meng Li again.
After another while, Ji Yunshu’s examination results also came out. The doctor called Ji Haiguo and He Qiuxia in and talked for quite a long time. Standing at the doorway, Ji Yunshu saw both of their brows furrow, and her heart skipped a beat.
When Ji Haiguo came out, Ji Yunshu hurriedly asked: “Dad, what’s wrong with me?”
Ji Haiguo waved his hand: “Still the same old thing—anemia, gastritis, and the doctor said the foundation of your physical frame is weak. Those two previous surgeries damaged your vitality, so you must nourish yourself well. He said not to get too tired, don’t stay up late, eat more blood-nourishing and light foods, take good care of your stomach, and don’t faint again.”
Ji Yunting chimed in from the side: “Then she really needs to eat more; she’s even thinner than that fake patient just now.”
Ji Haiguo glared at him and ignored him.
Hearing this, Wang Wanru’s eye sockets turned red again; holding Ji Yunshu’s hand, she said: “When I go back, I’ll send you some tonics. Over in Suzhou, one can buy good ginseng and bird’s nest; eat more and nourish your body well.”
Right off the bat, ginseng and bird’s nest—a capitalist family’s condition was indeed beyond what ordinary people could compare with… Ji Yunshu thought silently.
“Thank you, Mom,” Ji Yunshu nodded. “If it’s too valuable, then there’s no need.”
“Not expensive, not expensive…” Wang Wanru kept on saying repeatedly, “It’s just a pity that there hasn’t been much good ginseng in recent years. Ginseng nourishes qi and blood; previously the family had two hundred-year-old wild mountain ginsengs, but since Li’er was in poor health, I stewed them for her…”
Once these words came out, everyone present was shocked by Wang Wanru’s motherly love for her daughter.
Ji Yunshu’s head was filled with only one thought—this Meng family was even richer than she had imagined!
When Meng Li’s second check-up ended, Meng Guangze returned and said the doctor confirmed Meng Li had no issues.
Only then did the group feel somewhat relieved, and they prepared to return together to the Ji family home for a meal, then continue discussing the matter regarding the children.
Coming out of the hospital, Meng Guangze walked at the very back, holding the report written by the doctor while murmuring to himself: “How can no problem be found?”
His voice was very small, and only Ji Yunting, who was closest to him, heard it. He looked sideways, a few more degrees of scrutiny appearing in his gaze toward Meng Li.
Returning home, He Qiuxia and Ji Haiguo quickly prepared a large table of dishes. After both families finished eating, they continued to discuss swapping the household registration.
This matter sounded simple, but was troublesome to carry out. Ji Yunshu’s household registration was in Beijing; to transfer it to Suzhou required issuing a stack of certificates. Meng Li’s household registration was in Suzhou; to transfer it to Beijing also required issuing a stack of certificates. The relationship between the two families had to be finalized first before the children could transfer their household registrations.
Ji Haiguo and Meng Guangze talked in the main room for an entire afternoon, with He Qiuxia listening on the side and chiming in with a few words from time to time. He Qiuxia’s meaning was very clear: the household registration could be swapped, but Ji Yunshu would still live at her place for the time being. Firstly, Ji Yunshu’s health was poor with anemia and gastritis, so suddenly changing places might be unbearable for her body; secondly, Suzhou was unfamiliar with both the people and the land, so she truly could not feel at ease.
Meng Guangze and Wang Wanru exchanged a look and finally nodded. Although Wang Wanru was reluctant to part with her, she also knew that Ji Yunshu had lived with the Ji family for nineteen years and had long grown accustomed to Beijing’s climate and lifestyle; making her suddenly move to Suzhou would certainly be unbearable for her body, and the doctor also said to let her nourish herself well.
To be able to acknowledge her, and to have her call her “Mom,” Wang Wanru was already satisfied.
Sitting on the side listening, Meng Li took the initiative to propose changing her surname.
This was proper as well, but after all, the Meng family had raised Meng Li for nineteen years; fearing that the Meng family would be saddened, Ji Haiguo took the initiative to propose adding a surname in front of Meng Li’s name, calling her “Ji Meng Li” or “Ji Meng Li,” which would also allow the Meng family to continue calling her by her name.
However, Meng Li firmly refused; she only wanted her name changed to “Ji Yunli”—the same style as Ji Yunting—and wanted nothing else.
Ji Haiguo looked at the expressions on the Meng family’s faces, and seeing that although they were sad they had no objections, he agreed as well.
From this day onward, the people in the compound gradually came to know about this matter.
How the news spread was unclear. Perhaps the young soldier at the guard post let it slip, or perhaps some neighbor passing by overheard the commotion. In short, within two days, everyone in the compound knew that a “real daughter” had arrived at the Ji family, and that Ji Yunshu was not Ji Haiguo’s biological daughter.
When neighbors saw He Qiuxia, they all inquired cautiously. At first He Qiuxia still explained a few sentences, but later when more people asked, she was too bothered to speak, only saying that they were taken by mistake back then, and now the child had returned to recognize her birth parents, but Ji Yunshu was still her daughter and hadn’t even changed her surname!
Some felt sympathy, some watched the fun, and some said “being taken by mistake is also fate” with their mouths, while behind her back saying “no wonder Ji Yunshu is lazy and gluttonous all day—turns out she’s a capitalist’s daughter.”
Walking on the road, Ji Yunshu always felt that people were looking at her. Those glances were not as close as before, carrying scrutiny, curiosity, and even contempt and probing that sought to stir up trouble.
Ji Yunshu paid no attention to these people; on the contrary, Pei Yufeng was extremely concerned about this. For several consecutive days, under the pretense of “visiting grandma,” he called her over to ask how she was doing. Ji Yunshu had long since slowly processed the pain from her dream, and the cold eyes of these people were no longer anything to her.
Seeing that she was not dejected, Pei Yufeng also gradually set his mind at ease. Yet for some reason, from then on, Ji Yunshu rarely saw such probing and contemptuous gazes in person again.
On the afternoon of the third day, He Jianjun’s mother arrived.
Mother He wore a gray cloth jacket, her hair combed shiny and neat, holding a bag of small green vegetables in her hand as she entered the Ji family’s door with a beaming smile.
“Old Ji’s wife, are you home?” Mother He put the small green vegetables on the table, her eyes scanning the room. “I heard your biological daughter was found? I came over to take a look.”
He Qiuxia had a good relationship with Mother He; after all, the two families had discussed a marriage proposal, and He Jianjun was an outstanding, upright person, so she was still waiting for He Jianjun to become her son-in-law.
But now that Meng Li was back, Ji Yunshu and He Jianjun’s marriage…
He Qiuxia let out a sigh; Ji Yunshu and He Jianjun had a good relationship, and He Jianjun probably wouldn’t dislike her original family’s background either.
While thinking, she greeted Meng Li to come over and introduced Mother He to her.
Mother He was originally surnamed Liu, so Meng Li obediently and sweetly called out: “Auntie Liu.”
Mother He crossed her legs, sized Meng Li up a few times, and said with a smile: “This is your biological daughter? She looks truly neat and proper, exactly like Old Ji.”
As if familiar with her right away, Meng Li immediately chimed in: “Auntie Liu speaks correctly; my dad and I look very much alike.”
Then she went to the kitchen to pour a glass of water, holding it with both hands in front of Mother He: “Auntie Liu, please have some water.”
Mother He took the glass, the smile on her face growing even larger: “Oh my, this girl is really sensible.”
Meng Li smiled, then circled behind Mother He, placing both hands on Mother He’s shoulders and gently massaging them. “Auntie Liu, are your shoulders a bit stiff? Let me massage them for you.”
Massaged by her until her whole body felt comfortable, Mother He squinted her eyes in enjoyment, still muttering: “Ah, this girl has such skillful hands; as expected, it still has to be your biological child.”
Ji Yunshu was originally in her own room, but because guests had arrived at home, she had to come out to entertain them. Because of the dream, she no longer had her former respect for Mother He, but she couldn’t appear too impolite either, so she simply sat on the side, holding an apple in her hand and slowly peeling it.
Everyone present understood who Mother He’s words were meant for.
He Qiuxia’s expression was unsightly, but she said nothing. Sitting at the doorway with both arms folded, Ji Yunting looked at Mother He’s appearance, his brow furrowed tightly enough to clamp a fly dead.
Comfortable from Meng Li’s massage, Mother He also had more to say.
“Old Ji’s wife, it’s not that I’m beingnosy,” Mother He took a sip of water, her voice neither loud nor small, just enough for everyone in the room to hear. “Your family’s Yunshu, although she looks good, is just too delicate. The last time I went to your house, I saw that she didn’t even sweep the floor, nor would she right an overturned oil bottle; if she marries Jianjun in the future, what’s to be done?”
She paused, looked at Meng Li again, and smiled: “If it were changed to this girl, then I would save myself worry. She can serve tea and pour water, and can also massage shoulders and pound backs; if she could be my daughter-in-law, then I would really be burning high incense.”