Chapter 396: Finding Ji Yan

She gets sleepy just by listening to a lecture; she's just like Su Yi!

It wasn't until the teacher Yang Zhichun found finally arrived that Zheng Dongqing's days began to change. But the change wasn't much.

"Little friend, what's your name?"

Zheng Dongqing looked at the two elders and a little girl standing timidly in the living room; she rolled her eyes, took the lollipop the butler had prepared for her, and tried to coax the little girl.

The little girl looked at the candy with some longing, but didn't dare to take it.

The woman among the two elders said, "Yan Yan, take it!"

She sensed that this person exuded a motherly aura all over, and shouldn't be harmful.

"Thank you, I'm Ji Yan!"

"Mom, I'm hungry!"

Su Yi rushed into the living room like a little cannonball. He had grown accustomed to Zheng Dongqing's presence these days, treating her as family. The one he trusted most was still his older brother!

Su Xi sauntered slowly at the back, not at all surprised by the scene in the living room.

Su Yi looked at the fruit Zheng Dongqing placed in his hand, then at the candy in the little girl's hand, and asked, "Mom, why don't I have any candy?"

Ji Yan, who was about to eat the candy, silently handed it to Su Yi.

Su Yi took it without hesitation, and Zheng Dongqing gave his hand a tap.

Zheng Dongqing wore a stern face, "Xiao Yi, did you forget what Mom said this morning?"

Su Yi pursed his lips, "I remember!"

Mom said in the morning that after finishing those candies you couldn't eat any more. He didn't want to keep them, so he ate them all! Su Yi, even at his young age, loves candy. It used to be fine when Su Xi was with him every day, keeping an eye on Su Yi. Since Su Xi has been going off now and sometimes looking for Yang Zhichun and the others, his supervision over Su Yi has weakened, and Su Yi's teeth have started to change.

Zheng Dongqing discovered that Su Yi was eating a lethal amount of candy, and together with Su Xi they jointly regulated his sugar intake.

"Then why did you take the candy?"

"She gave it to me!"

Su Yi pursed his lips, then, in his rare little baby voice, solemnly said a long sentence, "Refusing to accept others' gifts is very impolite."

"Do you think her expression shows she willingly handed you the candy as a gift?"

Su Yi looked carefully, "Not at all!"

"She's so timid!"

"A bit skinny."

"So cute!"

Su Yi looked at Ji Yan; she looked tiny, not as big as he is! "Mom, is this my little sister?"

"Yes!"

It was brought back by her mother‑in‑law, Ms. Yang, who personally sent someone, and she specifically instructed that these two elders and the child be well cared for, especially the child. Zheng Dongqing isn't foolish; if this little girl isn't resistant to them, she wants her own child to become friends with her.

Su Yi made a frowning face, "Why isn't the little sister being raised by me?"

He was raised by his older brother, so the little sister should also be raised by him.

"Little sister, let's go play!"

Having already upgraded himself to big brother, Su Yi wants to care for his little sister the way Su Xi cares for him!

Zheng Dongqing stopped Su Yi's hand, "First, let's take the little sister to see her room! Guests, please follow me!"

Zheng Dongqing, seated in a wheelchair, had a servant push her toward the prepared guest room on the first floor.

"This room is prepared for the two of you; please let me know if anything is unsuitable. If you have any requests, you can tell me or the butler. If anyone is disrespectful to you, also tell me; the butler will handle it!"

The butler stepped forward silently from the side, "We hope the two esteemed guests will treat this place as their own home."

The two elders exchanged a glance and tightly clasped each other's hands, "Thank you!"

"You're too kind!"

"Mom, the little sister's room!"

Su Yi was anxious; he wanted to know where the little sister's room was!

Zheng Dongqing gave the servant a signal. The two elders, uneasy, followed. The room was right next to theirs, unlike their orderly room. This room was entirely pink; delicate, cute dolls were placed around. The tables and chairs were custom‑made in a cartoon style, the floor covered with a soft blanket, and all sharp corners were wrapped in soft fabric. On the orange‑shaped table lay small snacks like fruit, jerky, and candy. The bed was a beautiful princess bed, with a fluffy, skin‑friendly quilt; the overall style was dreamy and beautiful.

The two elders recalled what the people who brought them had said.

"Ji Yan isn't your granddaughter; I don't believe you can't see that. Her appearance bears no resemblance at all to either of you or your daughter's son‑in‑law."

"You two could go together; Ji Yan can visit you anytime thereafter. Moving to a new city and getting a job that won't leave you worrying about food and drink is far better than staying here struggling, isn't it?"

"I have police certification and police staff accompanying me, so I'm certainly not a fraud. If we miss this chance, we'll directly ask the child's biological parents for verification; then you two might receive compensation, or might not. You both know what your in‑laws are up to, don't you?"

While the two hesitated, the other side kept raising the stakes, "Honestly, even if your daughter's son‑in‑law isn't affected, he isn't filial. If you stay here, you'll end up lonely and drained of all value."

"You're not rigid people, so why gamble with Ji Yan's future? If they discover Ji Yan's good background and act irrationally, you'll have ruined the child's whole life!"

Seeing this room, the two elders finally felt those words in their hearts.

Indeed, if it were them, even after a lifetime of effort they couldn't provide Ji Yan with a room like this.

Su Yi, already holding Ji Yan's hand, chattered away, introducing everything here and showing Ji Yan how to use all the items.

Zheng Dongqing observed that although Su Yi didn't say much, he explained everything clearly, and even taught Ji Yan once without causing a disturbance.

After the little Ji Yan finished learning, she looked somewhat timidly at her Maternal Grandparents.

Grandmother gently patted Ji Yan's head, "Good girl, you've been staying here these days; do you like it?"

Ji Yan nodded vigorously, "I like it!"

Ji Yan's liking was exactly what the two elders expected. When they returned and saw the new‑style house and bed, they liked it too! After they changed clothes, someone knocked on the door and delivered meals to their room.

"Please enjoy at your leisure; if you have any dietary restrictions, let us know. If you feel unwell, you can ring the bell for assistance; the manor has a family doctor who can give you an initial check‑up."

"Alright, thank you!"

The man nodded, while the woman looked at the food with a heavy heart, unable to eat much.

After the servant left, she sighed, "Alas, now I can't eat with Yan Yan, and later I'll see her even less!"

The man's aged face showed a weary expression, "Who let us fail to raise the child properly? If he stays there, he won't even get a meal later!"

Isn't the daughter and son‑in‑law wealthy now? Yet even rich families don't keep an eye on this old pair.

"Think positively, the two of us have someone to support us in old age. Yan Yan can also return to her own home, with a dad and a mom!"

On the other side, Yang Zhichun went straight to Xu Mingyue.

"Are you serious?" Xu Mingyue said, gripping Yang Zhichun's hand tightly.

It's been two years!

She has been searching for two years!

She still hasn't found her Jia Jia! "Right, I'm worried that if the news leaks, the child's parents might harm the child, so I arranged for the child and the Maternal Grandparents who are very kind to her to be taken to the Su family manor. You can do a Paternity Test at any time, but …"

"But what exactly?"

Xu Mingyue knew that for Yang Zhichun to go to such lengths to bring the child to the Su family manor proved there was a ninety‑percent chance the child was indeed Jia Jia! She had also seen the photos; the child really resembled her when she was young—just a bit thinner and a bit darker! Poor Jia Jia! "The Ji Family's protection isn't weak, is it? A child who couldn't leave was taken away, and no one noticed. Was that really an accident? Aren't you worried, and might you lose another one?"

Xu Mingyue felt a jolt in her heart! Her daughter was within arm's reach, and her anxious heart calmed a bit, her mind beginning to contemplate all the things that had seemed off over the years.

Indeed, the Ji Family isn't as good as the Xu Family, but they don't live in a shabby place either. Not to mention human traffickers— even strangers get interrogated as soon as they show up.

Back then she only wanted to find the child; she was led astray by one false clue after another and had no mind to think things through.

Without the child, she only wanted to find the child; who did it was less important than finding the child.

This search has lasted two years!

"What have you discovered?"

"Your elder sister‑in‑law's natal home was involved in a human trafficking case; there are only eyewitnesses, no physical evidence!"

"Clang!"

"Ah!"

"Ji Tianlin!"

"Bastard!"

Yang Zhichun watched Xu Mingyue smash things and go mad, feeling fortunate that the place she chose was good and that she had cleared the scene in advance.

Yang Zhichun recalled her conversation with Su Xi. Su Xi insisted that she tell only Xu Mingyue.

"She has the right to choose whether to continue or end this marriage!"

"A child shouldn't be a tool that binds her!"

"Tell her parents, and her parents will decide for her, but will her brother and sister‑in‑law?"

"Divorces aren't common these days, especially in this circle. Many families break teeth and swallow mixed blood just for a bit of face. Back then, didn't you endure it so as not to clash too much with Su Zeyan and affect the company?"

"For the sake of a Xu family man's career and reputation, can aged parents force a prime‑aged son‑in‑law and daughter‑in‑law?"

"It was Xu Mingyue who chose the person back then; if her parents and brother‑in‑law had known early, would they have urged the promising Ji Tianlin to persuade Xu Mingyue, or would they have let Xu Mingyue be willful again?"

"If parents can tolerate a willful little daughter, would you like being willful and disregard the family's younger sister‑in‑law?"

"In the end, they would only advise her that the child needs a father. Ji Tianlin happens to be a good father for her and her child."

"When everyone refuses to stand by her, she will only compromise!"

"In front of her, there is simply no 'no' or 'divorce' option."

Having gone through his mother's situation, Su Xi could empathize with his mother even more.

When he talked with his mother, he would tell her she could stay at the manor and freely take care of her health; whether she wanted to leave or pursue a career, he would support her!

As for repaying the money? She thinks if it weighs on her conscience she should pay it back, if it doesn't she can keep it; her happiness is what matters most!

Selfish? If she were gone, she couldn't be selfish at all! Morality is only the baseline for good people; the law is the baseline for citizens.

Su Xi still remembered Zheng Dongqing's shocked and moved, bewildered yet restless eyes.

Yang Zhichun recalled her great‑grandson who was veering toward a somewhat secular kind of madness, and then looked at the real version of the madness—Xu Mingyue—and suddenly felt the child was normal; perhaps Su Xi was overthinking, or perhaps he had experienced too much?

Or better to treat the daughter‑in‑law early, so that being a mother and staying with the child every day is better!

Xu Mingyue went mad, clutching herself and wailing! Yang Zhichun handed her a tissue, "If you believe me, I'll have someone take your biological sample and do a Paternity Test with Ji Yan. You can wait for the test results before deciding."

However, I don't recommend you tell your parents and relatives about this.

Yang Zhichun explained Su Xi's whole theory. She thought it was all twisted reasoning, yet the Xu Mingyue before her was moved and cried again!

"Sob sob!"

Xu Mingyue stayed indoors for a long time, and only left after her emotions settled and she returned to normal.

She didn't go back to the Ji Family; she returned to her Natal Home.

"Mom, I don't want to abandon my career to look for Jia Bao."

Gu Yang heard this and sighed in relief; she had long opposed her daughter doing this. She also felt sorry for the great‑granddaughter, but didn't want her daughter to sacrifice everything for her.

Without a job, a woman becomes inferior to her husband. Especially since Ji Tianlin is clearly on the rise, the family, considering the daughter's sake, is also investing in him.

If the daughter loses her job, how much idle resentment will the Ji Family endure! Even if Ji Tianlin loves Xu Mingyue, he can't completely abandon his parents for her. After years, the one who suffers is still her beloved daughter.

"You're right; without a job, whether at your in‑laws' home or at your Natal Home, your backbone isn't as straight as before, and it feels different. Your brother and sister‑in‑law are all good people, but outsiders, regardless of whether you're good or bad, can drive you mad just by nagging."

You must resign, preferably after your father gets another promotion; the one we worry about most is you!

Xu Mingyue hugged Gu Yang, "Sob sob," and cried.

Gu Yang held her daughter, patting her gently, feeling uneasy as if she had chosen to give up the child.

Xu Mingyue fell asleep, Gu Yang went out and told her son and daughter‑in‑law at home; the whole family understood. Once you're a parent you know a child is a beloved treasure; even a small cut hurts the heart. Xu Mingyue wanted to give up her own child, but she only cried once and restrained herself.

Xu Mingyue woke up, returned to work after canceling her leave. She usually lives in the dormitory; when Ji Tianlin went looking for her, she was cold and indifferent, just as before, and went back with him.

Back at the Ji Family, when Yin Qin came up to ask the elder sister‑in‑law whether she had decided to adopt, Xu Mingyue went berserk on the spot! "My Jia Jia is lost right here!"

"In this place where every stranger gets screened, my Jia Jia is lost!"

"You want me to adopt your daughter?"

"Am I unable to bear children?"

Xu Mingyue smashed the most valuable tea set from her dowry, stormed upstairs in anger to pack her things, and took away what she wanted to bring, including two marriage certificates.

Ji Tianlin's face darkened, and he hurriedly chased after her.

"Mingyue, don't be angry, I won't!"

"I will find our Jia Jia!"

"Mingyue!"

Making up for the previous update.