CHAPTER 34: CHAPTER 24: NI DUAN DISPELS DOUBTS (PART 3)

Zhang Guoqing looked at his parents with amusement. If he wasn’t confident, he wouldn’t have spoken out, "What I’m going to discuss next is the most crucial matter. All those things from the Zhou Family that might or might not be given up are just external possessions. I don’t care about them at all. Right now, my wife and I have the same stance: we absolutely won’t accept those things, no matter what anyone says.

If the Lin Family comes, it won’t be simple. Let me share my own thoughts next. At the Zhou Family, I kept observing the two elders while constantly thinking about the Lin Family. As for the Lin Family, I’ve never had any contact with them, but based on my mother-in-law’s behavior over the years, they seem to be the kind of spoiled high-ranking children who only care about their own happiness and don’t care about others. They have status and background, and they do whatever they please. She doesn’t want to come back to see her daughter, so she doesn’t. She has money, so she keeps sending it and doesn’t care. It seems their family is similar—capricious and carefree. Nonetheless, despite being unreliable, they have been supporting and raising Jiao Jiao for 17 years. The courtyard in Beijing is directly registered under Jiao Jiao’s name.

This shows they either don’t lack money or don’t care about wealth. Since they can accept a farmer’s son like me, it means they never planned to use Jiao Jiao for political marriage or gain benefits. And since my father-in-law was also a poor farmer’s son, it’s evident that the Lin Family, although capricious, has their own way of doing things and a bottom line. Such a family lacks neither money nor status and doesn’t need their children for political marriages. Why would they let Jiao Jiao be alone in the countryside? They’re busy, but they have service soldiers and workers. If the child’s mother isn’t around, it doesn’t make sense not to bring her back to Beijing. If they truly planned to use money to raise her, when my mother-in-law gets married and doesn’t care for Jiao Jiao anymore, how would they explain the Beijing household registration and courtyard? Jiao Jiao’s last name is Zhou, and she belongs to the Zhou Family. If they planned on abandoning Jiao Jiao, giving her a house would be understandable, but there would be no need to keep the household registration in Beijing, right? Also, considering the Lin Family isn’t concerned about money, they send things regularly. The only apparent requirement for Zhou Jiao is to live however she wants, without worrying about financial resources.

But after so many years, why hasn’t she seen Jiao Jiao? My mother-in-law has never been to the Northeast; why hasn’t she visited her daughter when she’s traveled everywhere else? If they met Jiao Jiao, even the Old Sir Zhou couldn’t stop them. So, what is the Lin Family capitalizing on? Why can’t Zhou Jiao go to Beijing, and why isn’t she taken back to Beijing? There’s a big house and the household registration hasn’t been moved back to her hometown. This suggests one problem: Jiao Jiao cannot appear in Beijing. Why can’t she be in Beijing? Does it mean that Beijing poses a danger or threat to Jiao Jiao? Her dad was a soldier in Beijing with many acquaintances and died on a mission without a body.

Does this mean that Zhou Jiao going to Beijing now is unsafe? They’re waiting for it to be safe before she can go, which explains the household registration and the house issue.

This year, sending luxurious packages without fear of being discovered indicates that Jiao Jiao is safe now. The Lin Family doesn’t fear revealing the mailing of numerous packages anymore, and going back to Beijing is also not a concern. What does this imply? The only connections with Jiao Jiao are her father-in-law and mother-in-law. A soldier whose body was never found post-death, and the mother-in-law who never returned to the Northeast or even visited Jiao Jiao once.

So, the key is the father-in-law whose body was never found? A soldier engaged in secret missions. If my inference is correct, he’s alive and about to return. Hence, Jiao Jiao is safe, and they no longer fear drawing attention with their shipments. Before this year, the return addresses on the packages were scattered across various military districts. But most are from Beijing this year. Mailing packages can be tracked at the post office.

Looking at it another way, if I had a daughter and my wife’s personality was too capricious to guarantee the child’s safety, I’d fear implicating my daughter, so leaving her with rural relatives might be safer. Strangers in a village are easily recognizable. The rural environment is adverse, so they send lots of money. Fearing her military connections would be severed, that’s why the Lin Family doesn’t bring her back to Beijing.

Right now, Grandpa Lin seems to know his son-in-law is returning. What should they do? As a mother, she hasn’t fulfilled her maternal responsibilities and hasn’t met her husband in 17 years. Could this affect their marriage, or would her husband be dissatisfied? Grandma should generally know the situation with Zhou Jiao. Therefore, Grandpa has consistently sent this many things to show that they’ve always valued their granddaughter and never intended to abandon her. They’re concerned about her, especially since she’s pregnant. Moreover, when the father-in-law returns, it’s to understand what’s happening with their family and simultaneously assess the Zhou Family’s greed.

Suppose the father-in-law is angry that the wife hasn’t kept Zhou Jiao by her side while the Lin Family has invested a lot of money in supporting Zhou Jiao. He provides financially, and Grandpa Zhou invests time and effort, yet the Zhou Family still fails to deliver properly, mistreats Zhou Jiao. How could the father-in-law reasonably fault the Lin Family? After receiving news of her husband’s death 17 years ago, the wife hasn’t remarried, believing he’s alive and awaiting his return. She also spent ample money supporting their daughter. Even if the father-in-law felt uneasy, he couldn’t blame the Lin Family. The Zhou Family remained the only scapegoat because of their bias, thereby achieving severance from their continuous issues.

Given my reasoning, Jiao Jiao, your father holds significant value worthy of Grandpa’s meticulous calculations. Grandpa’s family doesn’t lack wealth or status. Maintaining that status requires heirs—he should soon retire. For the subsequent generation, or your cousins, to uphold the Lin Family’s banner, your father is considered the second-generation Lin. Is your uncle still alive? If he and your father survive together, the Lin Family’s future is secure. If your uncle is gone, your father’s presence still enables leading the Lin Family’s third generation. This explains the grand efforts made. Naturally, these are merely my conjectures. We can judge by when your mother appears, how she performs thereafter, and her disposition towards my family. Which Lin Family members arrive, whether they continue veiling your father’s survival. If your father lives, they know his workplace, then you can measure the Lin Family’s true intentions. Every detail holds meaning. Circumstances should clarify that. If the Lin Family appears before the washing’s third day, your father’s return is confirmed. Grandpa’s visit would further underscore your father’s well-being, though until seeing him, don’t invest trust blindly. Await your father’s arrival and assess his professional standing. I mention work because if Grandpa’s manipulating you, there’s a compulsion for your return, securing your father’s presence in Beijing—aiding the Lin Family. Should genuine concern exist, they’d openly inform you of your father’s workplace lack of decision, embracing reunion whenever possible.

Treat the Zhou and Lin Families, including your mother, cautiously. A year ago, their behavior towards you indicates your perceived value to them. What occurs currently is falsehood. Only your father considers you, his only daughter, having you at over 40. He’s genuinely mindful of our family’s welfare. If your father returns, he needs recommendation appraisal, plus finalizing the 17-year chronic procedure, taking 1-2 years to exit military grounds. I calculated the unusual packages, it rounds to approximately seven months; anticipate a year to reach home.

Grandpa Lin will likely send your mother, my mother-in-law, to return first—seeking your approval as a daughter, then accompanying until your father’s return. The situation simplifies then: within a few days, we expect their arrival. Given pregnancy’s timeline, mother Lin Lishan should arrive soon. Keep mindful of manipulations—leverage deliberate actions. This year’s awareness indicated your safety. Does your mother find excuses for time constraints? Awareness of your pregnancy, mailing parcels inherently knowing post-wedding timing cannot excuse unfamiliarity. Why hasn’t she sought you since? Rushes now seem manipulative.

Parents, disbelief isn’t warranted. I assert confidently—certain about his existence. You’ve heard me elucidate lengthy insights; I grasp them significantly. I’ll discern evening pleas and tactfully deflect. Father, consider our Xiao Wu’s discernment remarkable."

Mother Zhang observed the child’s father contemplatively. She didn’t comprehend everything, yet believed Xiao Wu’s reasoning impeccable, "Xiao Wu, I don’t fully grasp it. Nonetheless, if you claim Jiao Jiao’s father survived, then it must be true. After all this, I’m informed. Tonight, whenever someone pleads, I’ll refuse knowingly. Xiaowu’s intelligence is exceptional, dear."