Chapter 146: Jiajia

"!!!"

Su Yu was just about to have Su Xi call security to save someone, when she heard Zhu Xueheng ask Su Xi, "I'm not seeing things, am I? That's Ren Dudu?"

The man who swiftly carried off Tang Can was recognizable even with a mask on. They had grown up together; they could identify each other from the back alone. Not to mention, Tang Can's way of speaking was far too similar to his.

【Someone you know?】

"Yes, it's him."

【If you know him, then no need to call security.】

"Ha! He's become naive taking care of a child?"

There were countless ways to mock him—did he think dodging face-to-face ridicule would be enough?

Zhu Xueheng pulled out his phone, tap-tap-tapped out a wall of text, and sent it over.

"Damn! He blocked me!"

【He was probably watching you all from the sidelines the whole time. Only after blocking your contact info did he make his move to grab the child and leave!】

【Host, I'm back!】

【Wulongcha, why did you take so long to come back?】

【With just one Lightning Summoning Card, I racked my brains to pick the perfect moment and made all three of them faint at once!】

【Awesome, my system!】

……

"Her skin has gotten a lot thicker lately. Those three kids managing to drive her off is pretty impressive too!"

"I thought you'd be angry."

Xu Yanjing thoroughly despised Ji Xiaoling. She didn't even know which side she was biased toward. Not only did she lack any awareness of being in-laws, she didn't even have basic manners when attending banquets!

By comparison, the three children had gone a bit overboard with their scolding, but they were very sensible. She needed to gloss things over for the three children in front of this younger sister, so that she wouldn't end up disliking them.

"Why would I be angry? As long as Ji Xiaoling doesn't get her way, she'll still go back and report on us. The old geezer will still be at home making veiled accusations, pressuring us to adopt."

Xu Yanjing looked at Xu Mingyue before her. She was clearly younger, yet she looked even more haggard, speaking so weakly she seemed to have no energy left.

She was the Xu family's Mingyue!

"Don't take it to heart."

"Mm!"

Xu Yanjing looked at her expression—she didn't seem like someone who hadn't taken it to heart.

"Why don't you have another child with your brother-in-law? You're still young! Adopting Ji Xiaoling or some other child from the Ji Family isn't as good as having your own child—it'd be easier on the eyes too, wouldn't it?"

Your own child is always better than an adopted one. Right now the Ji Family had money and connections. If Xu Mingyue nursed her health back, she could definitely have another one.

Xu Mingyue waved her hands frantically. "No! My Jiajia would be unhappy when she comes back!"

Xu Yanjing pressed her lips together. She didn't dare use what she believed to be the "truth" to provoke this younger sister. Given the situation back then, even male infants were abandoned, let alone female ones. She had been young and hot-blooded at the time, and had fought for those female infants who had been set aside—she had even lost her job over it. In the end, all she could do was mourn over their bodies. She had felt guilty about it for a long time.

If she told Xu Mingyue that the child might be dead, she would lose her mind, wouldn't she?

"But how many years can you hold out? You can still have children now. When you're older and your brother-in-law needs an heir, what will you do then?"

Those words were hurtful, but they were the truth. Xu Yanjing and her husband had also been very much in love back then. But ever since she lost her job over the female infant incident, her parents-in-law had begun to resent her openly and covertly, and her relationship with her husband had deteriorated along with it. If the two elders hadn't died early, she would probably be divorced by now.

Because of this, she knew just how much damage two abnormal elders could inflict on family members. When it came to her daughter-in-law, she was especially lenient! As long as her character and past were fine, everything else was a minor matter!

She liked pink and wanted to dye the whole house pink? No problem!

Her daughter-in-law worried the two old folks would overthink things and wasn't decisive enough to act, so she simply bought a house next door and decorated it to her daughter-in-law's taste.

Let the son take the blame? No problem!

With his rotten luck back then, he had attracted heaven knows how many Bad Peach Blossoms, and she had endured them all without exposing those girls' shortcomings. How could he get squeamish about taking the fall for his wife?

Xu Yanjing's thoughts returned to the present, and she thought of that old thing in Xu Mingyue's household. He didn't just make trouble—he also had vast connections and resources, and would constantly use Ji Tianlin's job, reputation, and failure to find the child to threaten the couple.

Right now Ji Tianlin could withstand the pressure and keep searching for the child, but what about the future? Wouldn't he envy others when he saw their halls full of children and grandchildren? Would he really be willing to leave the fortune he had built to an outsider?

Ji Tianlin could still have children at sixty, but Xu Mingyue at sixty would have nothing left but her life. The conditions for men and women were inherently unequal.

"I'll divorce him. I'm going to keep looking for my Jiajia. I don't know where my Jiajia is, but she's definitely waiting for me to bring her home."

"Even if you find her and bring her back, have you ever thought about how long Jiajia—without any systematic training—could last in that household? How much pressure would that old thing put on her? When Ji Tianlin sees a grown daughter who knows nothing and can do nothing, would he truly not have other thoughts?"

Among the children in their circle who were expected to inherit the family business, which one hadn't started learning from childhood? Jiajia had been abducted—receiving a normal education would already be extraordinary luck. Matching those children in their circle who had been cultivated from childhood? That would be as hard as scaling the heavens! Ten or twenty years of education and connections couldn't possibly be made up in a short time, but how much time would those wolves of the Ji Family give Jiajia?

After she came back, how would that old thing of the Ji Family and those children of the Ji Family who coveted their assets deal with a girl who had no backing whatsoever?

With so many children in the Ji Family, under day-after-day comparisons, how long could Ji Tianlin's last shred of guilt—remaining only because he had found the child—last? Once he no longer felt guilty and had no emotional investment from years of living together, how would he treat Jiajia?

When everyone turned against Jiajia, how long could Xu Mingyue protect her?

Xu Mingyue broke down and wept bitterly. "If he hadn't insisted on taking the child back that year, how could my Jiajia have gone missing! What use is my mother-in-law leaving things to me and Jiajia? I only want my Jiajia! My Jiajia!"

Back then, they had kept claiming it was for the family's livelihood, for the eldest sister-in-law's life, and had begged her to agree to adopt Ji Xiaoling.

But they clearly knew the family didn't have much money, and the policy had already come down—having an extra child would definitely result in fines. The eldest brother and his wife were already quite old; they had both sons and daughters, yet they still got pregnant, still wanted to have another child. Why should she, the one who followed the rules, have to swallow her grievances and divide what should have belonged to the child in her womb with a child whose ungrateful nature was obvious at a glance?

They said girls wouldn't fight for the family fortune, but given how biased that old thing was, how could he not help Ji Xiaoling claim their assets? Whatever her own child had, they would probably force her to buy the same thing—or something even better—for Ji Xiaoling, and then say she was being biased and wronging Ji Xiaoling!

If they truly didn't want the family fortune, why not adopt Ji Xiaoling out to the eldest sister-in-law's rural younger brother? The rural policies were much more lenient—they only had one girl there, and having another girl wouldn't incur any fines! Even her own uncle had the means but wasn't willing to take her—so why should she be the one saddled with her?

In a fit of rage, Xu Mingyue had moved back to her Natal Home to live, threatening divorce if they insisted on adoption. Her Natal Home also supported her decision. Under the care of her Natal Home family, she safely gave birth to her Jiajia.

Ji Tianlin didn't want a divorce, nor did he want to adopt someone else's child, so he moved in with her at the Xu family. He went back once a week to visit his mother, who was at least genuinely fond of him.

Not long after Jiajia was born, Xu Mingyue's mother-in-law was in poor health and wanted to see Jiajia, but felt too embarrassed to visit the Xu family. So Ji Tianlin took it upon himself to bring the child back to the Ji Family.

That one trip back to the Ji Family was when it happened. She and her child had only left the baby alone for a moment while she was sleeping, stepping outside to talk. When they returned to the room, the child was gone. No matter how they searched, they couldn't find her.

Xu Mingyue's heart felt like it was being sliced apart whenever she recalled the past! If Ji Tianlin hadn't taken it upon himself to bring the child back, how could her Jiajia have gone missing?

If Ji Tianlin hadn't hidden from her that Jiajia was missing and searched on his own for a while, letting the trail go cold, how could her Jiajia still be unfound to this day?

Xu Mingyue cried in agony while Xu Yanjing comforted her from the side. The Doctor had said that this younger sister of hers needed to vent her emotions appropriately. If she kept bottling everything up, they might lose her before the child was even found.

Seeing Xu Mingyue's tears stop, Xu Yanjing asked her cautiously, "Why don't you stay the night? Tomorrow I'll take you to see the pink bridal chamber that Ye Shu and Xinyi decorated?"

Since going back would only mean being hassled by that old thing, it would be better not to go back. The Ye family had now allied with the Xie family through marriage, so their power was somewhat stronger. Xu Mingyue staying at the Ye household could be considered normal social interaction.

"Mm!"

Xu Mingyue indeed did not want to go back. She sent a message and then sat by the window, blankly staring at the scenery outside.

Ye Shu stood awkwardly at the doorway. He had something rather important to say, but now didn't seem like the right time?

His aunt's current state was more frightening to him than crying!

"What are you standing at the doorway for?"

Xu Yanjing was in a bad mood, and seeing her son acting timid and hesitant made her angry.

"I have something I want to tell Aunt!"

Ye Shu wondered whether he should go fetch the rambunctious Su Yu and Liang Yan up here. The two of them making a fuss was quite lively—maybe it could cheer Xu Mingyue up a little?

Xu Mingyue turned to look at Ye Shu, who was wearing a pink suit, and forced a smile. "What is it?"

"Ji Xiaoling ran into some trouble when she was leaving the banquet and heading to the hospital! She—"

Xu Mingyue didn't wait for Ye Shu to finish and coldly spat out a few words: "I don't care if she drops dead!"

Ye Shu thought to himself that he actually didn't want to get involved either, and would be only too happy to see Ji Xiaoling have the worst luck possible.

It was just that this roundabout family connection was a bit troublesome. They didn't have much interaction normally, but when it came to major matters, they still had to take Xu Mingyue into consideration.

Ye Shu gave Xu Yanjing a look, and the two of them retreated to the doorway of the room.

"Speak. What exactly are you trying to do?"

"Mom, what do you mean 'what am I trying to do'? Someone is targeting our Ye family—they even said we could engineer a lightning strike. I just want to clear the Ye family's name."

Causing trouble at his wedding banquet and attempting to ruin the Ye family's reputation—new grudges piled on old, and Ye Shu's desire to stir things up was itching to act.

"Go ahead. No need to hold back on account of your aunt."

"Got it!"

Speaking of Aunt, Ye Shu had an idea.

"How about letting Su Yu and Liang Yan come up and keep her company? Those two kids are the most rambunctious."

Thanks to baby Jiongjiong's Little Fox for the monthly vote~ This chapter is three thousand words in total, and one thousand of those are a bonus update~ Next month is April, which is also the last month this book will stay on the new releases overall ranking, so I hope all you babies who've been stockpiling chapters will see this one and click to follow-read during those last few days of April, to make our ranking on the overall list look a little nicer~ Thanks in advance!

Good night, babies~