Widow Remarries in Sixties

Feeling a bit guilty, He Yan had no choice but to confess, “Yang Yingxiong ran away last night. I heard that he stayed in the classroom all night. When school was almost empty after our group finished reciting, I passed by his class, and he hadn’t left. I went with Wei Ningqing to find him. At first, he didn’t say anything, but after I gave him the leftover buns from lunch, he told us about his father hitting him. Wei Ningqing secretly hid him in his attic.”

Because of this, he came home late.

He Yan would often bring some snacks besides lunch, sometimes buns. He usually didn’t eat them all at once, saving some to eat with Wei Ningqing on the way home from school.

Wei Ningqing’s grandmother couldn’t cook, and his grandfather only cooked a big pot of mixed stew. He wasn’t willing to take others’ food, but he would accept it when asked questions on the way home.

He Yan felt proud because his lunch was the most plentiful and delicious in the whole class.

He thought for a moment and added, “Yesterday, it wasn’t him who started the fight. Qi Kang hit him first, cursing his stepmother, saying it was her fault that his own mother was scolded. He also called Yang Yingxiong a pitiful kid nobody wanted. Yang Yingxiong fought back, hitting him with a rock, causing a lot of bleeding. He was scared silly.

When people came, Qi Kang said it was Yang Yingxiong who started it. He also said Yang Yingxiong was mad that his mom was matchmaking for Yang Yingxiong’s dad, making his dad and grandma not love him anymore. Yang Yingxiong said his grandma never loved him in the first place…”

At this point, He Yan felt like crying. Seeing Yang Yingxiong, he saw a reflection of his past self, always being wrong no matter what he did. His uncle and aunt’s children would blame him for their mistakes, and his uncle and aunt would beat him with sticks without asking.

Jin Xiuzhu didn’t really want to get involved in these matters, but hearing this, she told her son, “Go tell your dad.”

He Yan puffed out his cheeks, feeling reluctant. He thought Yang Yingxiong’s family didn’t treat him well.

Fu Yanyan reminded him, “If something happens to Yang Yingxiong, his family will come looking for mom and dad.”

Knowing his sister was smarter than him, He Yan ran out to find his dad.

About an hour later, Jiang Mingchuan and his son came back.

Jin Xiuzhu was already in bed.

After showering, Jiang Mingchuan returned to the room and got into bed, hugging her from behind.

Jin Xiuzhu, still awake, asked, “How did it go?”

Jiang Mingchuan didn’t know how to explain, so he just said, “When we found him, the child was hiding in the attic sleeping. The Wei family’s child said he planned to wait until his grandparents were asleep to go find him. Then we brought him back.”

“At first, the child didn’t want to go with Yang Yao, crying and saying it was Qi Kang who hit him first, but no one listened to his explanation.”

His grandmother scolded him for being a spendthrift, only knowing how to waste money. His father didn’t ask anything before hitting him, and Zhao Yun insisted that he apologize to others…

The scene was very awkward at the time, with Commander Wei and his wife present. But it might be for the best; the child’s life should be much easier from now on.

It was also that night that Jiang Mingchuan learned that Wei Ningqing, who always played with He Yan, was actually Commander Wei’s grandson.

Thinking about this, he mentioned to Jin Xiuzhu, “From now on, just interact normally. No need for special treatment. Whatever it was like before, it will stay the same.”

Jin Xiuzhu didn’t expect him to talk to her about these things. When she was with Lord Hou, he never mentioned anything about official matters, making it clear that in his eyes, she was just a concubine and a plaything.

She turned around, hugged him, and agreed, “Okay.”

Jiang Mingchuan patted her back, “Go to sleep. I’ll make breakfast for you tomorrow morning.”

“I want to eat egg custard.”

“Okay.”

The next day, Jin Xiuzhu guessed that Zhao Yun would definitely come again, so as soon as they finished breakfast, she took her daughter next door to visit.

Sure enough, in the morning, they heard a knock on the door outside.

Fang Min looked at her, “It sounds like someone is at your place.”

Jin Xiuzhu didn’t even look up, “Ignore it. It’s Zhao Yun from upstairs.”

Fang Min was puzzled, not understanding how she knew who it was without looking.

Jin Xiuzhu then explained the events of the past few days to her, including Liu Hongyue’s report and Zhao Yun’s apology under the pretense of having a meal.

After hearing this, the always quiet and elegant Fang Min couldn’t help but widen her eyes, amazed at how much had happened recently. Before she met Jin Xiuzhu, she rarely interacted with other military wives, so no one told her about these things, leaving her quite shocked.

“So Qi Kang deliberately hit Yang Yingxiong but ended up being injured by Yang Yingxiong, then falsely accused Yang Yingxiong, and pretended to be seriously hurt, all to make the Yang family plead with his father to bring his mother back?”

Fang Min quickly pieced together the logic and concluded that reality was more exciting than fiction, with layers of twists and turns.

Jin Xiuzhu nodded and said, “The Yang family’s situation is complicated.”

Fang Min fell into thought. She had hit a bottleneck in her writing this past month. In the previous book, readers sent letters saying that her novels were too predictable. They could guess the plot just from reading the beginning.

She should have started writing a long time ago, and her editor had urged her several times, but she kept revising, never satisfied. Somehow, after hearing Jin Xiuzhu’s words, a lonely figure huddled in a corner appeared in her mind, gradually merging with her childhood self, sparking a strong desire to create.

Jin Xiuzhu continued, “If I go out now, she’ll say how great Jiang Mingchuan was last night, helping her find the child. If she doesn’t find me, she’ll definitely come by again in the evening. At that time, Jiang Mingchuan will be home too, and she’ll say how sorry she is for causing trouble last night, and how her good intentions were misunderstood by the child, making herself seem all pitiful…”

Fang Min turned her head to look at her.

Jin Xiuzhu raised an eyebrow, “You don’t believe me? If you don’t believe it, just wait and see tonight.”

These little tricks were ones she had used countless times before.

Sure enough, around 8 PM, Fang Min noticed someone knocking on the door next door again. Perhaps Jin Xiuzhu’s words that morning had piqued her curiosity. Unable to resist, she opened her door to take a look and indeed saw Zhao Yun standing at the door next door.

When Zhao Yun saw her open the door, she smiled apologetically.

Fang Min closed her door but didn’t leave; instead, she stood behind it, eavesdropping.

Within seconds, she heard the sound of the door opening next door. It was likely Jiang Mingchuan who opened it, and Fang Min heard him ask what the matter was.

Zhao Yun said, “I really troubled you last night. If it weren’t for your help, who knows when we would have found the child? This child, I don’t know why, but he doesn’t talk to us about what’s on his mind. At the time, we didn’t think much of it. When we heard he had sent someone to the hospital, we were so afraid it would damage his reputation, so we thought we had to calm the other party down first, but he misunderstood, thinking I didn’t trust him…”

As she spoke, her voice choked up.

Fang Min was not moved by her words. Instead, she was amazed at Jin Xiuzhu’s foresight. Everything she predicted had come true.

In the living room, Commissioner Zhu sat at the table reading a book. Seeing her sneaky behavior, he couldn’t help but laugh and asked, “What are you doing?”

Fang Min’s face was a bit unnatural, and just as she was about to leave, she heard Jin Xiuzhu’s voice outside—”Move aside, please.” It wasn’t clear to whom she was speaking, but soon there were footsteps thudding down the hallway.

Then, there was a knock on the door upstairs. Fang Min, curious, opened a crack in the door and saw that both Jiang Mingchuan and Zhao Yun seemed a bit confused.

Jin Xiuzhu’s voice was loud. Upstairs, it was Captain Yang who had opened the door and asked, “What’s going on?”

Jin Xiuzhu said, “Captain Yang, I heard you are very knowledgeable and incredibly smart. You see, I’ve been studying recently, and I encountered some problems I couldn’t solve, so I wanted to ask for your help. You know, I come from the countryside, and I’m always lagging behind others.”

“Alas, it’s really tough. During the day, I have to take care of the children and the house, and only have time at night. My husband and children are busy, so I can only come to you. Please, could you help me? I really want to improve. If you don’t help me, how can I go on…”

Her tone was coquettish, and she choked up at the end, as if she were about to cry.

Fang Min widened her eyes and couldn’t help but press her face to the crack of the door to see better. She saw Jiang Mingchuan’s face next door gradually darken.

She was so engrossed in watching that she didn’t notice a shadow suddenly appear behind her, also craning his neck to look curiously.

Upstairs, Captain Yang seemed a bit uneasy, “So… what about Jiang Mingchuan?”

“Him?” Jin Xiuzhu snorted coquettishly, “He’s ignoring me. He’s talking to your wife, and she’s crying. Let’s not bother with him. Teach me…”

Fang Min didn’t see Captain Yang’s reaction. She only saw Jiang Mingchuan’s face darken as he sprinted up the stairs, taking four steps at a time, disappearing in the blink of an eye. Then his voice came from upstairs, barely containing his anger, “Get back home.”

Jin Xiuzhu seemed displeased, “What are you doing? I want Captain Yang to teach me. Everyone says he’s gentle and knowledgeable…”

Jiang Mingchuan ignored her words, picked her up directly, and carried her downstairs. Jin Xiuzhu let out a surprised yelp and, after being put down, didn’t forget to wave at Captain Yang, “Teach me next time then.”

Then Fang Min saw the couple coming downstairs. As they passed by Zhao Yun at the door, neither of them paid her any attention. Jin Xiuzhu, who was still under Jiang Mingchuan’s arm, even waved subtly in Zhao Yun’s direction.

Fang Min: “…”

Afterwards, two small heads peeked out from the door, looking around. He Yan stuck his tongue out at Zhao Yun before shutting the door with a “bang.”

Zhao Yun glared at the door with a dark face, staring for a while before turning and heading back upstairs.

Fang Min, still lingering in the moment, reluctantly pulled her gaze back. As she turned her head, she saw another person standing beside her.

The person met her gaze, straightened up awkwardly, cleared their throat, and made a comment, “That was quite interesting.”

Then they turned and went back to their seat.

Fang Min looked at the refined figure retreating and bit her lip, holding back a smile.

Who would have thought that the always serious and taciturn commissar also enjoyed a bit of gossip?

Next door, Jin Xiuzhu innocently asked, “Why did you carry me back? That was so rude. How embarrassing for Captain Yang to see.”

Jiang Mingchuan, with a stern face, said, “Do you think that was appropriate? Knocking on someone’s door in the middle of the night and talking to another man in that tone…”

He had never heard such a tone before.

Jin Xiuzhu looked puzzled, “It’s fine. You guys were having such an intense conversation that I had no choice but to go find Captain Yang. What’s inappropriate about that? Zhao Yun was just downstairs. Don’t overthink it. Captain Yang is a good person.”

Jiang Mingchuan’s face darkened even more as he listened, but Jin Xiuzhu’s words left him speechless.

He held back his frustration and finally said sternly, “In any case, you’re not allowed to go.”

Jin Xiuzhu replied nonchalantly, “Got it, got it.”

Her indifferent tone made it clear she didn’t take it seriously.

Jiang Mingchuan gritted his teeth and said nothing more.

Not far away, He Yan, who was lying on the table doing his homework, widened his eyes in curiosity to sneak a peek, only to have his head suddenly knocked by his sister. Fu Yanyan gave him a warning look and mouthed, “Keep writing.”

He Yan rubbed his head and obediently bent down to write.

Fu Yanyan glanced at the two not far away and couldn’t help but curl her lips into a smile.

That night, lying in bed, Jiang Mingchuan tossed and turned, unable to sleep. The more he thought about Jin Xiuzhu’s tone when talking to Yang Yao, the more it bothered him. He couldn’t help but lean over and whisper in her ear, “Stay away from Yang Yao in the future.”

Jin Xiuzhu pushed him away disdainfully, “You’re so annoying.”