20 years of the Republic of China

Chapter 761 Parents’ Orders Are Difficult to Disobey

In the north of Fengtian City, the Jiang family mansion was brightly lit.

When Jiang Lianheng returned home, Jiang Ya had already taken a bath, applied medicine, and changed into new clothes.

Being released from prison is a big deal, so naturally there are many things to pay attention to.

After all this busy work, the girl looked brand new inside and out, just like during the Chinese New Year. Now she was sitting in the restaurant eating like the moon surrounded by stars.

The whole family, young and old, were very worried. They surrounded her, asking about her well-being and showing her endless love.

In comparison, Hu Xiaoyan seemed exceptionally calm.

Of course he cared about her, but he didn't nag her unnecessarily. Besides looking at the redness and swelling on Jiang Ya's face, what he asked most was the circumstances of the girl's arrest.

Song Ma and Yingzi prepared dinner. The old servant, who had been a family member for many years, couldn't help but come over to give a few reminders.

Everyone advised that if they encountered such a thing again, they should never get involved.

Suddenly a figure flashed past outside the restaurant.

Jiang Chengye was the first to notice it. He quickly stood up and greeted him respectfully, "Dad."

Everyone turned around and saw that it was indeed the boss who had returned.

Jiang Lianheng nodded, looked around, and saw Xue Yingqing and others were there, so he whispered: "Jiang Ya, come upstairs to find me after dinner."

After saying this, his gaze lingered on his eldest son for a moment before he turned away.

Jiang Chengye has not finished primary school yet, so he did not participate in today's activities.

However, what is coming will come sooner or later. In three months, he will be promoted to middle school.

Jiang Lianheng suddenly had a feeling that what Jiang Ya encountered today should have happened to Chengye.

In other words, he would rather the status quo be reversed.

If his eldest son had been imprisoned, Jiang Lianheng's mood might have been very different.

He might even deliberately delay for another day to get his eldest son out of prison.

It's not because of favoritism, but because he has higher expectations for his eldest son, so he hopes that Chengye can be more adventurous and tough.

In this regard, Jiang Lianheng has always been old-fashioned and thinks his son should suffer some hardships, otherwise it will not be enough to temper his character.

Girls are different. They should be spoiled, otherwise they will not be able to behave like a young lady. If they listen to sweet words, they may be deceived by others.

The reason why we are making such a big fuss tonight is to prevent the girl from suffering any more injustice.

Everyone feels sorry for the girl, and he thinks there is nothing wrong with this action.

But Hu Xiaoyan did not intend to raise Jiang Ya as a lady from a wealthy family, so when she saw the girl return home, she deliberately did not show her worry.

After Jiang Lianheng left, she immediately turned the wheelchair and ordered, "Song Ma, take me upstairs too!"

……

The couple went into the bedroom on the second floor and sat down side by side across the tea table.

Not long after, the door was pushed open again.

Jiang Ya was particularly well-behaved today. She stood instead of sitting, and lay down instead of leaning. She came in properly, looked up at her father, and asked, "Dad, what's the matter?"

Jiang Lianheng waved for her to come over, and then looked carefully at the redness and swelling on the girl's face. He was obviously concerned, but when he opened his mouth, his tone was sarcastic.

"Well, have you learned your lesson this time?"

Jiang Ya frowned, with some displeasure in her eyes, but she did not refute.

Even though I was only in jail for half a day, I still suffered a little, so I'm too embarrassed to argue anymore.

"If you don't listen to the old man, you will suffer the consequences." Jiang Lianheng showed his patriarchal dignity and scolded him coldly, "This is called retribution in this life, do you understand?"

Jiang Ya snorted and still didn't answer.

"Tell me about it!" Jiang Lianheng picked up the tea bowl on the table, "I heard that you were wrongly accused?"

"I am so wronged. That book is not mine at all."

"Do you remember who gave it to you?"

Jiang Ya shook her head: "I didn't see it clearly. There were so many people there. It was a girl anyway."

"You took it without seeing it clearly. If they give you a donkey dung egg, do you want to take it home too?"

"I didn't take it. She forced it on me." Jiang Ya didn't argue, but stated the truth. "And I threw it away immediately. You can't blame me for that, right?"

"There were so many people here, why did she insist on giving it to you?" Jiang Lianheng asked.

"This... How would I know this? I just happened to catch up with him!"

"A fly won't bite an egg without cracks. There aren't that many coincidences!"

"You are just making up a story, aren't you?" Jiang Ya couldn't help herself. "I don't know her. She stuffed the book into my hands. Is it my fault?"

Now, even Hu Xiaoyan was a little puzzled, and quickly turned around and said, "You can't blame our girl entirely!"

Jiang Lianheng waved his hand and said, "You don't know, that book is a handwritten copy."

When Hu Xiaoyan heard this, her face suddenly turned gloomy.

Only Jiang Ya hadn't reacted yet, and asked subconsciously: "What happened to the manuscript?"

"Handwritten copies mean they are precious!" Jiang Lianheng explained, "How could such a precious thing, and a banned book, be handed over to outsiders so easily?"

Jiang Ya was stunned for a moment, "But I really don't know her!"

"What else did she say after she gave you the book?"

"Uh... She seemed to ask me to keep the book for her, saying that since I was young, the patrolman wouldn't make things difficult for me, and asked me to deliver the book to the YMCA when I was free."

Hearing this, the couple looked at each other and almost simultaneously became convinced that their daughter was being targeted.

"Go and close the door."

Hu Xiaoyan gave an order, and when Jiang Ya closed the door and came back again, Hu Xiaoyan pointed to the drum stool beside her and told the girl to sit down.

"Xiaoya, there are only three of us in this room now. You have to tell me the truth. Have you come into contact with anyone at school recently?"

"What do you mean?" Jiang Ya didn't understand.

"Do you know anyone from the Youth Club?" Jiang Lianheng asked bluntly, "Has anyone in school tried to get close to you recently?"

Jiang Ya had certainly heard of the Fengtian YMCA, but had never had any dealings with it.

"Aren't there only high school and college students in the YMCA? How could I know them?" she said. "Besides, it's a place only for boys. I've never heard of anyone from our girls' school going there!"

Hu Xiaoyan corrected her, "The YMCA is not a place, but an organization. Even if you haven't been there, it doesn't mean you have no connection with it."

"I do not know then."

Jiang Ya really didn't know. As for the girl who stuffed the manuscript into her hand, she didn't say when to return the book.

Jiang Lianheng frowned upon hearing this and stressed immediately: "Girl, you are not a child anymore. I will not hide from you how dangerous that manuscript is. If the charges are proven, even though you are young, you can still be imprisoned for three to five years."

"Is it that serious?" Jiang Ya realized belatedly.

"It's very serious!" Jiang Lianheng told the truth. "Fortunately, your father knows a few friends who can cover up this matter. If it were a child from an ordinary family, you would not be able to explain it in front of the government even if you had eight mouths."

Hu Xiaoyan immediately echoed, "Xiaoya, so you have to tell the truth to your family."

"I really don't know her, why don't you believe me?" Jiang Ya pouted and said, "Why don't you two send me back? I feel even more wronged now!"

"Girl, it's not that I don't believe you—" Jiang Lianheng suddenly sat up straight and reminded solemnly: "I just want you to be more careful outside, don't betray your father, and make me become Fengtian Jade Unicorn, and then my whole family will be harmed by you."

"What Jade Qilin?"

"You haven't read Water Margin?"

"I don't like reading. The teacher said I should read more vernacular novels."

"You don't have to go to school tomorrow."

"What?" Jiang Ya was dumbfounded. "You won't go to school anymore?"

"At least for the time being, don't go there again." Jiang Lianheng said, "We'll talk about it later. It's enough for a little girl to be able to read and write. Why should she learn so much?"

"Mom, can't I just not go there in the future?"

Jiang Ya was extremely anxious and hurried to ask her mother for help.

Hu Xiaoyan had never been to school, so she regarded it as something extremely sacred. Especially since her family was well off, there was no reason for her to give up on something because of fear, so she immediately supported Jiang Ya.

"Lian Heng, what are you doing? You can't let Xiaoya drop out of school just because of this, right?"

"I'm afraid she'll be fooled by those young people," Jiang Lianheng said. "Even if she wants to study in the future, she has to go to a quieter school."

"What about my little brother?"

"Of course he has to study. He is a boy, he needs to go out and make more friends."

"You are biased!"

"I'm doing this for your own good!"

Jiang Lianheng reiterated: "If you really want to study, that's fine, then just follow my arrangements and go to a quieter school, away from those stupid young men!"

This time, Hu Xiaoyan was also relieved and said, "Xiaoya, it's just a change of school, not a cancellation of your study. You can choose it yourself!"

Seeing this, Jiang Ya realized that her parents had made up their minds and there was no possibility of compromise, so she had to agree reluctantly.

However, children are children after all, and I suddenly felt excited when I thought that I had the opportunity to choose a school again.

Jiang Lianheng then reminded him, "When you go to the new school, keep a low profile and don't mention your family situation to outsiders if you can."

Jiang Ya nodded: "I understand."

"Then go back first, I'll talk to your mother for a while."

"Oh."

Jiang Ya left the bedroom. Just as she reached the door, she suddenly remembered something and turned around to ask, "Dad, are all those patrolmen your friends today?"

"I know him." Jiang Lianheng's answer was ambiguous.

"So...how is the patrolman who beat me today?"

"What do you want him to do?"

"Revenge, he hit me, and you never hit me!"

"Humph, you're just daydreaming. They're just officials. How can I turn my back on them?"

"So what happened to him?" Jiang Ya asked.

Jiang Lianheng sighed and said, "I gave him two dollars and praised him for his good fight, but I hit him too lightly. I was afraid that you wouldn't learn your lesson!"

"whispering sound--"

Jiang Ya rolled her eyes, opened the door, and just as she walked out, she suddenly leaned half of her body back in and smiled playfully.

"Dad, don't lie to me! I can see that they are afraid of you!"

After saying that, he didn't ask any more questions and immediately shrank back to the side.

"Jiang Ya——"

Hu Xiaoyan suddenly called her, turned the wheelchair, and walked straight out of the bedroom.

Jiang Ya stood in the corridor, looking a little surprised, and asked, "Mom, what happened again?"

Hu Xiaoyan motioned for her to lower her voice, then took the girl's hand and looked closely at Jiang Ya's wrist.

I wore the copper handcuffs for most of the day, and they were tied with hemp ropes, so it was inevitable that I got some scratches from walking and stopping all the time.

Jiang Ya didn't care at all. She retracted her hand and said with a smile, "It's okay. It's just a little skin breakage. It doesn't hurt!"

"I didn't ask you if it hurts," Hu Xiaoyan asked in a low voice, "Can't you open the lock?"

"Unlock? I'm not a locksmith, how can I unlock it?"

"Didn't your Sixth Master teach you?"

"My Sixth Master is a locksmith?"

Jiang Ya was confused. In her eyes, Sixth Master was just an old man who could perform magic tricks. He could perform tricks like "Three Immortals Returning to the Cave" and all of them relied on his quick hands.

Perhaps Sixth Master felt that his granddaughter had no worries about food and clothing, and there was no need for her to learn the skills of breaking into houses and picking locks. He was also afraid that she would be led astray, so he did not let Jiang Ya see the real thing.

Hu Xiaoyan didn't explain much, just said calmly: "Your Sixth Master can pick locks. Next time you go there, ask him to call you and tell him that I asked you to learn it."

Jiang Ya's expression was somewhat amused.

She didn't ask about Sixth Master's background, but instead asked, "Mom, my dad is not just an insurance salesman, right?"

Hu Xiaoyan sighed.

It seems that the girl has gradually become aware of her family background and seems to be ready to accept reality.

However, as a mother, she didn't know where to start.

"Go back to sleep first. I'll tell you in detail when I have the chance."

Jiang Ya did not leave, and continued to ask: "Mom, can my dad pick up the other students in prison?"

"Why do you want to pick them up?" Hu Xiaoyan frowned and asked, "They are not family members. Aren't you caring too much about them?"

Jiang Ya naturally had no way to refute, and just said: "I didn't say I really wanted to take them out, I just want to know if my dad has the ability to do so."

"Your father is incompetent, stop causing trouble for him and go back to sleep!"

Hu Xiaoyan didn't dare to delay any longer, so she quickly sent the girl away and returned to her bedroom, finally breathing a sigh of relief.

"Don't think about hiding it," Jiang Lianheng said suddenly, "She'll know what she needs to know sooner or later. The more you hide it from her, the more likely she'll go and find out for herself."

Hu Xiaoyan shook her head and said, "And what about Chengye's child?"

"He should have known it earlier," Jiang Lianheng recalled his eldest son's face in his mind, "that kid is usually too timid and looks cowardly. If he understands the situation at home, maybe he can make some achievements when he goes out in the future."

This is true.

Those children who are usually listless and dare not speak loudly have always been told by their families since they were young that their family is in financial difficulties and they must not cause trouble.

Although it is well-intentioned and there is no fault, but in the long run, such children will have an inferiority complex in their bones, always feeling inferior to others, and they are always timid in what they say and do, without any spirit of decisiveness.

Hu Xiaoyan rubbed her temples and sighed, "Let's not talk about this for now. The students made such a big noise today. The Municipal Office has to save face. I think they will find our house soon."

"The problem is, it's hard to offend the public, how can I agree to it?" Jiang Lianheng shook his head and sighed.

"This matter still depends on the attitude of the higher-ups. By the way, what exactly did Yan Yuheng and Wang Tiekan talk about today?"

"It's not clear yet. I plan to ask Mr. Sun from the provincial council about the situation tomorrow."

(End of this chapter)