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Chapter 39 Impure Purpose
Lin Wan walked to the fire escape in the stairwell and quickly dialed Jiang Yun's number.

"Beep...beep...beep..."

"Hello?" Jiang Yun's voice was cold and emotionless.

Lin Wan immediately tensed up, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the phone tightly. She held the receiver to her ear and even her breathing became shallower: "Auntie... Mother-in-law seems to have guessed it."

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone, followed by a very soft laugh, like an ice bead falling into a porcelain bowl, clear and cool with a touch of nonchalance.

"If she guessed it, she guessed it. It would be strange if she didn't." Jiang Yun's voice came through the electricity, every word exuding certainty. "I told you before, just be yourself and be honest. You can't hide anything from her."

Lin Wan's heart sank suddenly, and she trembled slightly.

"Then... will she tell Gui'er?"

“She won’t,” Jiang Yun interrupted her, her tone resolute.

Lin Wan could almost see her through the sound: her back straight, sitting in her office chair, her eyes casually glancing out the window, yet she held everything firmly in her grasp.

Such strong control, yet so terrifying and frightening.

Lin Wan loosened her grip on the phone, but a chill ran down her back.

She recalled how strict Jiang Wumei was with Jiang Guier, scolding her at the drop of a hat, her eyes always carrying an unquestionable authority.

However, just now in the hospital ward, those words seemed harsh and inhumane, but in a way, they were the education and advice of elders to younger generations.

Just now, when Jiang Guier rushed out of the ward, Grandma Jiang seemed to stop her and said harsh words forbidding her from chasing after people, but she tore off her pretense and gave her a cold warning.

How many elders can do that?
“Now that she’s figured it out, she’ll only keep a closer eye on Gui’er,” Jiang Yun’s voice rang out again, carrying a sharp, all-knowing edge.

"But..." Lin Wan was still a little worried.

"What are you panicking about?" Jiang Yun's tone was impatient and mocking. "What promises did you make to me back then? Do you even remember them?"

"I'm sorry, Auntie, I know what to do."

Lin Wan looked down at the ground, a chill ran down her spine, a coldness that seemed to creep up from her tailbone, slowly eroding and enveloping her.

It sent chills down her spine.

The phone in her hand was unusually hot; she could almost see Jiang Yun's eyes at that moment, a nonchalant expression that revealed his complete control and arrogance.

Like a hunter watching its prey fall into a trap, calm and determined.

And he himself was merely standing on the edge of the trap, watching all of this unfold, yet he dared not even breathe too heavily.

For a moment, she felt truly sorry for Jiang Guier.

Her seemingly free and respected life was actually nothing more than a tightly woven net created by her mother.

The information she came into contact with and wanted to obtain was all "considered" and specially prepared, with the aim of leading Jiang Guier step by step along these established nets and thorns to the predetermined destination.

"Is there anything else?" Jiang Yun's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable sense of pressure.

"My aunt is gone." Lin Wan heard the call end as soon as she finished speaking. She gripped the phone tightly in her palm, slowly squatted down, sat on the stairs, and sighed. Some things are destined from the beginning, with no room for change.

She did come with a purpose, following her aunt's wishes to help Jiang Guier.

There are some things she has no choice in...

Lin Wan calmed herself down in the emergency exit. After a long while, she came out and found that Shen Huaizhou and Jiang Guier were nowhere to be seen where they used to be in the corridor.

"What? You weren't injured because you were rushing to deliver goods and afraid of being late. You were injured to avoid a stray dog." Jiang Guier's voice carried a hint of urgency.

Shen Huaizhou had just settled down and was adjusting his posture with his head slightly lowered when he heard her words. He looked up and his gaze fell on her tightly pursed lips. The corners of his mouth curved up: "Yeah, she suddenly appeared. She gave me a fright."

He spoke casually, as if he were talking about someone else's business, "Luckily it's nothing serious, I just got a minor scrape."

“You only got a minor scrape, but have you forgotten… your hands aren’t for doing these things?” Jiang Gui’er’s tone was somewhat downcast and tinged with anger.

Seeing her sweating with anxiety, Shen Huaizhou's eyes softened with a gentle smile. He raised his hand to ruffle her hair, but then remembered that his right hand was also wrapped in gauze. He could only pause in mid-air before withdrawing his hand. "It's not that serious, just a minor injury. I know my own situation. My hands aren't for doing these things. What are they anyway? There's no such thing as a job being high or low."

"Stop, don't lecture me here." Jiang Guier hates being lectured. "I think you're doing something very dangerous right now."

She said with a stern face, "Just like athletes buy insurance to protect their limbs, eyes, and so on, you should do the same. Your hands are used for delicate repair work, and it's fine for you to earn a living by delivering food. But if the risk of this work affects your other jobs, then it's unnecessary."

She added hastily, "What if you hurt your eye this time?"

“You make a good point.” Shen Huaizhou nodded in agreement, his gaze falling on the takeout bag placed to the side. “By the way, was the braised pork in your bag made by your family?”

"No, I made it." Jiang Guier's voice immediately dropped when she heard about the braised pork.

Shen Huaizhou gave a soft "oh" and didn't ask any further questions, but his gaze remained fixed on the bag as he pondered.

At this moment, sunlight filters through the leaves, like starlight falling into the vast ocean, and a gentle gaze carries profound meaning.

"You still haven't told me what happened just now. Why are you crying like this? Is it because of the braised pork?"

Jiang Guier nodded, then shook her head, "Yes and no..."

"How so?" Shen Huaizhou pressed on.

Jiang Guier felt a slight pain in her chest. She placed her hand on her chest, pressed it, and sighed softly, "It's probably a difference in mindset. But ultimately... it all comes down to that letter you repaired."

Shen Huaizhou frowned. This answer was true, which surprised him. "That letter was just an ordinary family letter..." He was puzzled and found it hard to equate the contents of the letter with Jiang Guier's weeping.

"Is it because of braised pork?" He thought that was the only thing they had in common.

Jiang Guier nodded, "Yes, it was all for the sake of eating braised pork. I didn't expect my grandmother's reaction to be so strong." She lowered her head, lifeless.

"Perhaps... it's not because of the braised pork itself, but the memories it carries." Shen Huaizhou comforted her softly, reaching out to touch Jiang Guier's head, but before he could touch her, Jiang Guier suddenly raised her head, almost hitting his hand.

"You mean!"

(End of this chapter)