CHAPTER 84: CHAPTER 84: DELUSIONS

Dong Liangcheng’s gaze never left Shen Jinju, and his shoulders trembled as Jiang Xingye shouted at him. He cried and nodded, "Get the bedding, settle the wife, let her brew the medicine."

"Alright, go then!" Jiang Xingye released Dong Liangcheng.

Finally, he could touch his wife. Dong Liangcheng rushed to Shen Jinju’s side, delighted to see her open her eyes, "Wife, I’ll get the bedding."

"What bedding!" Sun Guihua smiled insincerely, "She’s already part of the Dong Family. How can she live at the educated youth point? Liangcheng, carry your wife home, and later let Xu Qinghuan bring the medicine to her at home."

Dong Liangcheng didn’t know what to do and looked at his wife.

Luckily, Shen Jinju had the strength now, "I’m not going back. Are you going to torment me to death? Dong Aimei caused me to lose my child, I haven’t even settled account with you yet."

Sun Guihua couldn’t contain her anger, "What are you talking about, who’s tormenting you? You were pregnant and didn’t even say a word, Aimei didn’t know!"

Qiao Xinyu just came out, "Not knowing is an excuse for acting against your sister-in-law? Here, sign and stamp!"

Qiao Xinyu and Chen Dewen went inside and wrote a disclaimer, it might not be legally binding, but it was good enough to fool an illiterate like Sun Guihua.

Besides, as long as the Dong Family didn’t interfere, Xu Qinghuan was confident she could save Shen Jinju, she wasn’t afraid.

Moreover, having them sign a disclaimer both disgusted these odious people and reduced her trouble.

Sun Guihua stepped back, "I’m not signing!"

Xu Qinghuan smiled, "Fine, if you don’t sign, you’re just waiting to deal with me. In that case, I won’t save your daughter-in-law. If she dies, everyone can see it’s because you and your daughter forced her to death!"

"Yes, how can you torment a daughter-in-law like this, it’s too much. Within these ten miles, yours is probably the first family like this!"

"Guihua, Jinju is an educated youth. Does your son’s situation need explaining? It’s a blessing that she married into your family. You should be more decent. If you force her to death, aren’t you committing a sin?"

Once Dong Laosang spoke up, the voices of condemnation grew louder.

Sun Guihua’s face turned red and pale alternately. Alone and isolated, she had no choice but to scribble a messy signature on the paper.

Qiao Xinyu handed her the inkpad, "Press your fingerprint, don’t think you can get away because you’re illiterate."

Sun Guihua gritted her teeth and said, "Qiao Educated Youth, who knew you’d be such a troublemaker!"

Everyone understood the underlying threat in her words.

Chen Dewen’s face changed.

Qiao Xinyu smiled, "Aunt Guihua, who knew human lives in your eyes were cheaper than grass roots. Someone who didn’t know might even think you’re a landlord’s wife!"

This was something she learned from Xu Qinghuan.

Sun Guihua’s face turned pale, "Qiao Educated Youth, what nonsense are you talking? My husband is a secretary, how can I be a landlord’s wife?"

Chen Dewen said, "Then maybe you’re a saboteur secretly infiltrating us."

"Exactly! Exactly!" someone echoed in a low voice.

Sun Guihua shivered with fear, "I’ll press it, isn’t that enough?"

She pressed her finger into the inkpad and firmly stamped it on the paper.

Xu Qinghuan took a needle out of Shen Jinju, "Alright, since I’m the one to save her, Shen Educated Youth will have to be placed at the educated youth point. I can’t be delivering medicine to your home. I’m not a doctor; I’m just doing a good deed!"

Shen Jinju whispered something in Dong Liangcheng’s ear, and after hearing it, he ran off in a flash.

With members watching over here, Xu Qinghuan returned home, picked out the herbs, and used a clay pot and a small stove found in the storage room. She added firewood and started brewing the medicine.

Jiang Xingye stood at the courtyard gate for a while. Xu Qinghuan noticed him, but seeing he didn’t intend to speak, she didn’t acknowledge him either.

She sat on a small stool, holding a delicate palm-leaf fan taken from her space, leisurely fanning herself, occasionally glancing at him, waiting to see when he would come in.

Eventually, Jiang Xingye came over.

He stood behind Xu Qinghuan, his gaze softly resting on her. His voice was deep and smooth like the gentle flowing of a mountain stream, warm with a touch of huskiness, extremely seductive, "Next time something like this happens, don’t step forward again."

Xu Qinghuan inserted a thin piece of firewood into the stove, "What if today it was your relative involved, would you want me to step forward or not?"

"She’s not my relative!" Jiang Xingye paused, "Even if it would cause trouble for you, I wouldn’t want you to step forward for my relatives either."

Xu Qinghuan was a bit surprised, she looked up at him, "I’ve heard your grandparents aren’t in good health. If I could heal them, you wouldn’t want me to help?"

Jiang Xingye is very filial. His grandparents aren’t in good health and are bedridden. He visits them daily, cleaning, caring, feeding, and medicating, without a word of complaint.

He looked at her in shock, clearly uncertain how to choose.

Xu Qinghuan didn’t intend to test his conscience; she could understand why he could remain so cold. Being betrayed by his biological mother and still maintaining a soft heart was no easy feat.

"I can save her, so I can’t just watch her die in front of me. How would that be any different from treating human life as dirt?"

"Those people won’t appreciate you and might make things difficult. If something happens, what will you do?" Jiang Xingye carefully chose his words, saying each one with great caution. What standing did he have to advise her?

He couldn’t even be considered her friend.

Xu Qinghuan could feel his deep concern, "I’m not doing this for gratitude. As for creating trouble, haven’t you always been there to help me? Would you let them sabotage me?"

Xu Qinghuan smiled.

Jiang Xingye’s expression softened, a gentle smile spread across his dark eyes, and he eagerly said, "No, I won’t!"

But soon, he frowned and said softly, "I’m afraid there might be a time when I can’t protect you! But..."

His voice grew firm, "Don’t be afraid, if anyone tries to harm you, they’ll have to step over my dead body first!"

After saying that, he felt particularly nervous and didn’t dare look at Xu Qinghuan’s face.

Xu Qinghuan laughed, "It’s not that serious. Who would want to take my life? Mr. Jiang, I’ll follow your lead from now on, okay? Will you protect me?"

Jiang Xingye excitedly gestured and stammered, "Yes, yes, you, you follow me, if I have soup, you’ll have meat!"

Xu Qinghuan chuckled, "Alright, Brother Jiang, you better keep your word!"

Unexpectedly, her purpose for coming to the Shangjiang Team was achieved so quickly, and she could already light a cigarette for the big shot, though she felt a bit unwilling in her heart.

"Brother, is there anything you want me to do?"

Being a follower requires the awareness of a follower.

Jiang Xingye looked at her deeply and seriously said, "No, just be well."

Looking at her face, tender as if creamy, serene and peaceful, Jiang Xingye’s heart inexplicably settled. Her willingness to let him protect her was also what he wished for all his life.

He didn’t want to give up on that fantasy, but that dream to him was like a beggar coveting a throne or an ordinary person wishing to leap to the sky.