After eating that candy, she no longer had stomach aches as often as before, and she even started to grow.
Later, when the pharmaceutical factory recruited workers, Li Zhaodi had just turned 18.
She also had to thank her heartless father—after the divorce, he never cared for her mother and the children again.
The production team saw how difficult things were for them and let her mother sign up for the recruitment.
But her mother was fixated on winning her son and her ex-husband back, so she didn’t take the recruitment seriously at all.
Li Zhaodi went straight to the team leader and said she wanted to go herself.
It turned out well—she became a worker at the pharmaceutical factory.
Her father tried to coax her back, saying that if she gave him the job, he might reluctantly remarry her mother.
Li Zhaodi spat at him and told him to go back to dreaming.
Her mother scolded her for being difficult.
Li Zhaodi said to her mother, “If you come with me, I’ll make sure you eat every day, but you have to listen to me. If you go with him, I won’t take care of you anymore.”
Her mother didn’t leave, of course.
Because in that house, neither her mother, her sister, nor she had ever eaten their fill.
From then on, Li Zhaodi knew how important money was.
Money not only let her and her sister eat enough—it could even bring power and status.
At the pharmaceutical factory, Li Zhaodi worked hard and diligently. Her colleagues, seeing how young and skinny she was, often looked out for her.
Li Zhaodi tasted what it meant to truly live.
The pagoda candy had come from Lin Zhilan, and the pharmaceutical factory itself had been built because of her.
Lin Zhilan had saved her mother’s life, and she had saved Li Zhaodi’s life too.
In Li Zhaodi’s heart, Lin Zhilan was like a goddess.
She didn’t dare to seek her out, but she knew everything about Lin Zhilan.
She also knew that Lin Zhilan was pregnant.
Li Zhaodi held out her hand to Lin Zhilan, with a few pieces of milk candy in her palm. “For you to eat.”
Lin Zhilan smiled and took them. “How are you doing now?”
Li Zhaodi pressed her lips together and smiled. “Pretty good.”
Seeing her doing so well now, Lin Zhilan was happy. She took her hand and chatted, even telling her to come visit whenever she had time.
Linlin was already asleep in her father’s arms. Su Lang carried her, following behind the others, his eyes shining with admiration and affection as he looked at Lin Zhilan.
At the village entrance, Lin Zhilan said goodbye to Li Zhaodi.
Li Zhaodi stood there, watching their figures slowly fade into the distance.
Just as she was about to turn back, she caught a glimpse from the corner of her eye—someone stepped out from behind a large tree, hanging far behind Lin Zhilan and the others.
Li Zhaodi rushed over and grabbed that person’s arm. “Who are you? What do you want?”
It was a small, thin girl, about the same age as her younger sister.
Li Zhaodi loosened her grip a little, but her eyes still burned with vigilance.
The girl struggled twice, couldn’t break free, and her eyes instantly turned red.
Lin Zhilan and Su Lang heard the commotion and turned back.
“Han Mei?” Lin Zhilan recognized the girl’s face in surprise. “What are you doing here?”
Hearing Lin Zhilan’s voice, Han Mei froze, as if rooted to the spot.
Her eyes darted, and she quickly made up an excuse. “I—I came to collect firewood and got lost.”
The tips of Han Mei’s ears flushed bright red.
She didn’t know why she had followed them either.
Maybe it was because she still hadn’t made any friends here. Seeing Lin Zhilan’s family going out, she had unconsciously followed.
During Lin Zhilan’s clinic sessions, Han Mei would hide behind the woodpile to watch.
Before today, Han Mei had thought Lin Zhilan was simply beautiful—more beautiful than the fairy maidens in New Year paintings.
But today, after watching Lin Zhilan for the whole morning from behind the woodpile, she suddenly felt that Lin Zhilan was more than just beautiful.
Han Mei couldn’t think of the right word to describe her.
Then she finally came up with one.
It was “majestic.”
Wang Xiuzhi found Lin Zhilan majestic, so she wanted to avoid her.
But Han Mei was different.
Han Mei thought Lin Zhilan was so majestic that she couldn’t help wanting to get closer, to see more, to know what else she would do.
Lin Zhilan looked at Han Mei and could tell at once that she was lying.
The three Ma boys were mischievous, but their thoughts were shallow.
The two Han children, usually quiet, were hard to read.
Li Zhaodi let go. “Doctor Lin, do you know her?”
“Mm,” Lin Zhilan nodded. “Thank you. I’ll take her back now.”
“You’re welcome,” Li Zhaodi said with a smile.
Lin Zhilan couldn’t just leave Han Mei behind, so she took her hand and led her home.
Han Mei felt that hand—soft, gentle.
Her heart raced.
When they got home, Wang Xiuzhi was loosening soil in the yard. Seeing Lin Zhilan holding Han Mei’s hand, she froze for a moment.
Lin Zhilan let go, and Han Mei curled her fingers slightly, pressing her lips together.
“Sister-in-law, school is about to start. Remember to sign both kids up. If you have any questions…” Lin Zhilan paused. “Ask Commander Han to handle it.”
Wang Xiuzhi stammered, “Okay, I understand.”
School was a must. Wang Xiuzhi had never been educated, but she envied those who could read and write and wouldn’t deny her children that chance.
Lin Zhilan nodded and went back home.
Afterward, every time Lin Zhilan went to her clinic, she would glance behind her to see if there was a little tail following.
But Han Mei never showed up again—school had started.
One day, when Lin Zhilan got home from work, Jiang Chengzhou excitedly came to share what had happened at school.
“Aunt, today Liang Ping and Han Mei made total fools of themselves at school.”
Lin Zhilan washed her hands as she asked, “What happened?”
“Too dumb. The teacher made them start from first grade.”
Liang Ping was 13 years old—normally old enough for middle school.
Han Mei was 9, usually the age to be in second or third grade.
But the educational resources back in their hometown had been terrible.
Their teachers had only graduated from elementary school themselves, so they couldn’t teach much.
Liang Ping and Han Mei couldn’t recognize many characters and couldn’t keep up with normal classes.
Now, all the first graders were six or seven years old. Liang Ping and Han Mei had become famous at school—but not in a good way.
That evening, crying came from the Han household again.
Su Lang went over; Lin Zhilan didn’t.
When he returned, she learned that Liang Ping was throwing a tantrum, demanding to go back to his hometown because he didn’t want to study there anymore.
Lin Zhilan frowned. “What do Commander Han and Sister-in-law Wang Xiuzhi think?”
“Commander Han didn’t agree, so they’re having a big fight at home.”
Lin Zhilan glanced at Jiang Chengzhou, then whispered in Su Lang’s ear, “Is Liang Ping really not Commander Han’s biological son?”
“No,” Su Lang said as he put an arm around her, guiding her inside. He explained, “Liang Ping is the son of Commander Han’s cousin. The child’s father was Commander Han’s comrade-in-arms, who died in battle. Before he died, he asked Commander Han to take care of his cousin-in-law. At the time, they didn’t know she was already pregnant with Liang Ping.”
“Oh…”
Lin Zhilan bit her lip, not expecting such a backstory.
Su Lang gently ran his thumb across her lip. “Don’t think too much. Your job now is to rest.”
Lin Zhilan grabbed his mischievous hand. “Then what about Liang Ping’s biological mother?”
