Chapter 218: Childhood Blanket

Jiang Lai didn't expect to see Gu Yinxue here.

Sensing her gaze, Gu Yinxue looked up, gave her a smile, and continued earnestly serving food to the children.

She didn't quite match the heiress Jiang Lai had imagined.

The Gu family is heavily involved in politics, and Gu Yinxue grew up hearing sayings like "Come from the masses and return to the masses" and "Water can carry a boat, it can also capsize it"; the Gu family members unconsciously have no airs.

Therefore, for Gu Yinxue, working as a cafeteria aunt for the children at the Fuli Yuan is not a big deal, and if this footage were posted online, it would actually boost her reputation.

Jiang Lai lowered her gaze and asked Dean Tang, "Are there any procedures?"

"Yes, I've seen them and checked them," Dean Tang said, knowing she was worried about the influencer‑donation scandal from two years ago, "And she's been fitting in well these past few days."

Dean Tang looked at her expression and asked, "Do you two know each other?"

"We've met twice."

Once at a coffee shop.

Once at the Ke Family.

After that she didn't see Gu Yinxue again and didn't know when she had arrived in G Province, only that she happened to be assigned to the Fuli Yuan where she grew up.

Even though Gu Yinxue never acted impolitely toward her, always greeting her with a smile, Jiang Lai always felt a prickly sensation inside.

Sometimes, when Gu Yinxue stared at her from behind, she felt a chill run down her spine.

Dean Tang said, "We're handing out down jackets to the children before bedtime today; you'll distribute them, since you bought them originally."

"Together, otherwise we'll delay their sleep," Jiang Lai finished, and Gu Yinxue walked toward her, taking off her hat and mask.

"Doctor Jiang, nice to see you again."

"Miss Gu." When Jiang Lai heard that address, she knew Gu Yinxue had probably investigated her.

The two briefly shook hands, took their breakfast and sat together, and Gu Yinxue said, "I didn't expect this to be the place where Doctor Jiang grew up—what a coincidence."

Jiang Lai nodded, "It is quite a coincidence. Miss Gu, are you filming a promotional video?"

"Yes, but we haven't filmed much yet. The air here is wonderful, the scenery is beautiful, and G Province's landscape is very restorative," Gu Yinxue said, then asked, "Doctor Jiang, haven't you been busy with projects lately? How did you find time to come back alone?"

Jiang Lai instinctively glanced at Dean Tang, fearing he might suspect something.

Dean Tang said, "Mr. Shen usually only accompanies Jiang Lai on the first or second day of the New Year."

Gu Yinxue gave Jiang Lai a meaning‑laden look, smiled, and said, "So that's how it is."

Jiang Lai let out a slight sigh of relief.

Fortunately Gu Yinxue didn't bring up her matter with Ke Zhongyu, which would have exposed her divorce from Shen Xun.

But keeping it hidden isn't a solution either.

"Dean Mom, I have something to discuss with you in a moment." Rather than hear half‑understood rumors from others, she preferred to hear it straight from her.

Dean Tang nodded, "I understand."

Jiang Lai was swamped; a sudden return surely meant something urgent, especially after the last call asking about Ping'an.

She recalled that on the day Ping'an was taken away, Jiang Lai had left contact information for Ping'an.

After breakfast, Jiang Lai played with the children for a while, then went alone to speak with Dean Tang.

Dean Tang told Gu Yinxue to act as usual, and followed Jiang Lai.

In the office.

After the door was locked from the inside, Dean Tang asked, "Are you here to ask about Ping'an?"

She pulled a stack of scrap paper from the drawer, on which a few lines were written.

"When you came back suddenly last night, I knew what you wanted to ask."

Dean Tang pointed to the lines and gestured for her to write them down quickly.

Jiang Lai took out her phone, snapped a photo, and the scrap paper was put back into the drawer.

"Did something happen to Ping'an?"

Dean Tang fetched two cups of hot water, added a pinch of honeysuckle, gently blew on the water, and looked at Jiang Lai.

Jiang Lai sat down, lifted the honeysuckle tea, gave it a blow, took a sip, and said, "Ping'an has been hidden by Shen Xun; I don't know the exact location."

"What do you mean 'hidden'?" Dean Tang's expression froze, "What happened between you and Mr. Shen?"

"That's exactly what I wanted to tell you—we're divorced." Jiang Lai, accustomed to reporting good news without the grievances, omitted the specific reasons, "Shen Xun was displeased, sent people to find Ping'an and his uncle's family, and made them move out."

"You're divorced?" Dean Tang was startled for a moment, "If he's unhappy about the divorce, that's fine, but what child is he hiding? He's breaking the law!"

"If it were illegal it would be easy, but Shen Xun only had Ping'an's uncle's family move, and sent Ping'an to a school—just didn't say which school. He wants to use this…"

"He threatened you not to divorce?"

"No." Jiang Lai shook her head, "We are separated, but she used my identity to negotiate a cooperation, keeping the outward appearance of us being a married couple; I didn't agree."

Dean Tang opened his mouth several times, wanting to ask why they divorced, but then recalled Jiang Lai's steadfast character since childhood.

She could fall at the foot of a mountain, have her knee skin peeled and bleed continuously, yet walk back nonchalantly and tell them it was just a tumble, still lamenting that the blood kept soaking into her shoes and socks, unsure if they could be cleaned.

She endures pain not to the point of collapse, and would never make that choice.

Fine, I won't ask.

Asking would just tear her wound.

"Mr. Shen appears gentle and magnanimous, but turns out to be a petty person." Dean Tang looked at Jiang Lai with sympathy, "Why did he stay silent? There's still a month left in the divorce process; we've been in contact."

"I was afraid you'd worry."

"You're not afraid now?"

"You just said my complexion improved," Jiang Lai gave a faint smile, "If you can see me, I'm less worried."

Dean Tang sighed, "I don't even know whether to praise you for being sensible; 'sensible' isn't a good word anymore."

She asked again, "You plan to go find Ping'an alone? Even though you grew up here, people's hearts are hidden. Going alone isn't safe; if I get you an escort, a man isn't safe either, a woman isn't safe, and even the two of you together isn't safe."

Dean Tang looked a bit troubled.

She had been giving the children safety education all along, and she was very careful about this.

"Find someone trustworthy to accompany you, or I won't let you go."

Jiang Lai thought it over; she only had one male friend, who was swamped with work and had a tight schedule—she couldn't just say she'd come over and actually do it.

She was a bit troubled.

Dean Tang continued: "Otherwise, I can only accompany you myself."

Many matters at the Fuli Yuan await Dean Mom's decision, and Dean Mom is getting on in years and can no longer go running around.

Jiang Lai took out her phone, wanting to send a message to Ke Zhongyu, but didn't send it.

She instinctively reached out and pinched the key necklace through her sweater.

In the end she still sent it.

Jiang Lai: 【Ke Zhongyu, I might need your help】

Ke Zhongyu replied instantly: 【En】

Jiang Lai: 【Come with me to find Ping'an】

Ke Zhongyu: 【Address】

Jiang Lai hadn't expected him to agree so quickly, and she was starting to feel something was off.

Ke Zhongyu: 【Daily wage eight hundred】

Jiang Lai suddenly smiled, and her heart was set at ease.

【Okay】

She sent the address over at the same time and said: 【I'll make you a route map later】

Ke Zhongyu: 【Hand-drawn?】

Jiang Lai, who had originally planned to doodle on an electronic version, silently agreed: 【Hand-drawn】

Less than a minute later, Ke Zhongyu's flight information arrived.

Jiang Lai looked up and said: "Dean Mom, I've invited a friend over."

Dean Tang said reassuringly: "A trustworthy friend?"

Jiang Lai nodded: "Mm, trustworthy."

A man who could calmly tie her up and send her to the Chi Family Medical Clinic even after she'd been drugged was upright to the point of being impossibly upright.

"Your room is ready; we'll pull the luggage over there." Dean Tang rose with a cup of honeysuckle tea and led her to her lodging.

Same bunk beds, with some miscellaneous stuff piled in the corner, while elsewhere it was spotless.

On top of the miscellaneous box lay a photo frame; Jiang Lai bent down to pick it up—it was a group photo of her with the children from last year she'd visited, and further back there was also a large group photo taken when a donor came to photograph her as a child.

Every photo featured her.

"Why are all my photos placed here?" Jiang Lai asked offhand.

Dean Tang looked at her and said: "The photographer surnamed Gu said he was filming a promotional video, right? He's also been inquiring about notable people who have come out of the Fuli Yuan; currently the most impressive among those who've left is you, but you once told me to keep your information confidential, so I've filed it all away, lest she ask about it or end up filming it."

Hearing this, Jiang Lai felt it was a bit like Gu Yinxue was indirectly probing for news about her.

She also thought she might be overthinking it.

Filming videos isn't just about shooting objects; it also involves people, so Gu Yinxue's questions seemed fine as well.

"What has Gu Yinxue been doing these days at the Fuli Yuan?" Jiang Lai still couldn't help asking.

Dean Tang: "Mostly she's been chatting with the people at the Fuli Yuan; compared to a promotional video, I think she's more like she's making a documentary, gathering lots of interesting stories."

Jiang Lai kept a bit of attention on it and continued asking: "What have everyone been telling her?"

Dean Tang shook his head: "It definitely isn't anything that violates privacy; otherwise everyone would have told me."

Jiang Lai nodded, then instead of pressing further she started rummaging through the current cardboard box.

Inside she found a piece of blue-striped cotton cloth sealed in a plastic bag, something she had never seen before.

Dean Tang saw her pull it out and froze for a moment.

"This..."

"A baby's blanket?" Jiang Lai saw Dean Tang nod and then asked, "Mine?"

Dean Tang paused, then nodded.

For every child she picked up or who was sent to the Fuli Yuan, the blanket they were wrapped in that day and the clothes they wore would be washed clean and stored away by her.

After Jiang Lai inquired, she opened it to see a blue-striped cloth printed with a small airplane pattern.

She couldn't make out anything special.

Dean Tang thought for a moment and said: "Blankets of this color and pattern were used for boys back in those days."

Jiang Lai startled: "Boys?"

Dean Tang nodded, sat down, and said: "Over the years you've never asked about the details, and I never told you; now that you've found this today, let me tell you what it was like back then."

"Back then my mother saw this blanket with that color and pattern and wondered if someone had accidentally lost it; after all, in those days boys were precious, and even if they had a slight flaw they wouldn't be abandoned."

"Until I picked it up and felt it, I discovered you were a girl..."