Hearing a knock, Grandma Hua came to open the door. Only Qin Mei and Jie Jingchen knocked; her prodigal son would only kick the door. She came to the door full of joy, but when she saw it was him, the smile froze on her lips, and her expression soured.
"What are you doing here again? I told you, your father and I don’t have a single cent to give you. And don’t even think about forcing your dad to go up the mountain to gather and sell herbs. In his current condition, forget going up the mountain—he can’t even stand up. If you want to sell medicinal herbs, go gather them yourself."
Zhang Haoyuan’s face darkened. Qin Mei stepped forward. "Grandma Hua, it’s me."
The moment Grandma Hua saw Qin Mei, her face lit up with a smile. She glanced at Jie Jingling standing beside her but didn’t recognize her. Her cloudy gaze fell upon the bicycle. "You silly girl, you bought so much again. Didn’t I tell you? We’re just happy to have you visit. You don’t need to spend so much money on things."
Grandma Hua used to put on an act, but ever since Qin Mei dealt with her prodigal son, she’d dropped the pretense and grown genuinely warm toward her.
It was Qin Mei, ironically, who wasn’t used to it. She was more accustomed to the feisty little old lady who would stand with her hands on her hips and bicker with her.
"Grandma Hua, are you all right?" Qin Mei raised a hand to feel Grandma Hua’s forehead. ’She doesn’t have a fever!’
"You silly girl, I’m not sick." Grandma Hua swatted Qin Mei’s hand away and started pulling her into the courtyard. "Come on in. You haven’t been here in days. The old man has been talking about you."
"Grandma Hua, wait a second. Take a look at who this is." Qin Mei pushed Jie Jingling in front of Grandma Hua.
Jie Jingling looked a little anxious and ill at ease. Her eyes were rimmed with red, and her lips trembled slightly.
Grandma Hua sized up Jie Jingling for a moment but didn’t recognize her. She turned to Qin Mei and asked, "Who is she?"
Qin Mei was stunned. Zhang Haoyuan hadn’t recognized her, and now Grandma Hua didn’t either. ’Just how much has my sister-in-law changed that they can’t recognize her?’ she wondered.
"Grandma Hua, please take another good look," Qin Mei insisted, not ready to give up.
"Your mother?" Grandma Hua asked tentatively. They didn’t even look alike.
Qin Mei was speechless. ’That’s clearly a wild guess.’
Zhang Haoyuan was speechless as well.
Jie Jingling, however, remained calm and composed. She was well aware of how much she had changed.
Qin Mei gave up. If she let the old woman keep guessing, not only would Jie Jingling be hurt, but it would also be awkward for Grandma Hua. ’Her next guess will probably be "your grandma."’
"She’s my sister-in-law," Qin Mei said, her head hanging.
"Your sister-in... Jing Ling." Grandma Hua was stunned, then shocked. She circled Jie Jingling, sizing her up. "You..."
"Mrs. Zhang," Jie Jingling said, her voice choked with emotion. It wasn’t because Grandma Hua hadn’t recognized her, but because she looked so much older than she remembered.
’That voice... it really is Jing Ling.’
Grandma Hua’s eyes stung, and tears streamed down her face. She hugged Jie Jingling, repeating over and over, "You poor child. You’ve suffered."
Grandma Hua’s aged appearance pained Jie Jingling. When she saw Old Zhang in his wheelchair, her heart ached, and she broke down, hugging the two elders and crying her heart out.
Jie Jingling, Grandma Hua, and Old Zhang were inside the house, while Qin Mei and Zhang Haoyuan sat in the courtyard, not wanting to disturb them.
Qin Mei gazed at the horizon. The sun was setting, painting a brilliant scene, but her heart was filled with a mix of emotions.
Zhang Haoyuan was sitting on pins and needles. He wanted to run away, but Qin Mei wouldn’t let him, forcing him to sit with her in the courtyard. Any malicious thoughts he’d harbored toward her had vanished completely when Xu Chunwang escaped.
’One wouldn’t dare touch a thorny rose, let alone one like her that was soaked in deadly poison.’
"Zhang Haoyuan," Qin Mei said suddenly.
Zhang Haoyuan’s entire body tensed. He held his breath, waiting for what Qin Mei would say next.
"Do you want to turn over a new leaf and start fresh?" Qin Mei asked.
Zhang Haoyuan’s face instantly went pale. ’Turn over a new leaf and start fresh... I want to, but can I?’ He thought of the Zhang family’s downfall, how he had been set up. They had ruined the Zhang family, and now they wouldn’t even let him live in peace.
"I don’t," Zhang Haoyuan said.
Qin Mei’s almond-shaped eyes narrowed, her sharp gaze locking onto Zhang Haoyuan. "You really don’t?"
"I really don’t—"
"Think carefully before you answer," Qin Mei interrupted. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
Zhang Haoyuan hesitated, lowering his head in deep thought.
’From the moment he got addicted to gambling, he knew his life was ruined. He didn’t want to gamble, but he had to. To not gamble meant death. He was afraid of dying; he didn’t want to die. He wanted to live, so he could only let them control him.’
’They had destroyed him, and they had tried to destroy his will. As it turned out, they had won.’
"I’m already on a path of no return," Zhang Haoyuan said, his expression pained.
’So he understands his situation. He’s not a lost cause,’ Qin Mei thought, which solidified her decision. She said, "The return of a prodigal son is more valuable than gold."
Zhang Haoyuan froze. A flicker of hope sparked in his eyes, but when he thought of those people’s methods, that flicker was extinguished. "I can’t turn back. There’s no path left for me."