CHAPTER 397: 382 JIANG JINGHUAI IS BACK

But Ye Binyi still wore a cold expression. "Wenxiu, don’t think this means I can forgive you. How many times have I told you, huh? I said that as a person, you need to be upright and honest, not sneaky or underhanded. Even if you wanted to stand up for me, you couldn’t resort to such tricks behind the scenes. You need to confront people openly, leaving them unable to refute you."

Jia Wenxiu looked heartbroken on the surface but sneered internally. Tian Sangsang doesn’t dare refute you because you’re an elder—if you weren’t, she would’ve fired back long ago. Do you really think you have the power to silence her?

Ye Binyi’s gaze suddenly fixed on her, worry furrowing her brow. "Tell me, why did you come back to Beijing this time?"

"I..." Jia Wenxiu hesitated, struggling to find the words.

"Tell me the truth!" Ye Binyi’s voice turned icy as she deliberately pressed on. "I think you came back not out of guilt over your grandfather. Your aunt and the others have plenty of grievances against you!"

"Mom! I’m sorry for what I did to Grandpa!" Jia Wenxiu’s eyes reddened, and then, with a sudden "thud," she dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her face. "Every day I feel guilty about Grandpa! He treated me so well, but I still believed the rumors outside and unjustly accused him, letting him die with regret! I don’t ask for your forgiveness; I only hope you can give me a chance to atone for my sins! I truly came back because of Grandpa..."

Her intense weeping was enough to show the sincerity of her emotions.

Ye Binyi was also deeply saddened. "You really came back because of this?" The old man had been a righteous person, and his death was still her deepest sorrow. To her, her father-in-law and her daughter were equally precious. No matter how flawed her daughter was, she was still willing to give her a chance to change. Losing one part of her heart didn’t mean she could afford to lose another.

"There’s... there’s something else," Jia Wenxiu added pitifully, biting her lip.

"What is it?" Ye Binyi had already made up her mind to forgive her, but now it seemed there was still something being kept from her.

Jia Wenxiu had made up her mind. Rather than letting Jiang Jinghuai bring up her matters in East Sea to Ye Binyi, it was better to confess upfront. She wasn’t sure if Jiang Jinghuai would uncover the details, but she needed to plan ahead to secure Ye Binyi’s trust.

"I..."

Ye Binyi was growing agitated, her curiosity piqued. "Out with it. What could possibly be so hard to tell your mother?"

Jia Wenxiu burst into tears again. "That time when Sister Hua Jun went to East Sea to investigate issues of moral conduct, I sent an anonymous report accusing a woman in the East Sea Military District Art Troupe of being pregnant out of wedlock. But that matter implicated both the Lu Family and the Zhao Family. Once they found out it was me, they wanted to ruin me in East Sea. I had no choice but to leave."

Ye Binyi looked at her with a puzzled expression, and Jia Wenxiu elaborated. "That woman later had an accident and was hit by a car. If I had known that would happen, I wouldn’t have reported her even if it killed me. I carry so much guilt, but I only reported the truth. I never intended to harm anyone. Mom, you have to believe me."

Ye Binyi asked suspiciously, "What Lu Family and Zhao Family?"

Jia Wenxiu choked out, "The woman I reported was Ji Yao’er. She was Zhao Chun’s partner and also Li Qiong’er’s cousin."

To Ye Binyi, Zhao Chun and Li Qiong’er were now synonymous with trouble. Realization dawned on her. "You sent the report, which damaged the reputation of both families and led to the unmarried, pregnant girl being hit by a car. So now they’ve retaliated against you."

"Yes, yes, yes." Jia Wenxiu nodded weakly. "At the time, it involved Zhao Chun. You already know what happened afterward. Sister-in-law stepped up to give Zhao Chun an alibi, saying they were together late at night. Zhao Chun was released, but Sister-in-law was taken into custody instead. My brother had his rank demoted trying to save her and had to serve in the Beijiang unit for a while. Sister-in-law felt guilty and followed him as part of the military spouse program."

Ye Binyi’s face turned ghastly pale. She’d heard parts of the story from Hua Jun before, but she hadn’t known her daughter-in-law had actually met with Zhao Chun in secret late at night. So their connection ran that deep. Instantly, her focus on Jia Wenxiu dissolved, and her thoughts were consumed by the mess involving Tian Sangsang and Zhao Chun, anger flaring within her once more.

Jia Wenxiu’s gaze turned timid as she observed her, laughing secretly in her heart.

**

"Today Jinghuai is coming home, and I’ll personally cook!" It was a rare Saturday, and Ye Binyi, thrilled at the return of her son, happily tied an apron around herself. "Aunt Zhang, take the day off. I’ll handle everything here."

"How long has it been since you cooked?" Jiang’s father was equally happy but couldn’t help worrying. "What if Jinghuai can’t stomach the food you make? It’s been ages since he’s been home, and you’re going to make him suffer through your cooking?"

Ye Binyi chuckled, but for once, she didn’t snap at Jiang’s father.

Jia Wenxiu seized the opportunity to chime in. "Mom, let me help you in the kitchen. You do your thing, and I’ll take care of washing and chopping the vegetables. I haven’t seen my brother in so long—I want to do something for him too."

Jiang’s father glanced at Jia Wenxiu approvingly.

"Is Daddy coming home today?" Little Meng Shuyan blinked his bright black eyes, full of anticipation.

Ye Binyi lovingly patted her grandson’s head and said gently, "Yes, Yanyan, your daddy’s coming home. You and Grandpa go wait on the sofa; Grandma will make something delicious."

Meng Shuyan nodded obediently.

"Yanyan, come to Grandpa." Jiang’s father scooped up the boy’s soft little body.

With Jiang Jinghuai coming home, the entire family was buzzing with excitement. Especially Tian Sangsang, who, despite her calm expression, was secretly overjoyed. It felt as if she had finally found her anchor, someone to lean on—life would no longer be lonely.

She smiled brightly. "Mom, let me help you too."

But Ye Binyi waved her off. "No need. Wenxiu, all of you stay outside. No one’s allowed to help today—I’ll handle everything myself."

This statement dismissed both of them at once. But Tian Sangsang understood: her mother-in-law was really just declining her offer. It had been ages since Ye Binyi had last cooked. She wanted to make a meal for her family today, especially since Jiang Jinghuai was coming back. She cherished the moment.

As these thoughts swirled, Tian Sangsang couldn’t help feeling sentimental. She tried not to let her sadness show—today was a happy day, and she should be beaming. Lately, she’d been mentoring workers at Hua Zifeng’s factory, personally coaching them step by step on how to make instant noodles. She had specifically taken leave today.

**

Jiang Jinghuai passed by a movie theater. Several posters were displayed at the entrance, one of which was for *Lushan Love*. On the poster, a man and a woman sat atop a mountain, nestled close to each other. He knew both of them well—one was his wife, the other his friend.

He stood rooted to the spot, his deep eyes fixed on the woman in the poster. An aching yearning surged within him, stirred by the image, as though a river of emotion had burst its banks and flowed uncontrollably.

For the first time, he saw a different Tian Sangsang—her smiling face as radiant as a flower, her eyes filled with hope and purity. They held no trace of romantic longing, just a gaze brimming with hope for life itself.

From a different perspective, one could truly perceive the depth of someone’s uniqueness.