Under normal circumstances, psychiatric patients must undergo numerous complicated and strict procedures before being discharged, and they must also have a legal guardian.
However, with Director Li stepping in, it could be said that a green channel was opened straight away.
The thin sheet of paper in her hand was merely a discharge certificate, yet to Nan Lingyi, it represented freedom.
Nan Lingyi did not pack or take anything with her.
Even the only piece of clothing she had—the pilled hospital gown she was wearing—should technically have been left at the hospital.
Director Li’s wife, Sister-in-law Li, was a very frank and warm-hearted elderly woman. Her husband had been worried and troubled these past days, and as his pillow companion, she knew it best. Now, Nan Lingyi had helped resolve his troubles.
On the day of discharge, she deliberately brought several sets of the best clothes bought from the department store and gifted them to Nan Lingyi.
On ordinary days, with just 100 milliyuan she could buy over a dozen items of clothing for the family. After all, one had to live cautiously, support the household, and sustain her husband’s ideals.
But when buying clothes for Nan Lingyi, Sister-in-law Li deliberately chose the most expensive items in the mall, the ones that felt the most comfortable to the touch. She picked several sets and spent thousands of milliyuan.
After all, Lingyi had effectively invested a huge fifty yuan into her husband’s hospital—why would she care about spending a few thousand milliyuan!
Nan Lingyi changed into the new clothes and left the hospital.
Sister-in-law Li was an enthusiastic person. She beckoned Nan Lingyi to sit on the back seat of her bicycle while chattering away, “Come on, come on, sister, I’ll take you…”
Nan Lingyi smiled warmly and sat down. Sister-in-law Li found her even more open and pleasant.
In those days, although bicycles were not as precious as they had been in earlier years, they were still impressive means of transportation—not every household could afford one.
Yesterday, when Nan Lingyi went to the bank, she rode in the hospital vehicle because she was still considered a patient and it counted as official hospital business. But now that she had completed the discharge procedures, using the hospital car would be considered misappropriation of public assets, and Director Li would be investigated!
Besides, the car was already very old. Not only was it bumpy to ride in, but the smell of fuel inside was also unpleasant. Sitting on the back of a bicycle and enjoying the breeze was much better…
The two elderly women rode along, chatting as they went. Seeing that Nan Lingyi was now curious about everything, Sister-in-law Li thought about how she had been detached from society for many years and smiled. “If you’re not tired, come with me later to pick up my granddaughter.”
This was precisely what Nan Lingyi was hoping for, so she naturally agreed.
Sitting on the back seat, she revealed a faint smile. Going to the kindergarten was perfect—she could see her granddaughter sooner and meet that old hag grandmother who bullied her daughter and granddaughter.
The original body’s scumbag ex-husband, Shen Wentao, had never been a good father to begin with. The wife he married, Fan Qiaolan, was a sweet-faced but vicious-hearted stepmother—how could she possibly arrange any good marriages?
Take, for example, Nan Lingyi’s eldest daughter, Shen Yunchu, who married into the Qiao family. They claimed to have an only son who held an iron-rice-bowl factory job, with parents who received retirement pensions. On the surface, it looked like an excellent match. When the marriage was arranged, everyone praised Fan Qiaolan for finding such a good family.
But…
Only those involved knew the truth.
That old Madam Qiao had only one son, whom she doted on excessively. She did not think that Shen Yunchu marrying her son meant gaining a daughter-in-law. Instead, she believed Shen Yunchu had stolen her son. Whenever the son was not at home, she tried every possible way to torment Shen Yunchu.
On one hand, she belittled Shen Yunchu for failing to give birth to a son. On the other hand, she tried by every means to prevent the couple from sharing a bed.
All these years, Shen Yunchu had only given birth to one daughter, Qiao Lihua. In front of outsiders, Madam Qiao showed endless care for the mother and daughter. Once the doors were closed, however, she subjected them to every conceivable form of abuse.
Yet she disguised it perfectly.
Her husband and son both believed she was a good mother-in-law.
Jincheng was not a large city. After just over ten minutes of cycling, they arrived. The kindergarten happened to be letting out. Sister-in-law Li saw her granddaughter and happily waved. “Oh my—my precious darling!”
On the other side, a kindly-looking elderly woman was holding a schoolbag in one hand and gently squeezing her granddaughter’s hand with the other. “Lihua, say goodbye to Jiaojiao. Let’s go home.”
Nan Lingyi’s gaze fell on the little girl. If her guess was correct, this was her so-called bargain granddaughter—Qiao Lihua.
The child looked fair and clean, obediently saying goodbye to Li Jiaojiao.
Hah, truly adorable.
After thinking for a moment, Nan Lingyi informed Sister-in-law Li, saying she felt Qiao Lihua looked familiar and wanted to follow them to ask a few questions.
Sister-in-law Li had heard from her husband that Nan Lingyi had several children she wanted to find. She immediately slapped her thigh and insisted on going along too.
Nan Lingyi sneered inwardly. Some things, once seen with one’s own eyes, carried far more conviction than words alone.
Besides, she wanted to see for herself—was the plot merely fiction, or did reality truly play out the same way?
If Madam Qiao were not as awful as described, she wouldn’t do anything to her.
After passing just one alley and finding themselves without anyone around, Madam Qiao’s fake kind smile vanished instantly. Her upturned eyes turned gloomy and cold. With her other hand, she threw the schoolbag straight onto the ground, its contents scattering everywhere.
“What are you standing there for? Are you really expecting this old woman to serve you? Can’t you pick it up?”
Qiao Lihua was already accustomed to her grandmother’s sudden change of face. She crouched down and carefully picked up the fallen items. If they were damaged, her grandmother would not buy new ones and would even blame her for breaking them.
The small child finally managed to pack everything back into her schoolbag. Just as she was about to stand up, she was shoved hard by Madam Qiao. “So slow! Just like your useless mother!”
The child had not yet stood steadily. With that shove, she fell straight onto a pile of stones on the ground. Her forehead split open instantly, blood flowing out. Tears welled up in Qiao Lihua’s eyes at once, but she dared not cry out loud.
Because if she cried, her grandmother would only beat her even more viciously.
Madam Qiao, completely unconcerned, casually rubbed some dirt from the ground and was about to smear it onto the wound. Qiao Lihua instinctively dodged.
The old woman impatiently brushed her hands together. “That’s enough. Little kids never watch where they’re going. You’re injured every other day! When you get home, your dad gives you an egg—you’re not allowed to eat it!”
Sister-in-law Li covered her mouth in shock. She never would have imagined that the kind-faced old woman she saw in public treated her granddaughter like this in private. She subconsciously pulled Li Jiaojiao close and anxiously asked, “She’s never bullied you, has she?”
Li Jiaojiao immediately wriggled free from her grandmother’s arms and rushed forward like a little hero. “You’re not allowed to bully Lihua!”
She had always wondered why Lihua was constantly injured—it turned out this was why. The little girl was so angry that tears brimmed in her eyes.
Madam Qiao was startled by Li Jiaojiao suddenly rushing out.
Forcing a smile, she said, “Jiaojiao, you saw it wrong. How could I bully my own granddaughter? Why are you here alone? Where’s your grandma?”
Then, out of sight of others, she pinched Qiao Lihua viciously and whispered, “Lihua, say it. Hurry up and explain it to Jiaojiao.”
Seeing that there were no adults accompanying Li Jiaojiao, Madam Qiao was unconcerned. Fooling a child was easy enough!
(End of Chapter)