Chapter 38: Jianghui City

It takes four hours to travel from Licheng to Jianghui City. Jianghui City is a southern city, a fourth-tier city, surrounded by mountains and water, often referred to as “Little Jiangnan.” The local economy relies mainly on fishing, textiles, and tea. It’s not very wealthy, but most families live comfortably.

Life here is not fast-paced or stressful; people live contentedly.

Traditional festivals are highly valued.

Meng Ying, wearing a mask and pulling a suitcase, walked out of the airport.

Jianghui City was already decorated in red, with many paper cuttings on the streets. The atmosphere of the Spring Festival was strong. Meng Ying hadn’t been back for more than two years. As she glanced at the paper cuttings, she finally felt a bit homesick. Since going to university in Licheng, her visits home had been few and far between.

Almost every time she came back, she wouldn’t be in a good mood, let alone feel homesick.

But this time, she did feel a bit of it, perhaps because she felt more confident and open-hearted now.

She called a taxi.

After getting in, she headed straight to the People’s Hospital.

On the plane, Meng Ying had wondered if Chen Jiao might have faked her father’s illness to trick her into coming back. After thinking about it for a while, she decided that regardless of whether it was a trick, it was right to come back and see her father for a few days. The weather was a bit chilly and overcast, with no sun, looking like it could get dark at any moment.

Arriving at the People’s Hospital, Meng Ying carried her suitcase up the steps.

Perhaps because it was close to the New Year, the hospital was a bit quiet. Meng Ying went straight to the inpatient department and found room 306. Through the window, she saw her father, Meng Yulin, leaning on the bed receiving an IV, while Chen Jiao was muttering something. Her father had changed a lot over the years, with gray hair at his temples.

Chen Jiao, on the other hand, had become sharper and more severe in appearance, with even more unkindly shaped eyebrows.

Meng Ying turned the doorknob.

Pulling her suitcase, she walked in.

Chen Jiao thought it was Meng Xiao and immediately said, “I told you not to come to the hospital. You’ll catch the sickness…”

Seeing it was Meng Ying, Chen Jiao paused and then immediately said, “If it weren’t for your father’s discomfort, you wouldn’t have planned to come back, right…”

Meng Ying ignored her, put down her suitcase, and walked to the bedside.

Meng Yulin opened his mouth, then seemed to consider Chen Jiao’s presence and just nodded, “You seem to have gained weight, haven’t you?”

Because they didn’t communicate much usually, Meng Yulin could only learn about Meng Ying through her social media. He wasn’t good with words and rarely expressed fatherly feelings even when he was in business. After his business failed, it became even harder to learn. Meng Ying smiled and sat by the bed, saying, “Gained a bit, the crew’s food was too good.”

“What’s the diagnosis?” Meng Ying reached for the medical record hanging nearby. It showed insufficient blood supply to the brain and high uric acid, among other basic conditions. This time, he fainted due to insufficient blood supply to the brain.

Chen Jiao, standing opposite with her arms crossed, said, “He never takes his medicine on time, so of course, he has to be hospitalized!”

Meng Ying put down the medical record and asked Meng Yulin, “Did they say when you can go home?”

Meng Yulin said, “Soon, after this IV is done.”

He reached out and pushed Meng Ying.

Meng Ying, with her chin tucked into her mask, turned around and called out to Chen Jiao, “Mom.”

Chen Jiao sneered.

“You still know how to call me Mom?”

“How’s work been lately?” Chen Jiao scrutinized Meng Ying. Her daughter had changed a lot; she almost didn’t recognize her when she first walked in.

“Not bad.”

Meng Ying didn’t say much.

Chen Jiao paused and said, “I want to send your brother abroad for university. What do you think?”

Chen Jiao spoiled Meng Xiao, and he had a pampered personality, always relying on his mother. But the one good thing about him was his good grades. As soon as she said this, Meng Yulin hesitantly spoke up, “Studying in the country is fine. Going abroad is expensive. Back then… back then…”

Back then, they didn’t even support Meng Ying’s university education.

He choked on his words, afraid that saying them would start a fight.

But who couldn’t understand the implication? Chen Jiao immediately got angry, “How can it be the same? Meng Ying is a girl; she’ll get married sooner or later. Speaking of which, Meng Ying, you’re almost thirty. You need to think about getting married. No one will want you if you wait any longer.”

She spoke with conviction.

Meng Ying, however, remained unfazed. She glanced at the IV drip, which was almost finished, picked up the medical record on the bedside table, and went to pay the bill.

Chen Jiao was furious and shouted after her, “I heard the entertainment industry is very chaotic. Don’t mess around with people out there.”

All that was left for her was Meng Ying’s tall, retreating figure.

Meng Yulin grabbed Chen Jiao’s arm harshly.

“That’s enough.”

Personal growth can be slow or fast. In the past two years, every time Meng Ying came back, Chen Jiao would scold her. Although Meng Ying showed no reaction on the surface, she felt the pressure and increased her sense of inferiority. Back then, her expressionless face was a facade, easily shattered.

Now, her expressionless face truly showed no emotion.

After paying the bill and returning, Meng Yulin’s IV drip was finished, and the nurse was removing the needle. Chen Jiao’s face was still sour, but with others around, she restrained herself a lot. Meng Ying, wearing a mask, stood in the ward, looking very striking. The nurse, while tidying up, occasionally glanced at her.

After tidying up, the attending physician came in, reviewed the medical records, then turned around. Seeing Meng Ying, he paused, then looked at Chen Jiao.

Chen Jiao stepped forward.

The attending physician said, “Make sure to rest when you get home, take the prescribed medication on time, and most importantly, avoid foods that could trigger gout.”

“Okay, thank you, Dr. Liang.”

“You’re welcome,” the attending physician said, then turned and left.

Chen Jiao gave Meng Ying a push.

Caught off guard, Meng Ying looked at Chen Jiao.

Chen Jiao pointed at the departing white coat, “Your Aunt Qiao’s son is thirty-two and will be promoted to director next year.”

Meng Yulin: “Chen Jiao!”

Meng Ying remained expressionless, helping Meng Yulin out of bed, pulling her suitcase, and heading towards the door. Chen Jiao followed with a scowl.

Meng Ying had no idea who Aunt Qiao’s son was. Chen Jiao had many friends who gossiped while snacking, all boasting about their sons’ achievements and high education.

As for daughters, most were left to their own devices, with the belief that no matter how successful they were, it was better to marry well.

Chen Jiao went to get the car, and Meng Ying packed the suitcase and helped Meng Yulin into the car. She then sat in the back seat with Meng Yulin.

As the car drove off, Chen Jiao started again, “Your Aunt Li Ping’s daughter married a university professor in Beijing. They’re coming back for the New Year this year. She’s living a very comfortable life, well-fed and not needing to work. You should learn from her.”

“I think Dr. Liang is pretty good too.”

Dr. Liang was the attending physician they had just seen.

Meng Yulin shook his head at Meng Ying.

Meng Ying smiled, took out an eye mask from her bag, put it on, and remained silent.

Years ago, the family had renovated a three-story house, which still looked new. However, the car couldn’t be parked inside and had to be left on the side road.

The houses here were different from those outside, with many doors facing each other diagonally. As soon as they got out of the car, Meng Xiao ran over, the first thing he did was stand behind Chen Jiao, looking at Meng Ying.

The seventeen-year-old boy was taller than Meng Ying. The siblings exchanged a glance, and Meng Ying picked up her suitcase. Meng Xiao hesitated for a moment and then offered to help.

Meng Ying let go of the suitcase and helped Meng Yulin walk towards the alley. Coincidentally, Aunt Li Ping’s daughter, Li Manyu, came out with her newlywed husband, the professor. Aunt Li Ping, carrying a small bag, followed behind. Seeing Meng Ying’s family, Aunt Li Ping exclaimed.

“Meng Ying is back?”

Meng Ying pulled down her mask and nodded at Li Ping, “Hello, Auntie.”

“Wow, a big star,” Li Ping said with a smile, then called to Li Manyu, “Manyu, you used to play so well together. Don’t you recognize her?”

Li Manyu had no intention of coming forward.

Meng Ying was wearing a Korean-style blazer, a black base layer underneath, and Martin boots with jeans. She looked slim and tall, not like someone nearing thirty.

Li Manyu, on the other hand, was plump, with a belly full of fat, instinctively holding her husband’s hand. Li Ping sighed, “This child…”

“Meng Ying, we’re just heading out. My son-in-law wants to try some local dishes. We’ll come over to see you tonight.”

Chen Jiao’s face darkened even more.

Li Ping was deliberately showing off her son-in-law in public.

Meng Ying just smiled politely at Li Ping, “Auntie, you should go.”

After saying that, she helped Meng Yulin walk towards the house. After a few steps, she heard Li Ping say to Chen Jiao, “Meng Ying is pretty, but what good is it for a woman to be pretty after thirty? Licheng is so big, and she hasn’t brought a boyfriend home. I heard many actresses are still unmarried in their forties…”

Chen Jiao’s sharp voice rang out, “Go eat!”

After saying that, she turned and stomped into the house. Seeing Meng Ying, Chen Jiao became even more furious, saying, “People go to big cities like Beijing to work in sales, and you go to a first-tier city to be a star, but you’re not doing as well as them!”

“Chen Jiao!” Meng Yulin finally lost his temper.

He knocked over the tea box on the table.

Chen Jiao paused, her face stiff for a moment, then she cursed under her breath and turned to the kitchen to cook.

Meng Xiao took the suitcase upstairs, put it in Meng Ying’s room, then came back down and stood a little distance away, playing on his phone without talking to Meng Ying.

Meng Ying sat on the sofa, calmly making tea. Jianghui City’s tea was famously good. Meng Yulin didn’t drink tea, so he poured himself some plain water and said, “Don’t mind your mom. Those gossipy women are always talking nonsense…”

“But, is it hard to find a partner in your industry?” Meng Yulin asked, somewhat worried.

Meng Ying drank two small cups and said, “It’s okay.”

It’s not too hard to find a boyfriend, but finding someone to marry is difficult. Besides, she had no intention of getting married.

“Sigh—” Meng Yulin sighed.

Everyone in this small town knew Meng Ying was an actress. When they heard she was back, many people pretended to pass by her house to catch a glimpse of her.

They would just take a look and leave, unlike in Licheng, where she could easily be surrounded and photographed. After all, celebrities are just people, not something to eat. As for those who liked Meng Ying, there were some girls in the town, but not many. If a male celebrity came, it might cause a traffic jam.

The young men in town, or her classmates, some liked Meng Ying, but they were more cautious, so Meng Ying felt at ease that day.

The only annoyance was Aunt Li Ping. After having dinner outside, she came to their house.

This time, she not only bragged about her son-in-law but also about Meng Ying’s classmates who had married well, making Chen Jiao even angrier.

While Meng Ying was taking a bath, Chen Jiao was still cursing her for being useless.

Meng Yulin, feeling helpless, kept telling Meng Ying, “If you really couldn’t manage, you should have brought someone back to pretend and fool your mom.”

Meng Ying thought to herself.

She wouldn’t be staying long. Once she saw that Meng Yulin’s health was better, she would return to Licheng.

After dinner, Meng Ying and Meng Yulin went upstairs. Seeing the room was very clean, Meng Ying thought it was nice to come back and see her father occasionally.

He had really put effort into tidying up, waiting for her to come back.

Bang—

Meng Ying turned around.

Meng Xiao placed a humidifier on the floor, turned around with his phone, and left.

Watching Meng Xiao’s back, Meng Ying suddenly realized that her brother had grown up.

Meng Yulin brought over some mosquito repellent and hesitated before saying, “Meng Xiao is actually quite proud of you.”

Yiwanshan’s real estate projects are spread all over the country, and Yiwanshan is famous not only for its winery but also for its private helipad.

Early that morning, a black private jet landed at the Yiwanshan helipad in Jianghui City.

A handsome man in a black shirt and trousers stepped off the plane, carrying a black suitcase. He walked to the elevator, his well-defined fingers pressing the password. With a click, the elevator door opened, and the man walked in.

The small town was already bustling with various calls and shouts. The small street for New Year’s goods was decorated with lanterns, and the weather was still overcast and gray.

Meng Ying came downstairs in her pajamas and opened the door to see Li Ping and Chen Jiao chatting at the door. She couldn’t be bothered to engage and turned back to get some water.

They didn’t control their volume.

“What were they talking about?”

“Do you think Liang would be interested in Meng Ying?” Chen Jiao asked.

Li Ping replied, “Of course, Meng Ying is quite good-looking. But I think Liang is not as good as our son-in-law. At least he works in a big city…”

This made Chen Jiao angry, “She’s in a big city like Licheng and hasn’t even found a boyfriend…”

“Who says she hasn’t? I am,” a deep voice suddenly interrupted. The two gossiping women turned around to see a very handsome, tall man with silver-rimmed glasses, carrying a suitcase and raising an eyebrow at them.

Not far away, a Maybach was parked, blocking the road.

Many passersby glanced at it.

Li Ping was stunned for a few seconds, “Who are you?”

Chen Jiao stared intently at the man.

“Xu Dian.”

After saying that, the man walked up the steps and boldly entered the house.

Inside the house.

“A woman, clad in a black cotton nightgown, wore a knitted sweater over it. Her long black hair cascaded down her back as she turned around suddenly, their eyes meeting.

Meng Ying froze.

She was bare-faced.

Her eyes were clear, just like that night in the card room, watery and seemingly deep enough to drown in. Xu Dian didn’t look away. He strode forward, pinning her against the wall, and forcefully lifted her chin with his fingers, a cold glint in his eyes. “Thinking about marrying another man? In your dreams!”

Leaning in, he bit her earlobe and sneered lowly. “Only willing to have sex with me? I’m always at your service.”

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