Chapter 95: Hard-Mouthed, Soft-Hearted

He would rather suffer his brothers' betrayal than see them recklessly charge into gunfire to save him.

Before Li Jiaci was executed, he talked at length with Wang Zhen, who shared his cell.

Wang Zhen asked him a question.

"You, are you afraid?"

At that moment, Li Jiaci laughed and shook his head, saying he wasn't the slightest bit afraid.

Wang Zhen made a few jokes, then suddenly pulled him into a hard embrace and slapped his back heavily.

"You've carried guilt all your life; now you can finally go and be reunited with them!"

Who could have imagined that those words would actually come true?

When Li Jiaci was reborn, he saw these lively, familiar faces.

He even thought he had arrived in the underworld!

He almost fell to his knees before his brothers.

"Cough…"

Wang Lan suddenly coughed a few times.

Li Jiaci collected his thoughts, fetched a new blanket, and folded it over the two brothers.

Looking after them had become second nature.

Among these brothers, he was the eldest, serving as both father and mother, raising the younger brothers to adulthood.

When they were young, he worried they wouldn't have enough to eat or stay warm.

As they grew up, he worried they'd have no money to marry, so he desperately looked for ways to make money.

It seemed that in his previous life, Li Jiaci had never thought of himself.

Li Jiaci watched the two brothers sleeping soundly, feeling immensely relieved.

Fortunately, in this life they have all turned out well.

Even if he suffers again, it's worth it.

The regrets of his previous life must not continue into this life.

Li Jiaci wouldn't settle for the status quo either; he knows how quickly the future will change, and without capital or influence, he won't get far.

He not only wants his brothers to wash their hands of evil and go onto the proper path.

More than that, he wants to bring them to rise above others and enjoy a lifetime of wealth and honor.

The night is already deep.

Li Jiaci closed his eyes heavily.

He fell asleep leaning against Wang Lan.

Wait for him to wake up again.

The two brothers were already outside, busy as bees.

The Mu Cai Chang timber mill runs 24 hours; last night Li Yihu rested, so during the day it was Liu Jiang and Zhang Chuqiang's turn to rest, while Zhao Chen slipped in rest during his free moments.

Li Jiaci washed his face, went to Wang Yingna's dorm, and knocked on the door.

No one answered inside.

He pushed the door open and saw half‑burned firewood scattered across the floor; Wang Yingna was curled up beside the bed, shivering, her face even paler.

"How long has it been like this?"

Li Jiaci hurried inside and bolted the door behind him.

This person certainly doesn't want others to see this embarrassing side.

Wang Yingna pressed her lips together and tremblingly reached out her hand.

Seeing this, Li Jiaci immediately grabbed her hand, lifted her horizontally, and gently laid her on the bed.

"Why didn't you call out to me?"

Li Jiaci asked while tucking the blanket over her.

"I called, but you didn't come."

Wang Yingna tightly gripped his clothes and said, "Jiaci brother, can you… sleep with me?"

Hearing that, Li Jiaci frowned and said, "Unsuitable."

"But when I feel awful, you're not there…"

"I'll think of a way!"

Li Jiaci brought methadone, ready to give it to her, but then hesitated and said, "If you can still hold out, let's not take this stuff for now."

Wang Yingna looked at the methadone in his hand and reached out.

This stuff can let her briefly escape the torment of addiction.

"Of course she wants it!"

Wang Yingna snatched the methadone and gripped it tightly in her hand.

Li Jiaci said nothing, turned and poured her a cup of water.

Wang Yingna curled up under the blanket, one hand taking the warm cup, the other clutching the methadone.

But the next second, she gulped down the warm water, still clutching the methadone in her hand.

Li Jiaci secretly let out a sigh of relief.

He has seen many people tormented by addiction, neither human nor ghost.

Not to mention methadone—they'd go crazy just seeing flour and try to grab it.

Wang Yingna is different from them.

Her resolve to quit addiction is extremely firm.

Even if there is a moment of wavering, one will immediately sober up.

Li Jiaci made her another fire bucket, and the room temperature quietly rose.

The cold started from the feet.

Li Jiaci piled many clothes beside her feet, along with two hot water bags.

As her body temperature rose, Wang Yingna stopped shivering.

Her gaze followed Li Jiaci's silhouette, her thoughts slowly drifted, and she closed her weary eyes.

In her sleep, she seemed to hear a thumping sound from outside.

It sounded like someone was chopping wood.

It was roughly afternoon.

Wang Yingna was called by Li Jiaci to get up and eat.

She held a bowl, came to the doorway, looked, and couldn't help laughing out loud.

Li Jiaci set up a temporary bunk bed outside her dormitory door.

"You really still can't relax about me!"

Li Jiaci gave a faint smile: "Don't be sentimental; I just don't want to crowd my younger brother, so I built myself a temporary shelter!"

"Tch, who would believe that!"

Wang Yingna gave him a look.

Looking at such a crude bunk bed, she was about to say something when Li Jiaci was called away by the workers.

He was gone for several hours.

The lumber mill work was hectic; Li Jiaci was like a spinning top, constantly working back-to-back shifts.

He was also like a brick, moved wherever needed.

Wang Yingna wanted to bring him a cup of water, but just as she heard he was at the door talking business with a client, by the time she got there he had already gone elsewhere.

Just like that, they kept missing each other, and only by evening did Li Jiaci finally get a chance to rest completely.

Zhang Chuqiang set up a shed near the dormitory, got a few pots, and casually cooked some noodles.

After eating, the brothers switched shifts again—those who should rest rested, those who should work worked.

Li Jiaci shook off the wood shavings on his body and came to Wang Yingna's dormitory door.

"Brother Jiaci..."

Wang Yingna came up to him and said, "Tonight is too cold, the wind is strong too—you definitely can't sleep here; you should come sleep in my dormitory!"

Hearing this, Li Jiaci smiled: "You've already invited me twice!"

"Who made you so stubborn, refusing to sleep in a comfortable bed and insisting on sleeping on that outdoor bunk!"

Just then a gust of cold wind blew.

Wang Yingna shivered from the cold and rubbed her arms.

"Don't be stubborn, hurry and come inside with me!"

Li Jiaci also felt this evil cold wind.

His clothes were just for show; the cold wind could blow straight onto his body.

But a man and woman alone sharing a bed is simply inappropriate no matter how you look at it.

Moreover, the other party is Wang Zhen's own younger sister.

If he found out, he would surely skin Li Jiaci alive.

Li Jiaci shook his head: "I'm not going in; just give me a cup of hot water."

"If you want a drink, pour it yourself!"

Wang Yingna replied unhappily.

Helpless, Li Jiaci had no choice but to follow her inside.

While he was pouring water, Wang Yingna suddenly took off her thick outer coat and flung herself onto the bed.

"Brother Jiaci..."