After hanging up the phone, Eldest Brother Shen couldn't help but curse a few more words into the receiver.
"Tch, as if we’re fools!"
"Fourth Brother’s family is wealthy—even if the Red Committee took a hefty cut."
"He’s got enough money to last him several lifetimes. How could he possibly lack funds for medical treatment?"
"Exactly. Just because he claims to be a public security officer doesn’t mean he is one."
Second Brother Shen suspected it was another scheme by the Red Committee. "Eldest Brother, they’re trying to trick us. Don’t fall for it."
Third Sister Shen and Fifth Sister Shen were inclined to visit Hu City to check on the situation, but they were still traumatized by their past encounters with the Red Committee.
Besides, matters like these were beyond the understanding of two women like them, so they remained silent.
On the other end, the public security officer was equally baffled after the call.
Had they not double-checked the phone number, they would have thought they’d dialed the wrong one.
Since they were already at the post office, the officer decided to try contacting Shen Qingqing and Shen Qingyue, the siblings.
To their surprise, the siblings were even more dismissive.
The moment the officer explained the reason for the call, the other end hung up without a word.
The truth couldn’t be hidden, so upon returning to the hospital, the officer relayed everything to Shen Xiuwen.
Upon hearing the news, Shen Xiuwen lost control of his emotions, his eyes rolling back as he fainted once again.
Fortunately, this time, he only remained unconscious for two or three hours.
But when he woke up, he alternated between laughter and tears, behaving as if he’d lost his mind.
By the time the news reached Jiang Si two days later, her reaction was unexpectedly calm—so calm it was as if she were discussing a stranger.
From the moment she transmigrated into this novel, she had known that some things could never be resolved perfectly.
So she didn’t force it.
Noticing the entire family holding their bowls without eating, Jiang Si smiled. "Why are you all staring at me? Eat up!"
"You should eat more too." Huo Tingzhou added a portion of her favorite dish to her bowl.
He had been worried that his wife’s mood might sour upon hearing the news, but seeing her smile now eased his mind.
Third Uncle seized the moment to shift the topic. "Today’s already the 13th. Have you bought the train tickets?"
Oh, right!
Jiang Si had nearly forgotten. She remembered Huo Tingzhou had to return to his unit by the 18th.
The journey to Qiongzhou Island would take at least three days, assuming they could secure tickets without delays.
If bad weather struck, they might even be stranded in Yancheng for days.
Fortunately, Huo Tingzhou was as meticulous as ever.
Nodding, he replied, "It’s taken care of. We’ll take a flight the morning after tomorrow. Once we reach Yancheng, we’ll transfer to an afternoon flight back to Qiongzhou Island."
At present, flights from Yancheng to Qiongzhou Island operated only once every three days.
Securing the tickets had also required layers of approvals, which caused some delay.
Jiang Si wasn’t one to pinch pennies. Since he had everything arranged, she had no objections.
Besides, she suffered terribly from seasickness.
If possible, she never wanted to set foot on a ship again in this lifetime.
Placing a peeled shrimp into Jiang Si’s bowl, Huo Tingzhou said, "Tomorrow morning, let’s visit Grandpa and Grandma’s graves together."
"Mm." Jiang Si nodded.
The next day, the two rose early.
The Jiang family ancestral graves were located in the She Mountain area, over thirty kilometers from the city.
By the time they finished paying their respects and descended the mountain, it was already noon.
Huo Tingzhou took Jiang Si to a state-run restaurant in town, planning to have lunch before returning to the city.
The town’s state-run restaurant was far smaller than those in the city, with only six tables in total.
At peak lunch hour, every seat was occupied, and even the aisles were packed with people.
"Forget it. Let’s just eat when we get back." With this many people, who knew how long they’d have to wait?
Just as Jiang Si spoke, a familiar face caught her eye.
"What’s wrong?" Noticing her sudden pause, Huo Tingzhou followed her gaze.
It was a young man in his twenties, hunched over a bowl of noodles.
The men beside him were likely his companions.
Five of them had ordered six dishes—all meat.
Clearly, money wasn’t an issue for them.
"That’s Director Qi’s driver," Jiang Si whispered, turning slightly to avoid being overheard. "He came with Director Qi to deliver money to the old house a few days ago."
"The two look somewhat alike. I’d guess he’s either a nephew or a cousin."
As if on cue, the man sitting across from the young man wiped the grease from his mouth and grinned.
"Brother Qi, when are we heading out?"
"What’s the rush?"
Despite his youth, Qi Lei had a sharp temper. "If you’re done eating, get back to the car. All of you have aged, but none of you have grown a brain."
"Yes, yes, Brother Qi Lei, you're absolutely right."
"Then take your time eating. We’ll head to the truck first."
The man responded with a sheepish grin.
He was lucky—his uncle was a director at the Red Committee.
In front of him, everyone kept their heads down, not daring to say a word.
But the moment they stepped out of the state-run restaurant, the man’s expression darkened instantly.
Seeing this, the others couldn’t help but grumble a little.
But more than anything, they were curious. "Brother Dashan, what’s in these boxes? They’re pretty heavy."
A thinner man chimed in, "I’ve noticed the furniture we’ve been moving these past few days is even nicer than what the village chief has at home. This stuff can’t be cheap..."
Before he could finish, Brother Dashan slapped both of them across the back of the head.
"Do what you’re told and don’t ask questions you shouldn’t!"
"And be careful when moving this stuff. If anything gets damaged, don’t blame me for docking your pay."
The mention of losing money shut them up fast.
"Don’t worry, Brother Dashan," they quickly reassured him, thumping their chests. "We carry sacks of rice over a hundred pounds without a problem. A few boxes and furniture? That’s nothing."
One bold soul ventured, "Hey, Brother Dashan, we’ve been working for days now. When are we getting paid?"
The deal was this: one truckload of goods came with a meal, a pack of cigarettes, and 3 yuan in wages.
But after three or four days of hauling, they hadn’t seen a single coin.
"Look at you, acting like a beggar. You think a director would stiff you over a few measly bucks?"
Seeing the hopeful looks on their faces, Brother Dashan relented. "Relax. Once we finish the last truck tonight, you’ll get your money."
"Really?"
"Of course."
The men brightened instantly, walking with renewed energy—completely unaware of the two figures trailing behind them.
