The Infatuated Cannon Fodder Has Completely Moved On - Chapter 12

“Have you ever lied to me?”

She did not return home to change. Her black velvet coat was wrapped tightly around her, and the damp cold of the mountains seemed to melt into her hair. As she stepped into the courtyard, Jin Zhuhuai felt a sudden wave of mountain chill rushing toward her.

Their eyes met. Jin Zhuhuai’s expression was pleasant, her lips parting to speak, but Jin Yuzhen shifted her gaze away. She called out softly to her grandmother, “Why are you taking medicine? Are you sick?”

Jin Yuelan squinted and patted the seat beside her. “Sit down and rest a while. Honestly, what are you doing going up the mountain so early in the morning? Can you not learn to sleep in like other people?”

She paused, then added, “It is not quite cold yet, but once winter arrives, you are not allowed to go. The gym at home is huge; you can have it all to yourself. It just so happens that Zhuhuai is back, so the two of you can keep each other company.”

Jin Zhuhuai pursed her lips and sat on the other side. Her brow was raised and her eyes were somber as she watched Jin Yuzhen.

Jin Yuzhen remained unmoved and continued to ask, “What medicine are you taking?”

Jin Yuelan looked away, thinking for a moment. “I had someone prepare a conditioning formula for the change of seasons.”

So she was not sick. Jin Yuzhen felt relieved. “It is good to do some conditioning when the seasons change.” Recently, she had also been thinking of looking for a practitioner of traditional medicine.

Jin Yuelan looked from one to the other, suspicion growing in her mind. Something was wrong with these two. Jin Yuzhen seemed to be ignoring Jin Zhuhuai. Just a moment ago, Zhuhuai had said that the first thing she did upon landing in Taozhou was to look for Yuzhen. Could they have had a conflict yesterday morning? It was not impossible.

She asked, “Zhenzhen, has your shop been busy lately?”

Hearing this, Jin Yuzhen immediately became alert. She arched an eyebrow. “In any case, I am not idle.”

Jin Yuelan said, “I was thinking that since Zhuhuai has finally returned, it would be wonderful for our whole family to live together.”

Jin Yuzhen replied frankly, “If you are willing to move, you can move into my place.”

Jin Yuelan was momentarily speechless. She had almost forgotten that this granddaughter of hers had been exceptionally clever since she was a child.

However, Jin Zhuhuai suddenly spoke up. “That is perfect. Your place is close to the company. Would you consider taking me in?”

Jin Yuzhen looked up and stared at her. “Do you not have a house near the company?”

Jin Zhuhuai said, “No.”

Jin Yuzhen replied, “How is that possible? Are you not the type to say one thing and do another?”

“Actually,” Jin Yuzhen supplemented, “you have one luxury flat and one villa. It is impossible that you have nowhere to stay.”

For a moment, Jin Zhuhuai’s heart felt as if it were about to leap out of her chest. Was Yuzhen implying something about her character? Had she done something? She did not think so. Ultimately, she felt a wave of guilt. She did not dare to look Jin Yuzhen in the eye, and her voice became steady and calm. “I know you like living alone. I was just speaking casually; I would not really go and disturb you.”

Jin Yuzhen said, “Oh.”

Jin Zhuhuai felt silenced. These two had always been close, sharing almost everything, and had never had an awkward moment. Today, however, was an exception to the rule.

Jin Yuelan had wanted to mediate, but her eyes darted back and forth before she gave up on the idea. She could not figure out the affairs of young people, so it was better not to get involved. Furthermore, if this could ignite some fighting spirit in Yuzhen, it would be a good thing. More than anything, she hoped everything in the Jin family would end up in Yuzhen’s hands.

But she faced two dilemmas: first, Zhuhuai was unwilling, and second, Yuzhen herself was reluctant.

As she was struggling with these thoughts, Butler Yue entered at the right moment. He said with a smile, “Grandmother, your medicine has been heated for the third time. If you do not drink it now, it will become even more bitter.”

Jin Yuelan stood up and touched Jin Yuzhen’s hair. “Do not leave at noon. Stay and have lunch at home. The new chef is exceptionally talented.”

Jin Yuzhen knew she could not refuse, so she stopped resisting. “Alright.”

Jin Yuelan walked to the courtyard gate. Clusters of African lilies were in full bloom. They were not as lush as they were in summer, but the flower shapes were still elegant, standing tall and graceful. She looked back for a moment, her eyes reflecting a hint of depth, before Butler Yue finally persuaded her to leave.

The sun shone down, melting the morning frost. Droplets of water slid off the leaves. Jin Yuzhen stared at them for a while before closing her eyes to rest.

Jin Zhuhuai did not want to disturb her, but she felt uneasy. After hesitating repeatedly, she finally spoke. “What is wrong?”

Jin Yuzhen did not open her eyes, leaning back in the lounge chair. “Zhuhuai, have you ever lied to me?”

The back of the lounge chair was made of woven rattan, feeling hard against her back. Jin Zhuhuai’s eyes widened instantly, and she sat up straight. Her gaze carried a hint of sharpness. “What?”

Jin Yuzhen still did not open her eyes. After the morning’s exertions, she was exhausted, and her mind felt hazy. “I was just asking casually.”

Jin Zhuhuai watched her and gradually began to relax. She lowered her head and looked down, taking in every minute expression on Jin Yuzhen’s face. She said, “I returned to Taozhou the night before last. I went to see Cen Shu.”

Jin Yuzhen opened her eyes and turned her head to look at her. “Why?”

Jin Zhuhuai said, “I wanted to prove to you that she is not a good person. I told her to stop looking for you, and she agreed. But when I offered to take her back, she refused to leave. Yuzhen, I wanted to tell you yesterday morning, but your attitude toward Cen Shu had clearly changed. I was afraid that if I told you, you would be unable to let go. Do you understand?”

Hearing this, Jin Yuzhen felt it made some sense. She sat up straight and looked up at the sun. “I will not be looking for Cen Shu again in the future. Just consider me blind in the past.”

Jin Zhuhuai took her cold hand, a sudden sense of surviving a disaster rising in her heart. As she thought, it was about this matter. She had imagined it was something else. However, she understood Jin Yuzhen. The fact that she could ask directly meant she cared. Regarding anything she did not care about, she would silently banish the person from her life.

Jin Zhuhuai gripped her hand even tighter, feeling a mix of relief and joy. A warmth spread through her heart, making her expression appear kind and approachable.

Before long, some snacks were brought from the kitchen. The two of them ate a little and then wandered around the house. Jin Zhuhuai had spent several months in Yangon, having left in early summer and returned as autumn arrived. She found Taozhou somewhat unfamiliar. When they grew tired of walking, they leaned against the railing in the pavilion to watch the fish.

A breeze blew through the pavilion, and Jin Yuzhen could not help but think of the old cat she had once kept. It was a dusty grey and looking very old, with eyes that were almost compassionate. It seemed she had seen that kind of battered gaze somewhere else later on. She had forgotten.

It seemed she and Cen Shu were truly not meant to know each other. To drive Zhuhuai to seek out Cen Shu privately, she must have been unable to stand it any longer. To be honest, the moment she realized Cen Shu would never give her a response was nowhere near as painful as hearing Zhuhuai’s true thoughts at that time.

Zhuhuai was her sister. While feeding the fish, Jin Yuzhen turned to look at Jin Zhuhuai. Zhuhuai was dressed simply with light makeup, but the intense emotions that appeared in her eyes from time to time were quite striking.

At noon, most of the dishes on the table were seasonal and the presentation was very fresh. Jin Yuzhen finally believed that a new chef had truly arrived. However, as the family was about to eat, an uninvited guest arrived. Generally, guests do not choose to arrive exactly at mealtimes. It was undoubtedly Jin Hong.

Jin Yuzhen was not the only one annoyed. Jin Yuelan was also frustrated, motioning for them to enter with an expressionless face. When Jin Hong entered, leaning on his cane, he swayed back and forth, looking as if he could die at any moment.

Surprisingly, the person supporting him was Jin Ke. Ning Fang turned her face away in disgust. She had intended to make things difficult for Jin Yuzhen, but once Jin Ke appeared, she did not even feel like speaking. Thus, a few extra sets of bowls and chopsticks were reluctantly added to the table. Sometimes, when dealing with thick-skinned people, one truly feels helpless.

After Jin Hong sat down, he had Jin Ke sit beside him, and the two appeared very close.

Jin Yuelan said with displeasure, “What is the meaning of this?”

In recent years, Jin Hong had shown no restraint with food and drink. He had aged rapidly, his body felt heavy, and he already had one foot in the grave. His speech was also quite slurred, and his voice always sounded cracked. “I thought Jin Ke was a good child, so I have been looking after him for a while.”

Jin Yuelan did not bother to say anything. Years ago, after the Jin family returned to Taozhou, the first thing Jin Hong did was abandon his wife and daughter. If it were not for the sake of her deceased elder sister, Jin Yuelan would not even let him through the front door. She did not know how his character could be so poor, as her elder sister had been such a gentle and kind person.

Jin Yuzhen thought for a moment and asked in confusion, “Does Uncle want Jin Ke to be his son?”

Jin Hong asked in return, “Is that not allowed?”

Jin Yuzhen frowned. “One rarely hears of adoption these days. Do you mean you are taking Jin Ke as your godson?”

Jin Hong adopted an air of great prestige. “What if I am?” Was a junior really going to question his decision?

Jin Yuzhen nodded and then shook her head. “What a coincidence. I have a friend who took a Husky as a godson a few days ago.”

The eyelids of both Jin Hong and Jin Ke flickered simultaneously. They wanted to say something in response, but she was merely stating a fact and had not expressed any opinion. This left them feeling as if they had suffered a silent setback.

The dining table remained quiet for a while. Ning Fang kept a cold face and said nothing. What kind of prize does he think he is getting by taking a godson? Once Jin Hong realized Jin Ke’s true nature, he would probably be calling the police. No, these two were birds of a feather.

Ning Fang never considered herself a good person, but Jin Ke was simply too wicked. She did not know if it was his nature or hereditary. Back in Yangon, when the future of the Jin family was uncertain and Ning Sui was just beginning to understand things, she knew to go out with Jin Yuzhen to sell betel nuts to earn money. Only Jin Ke was born with the temperament of a young master, treating everyone in the family as his servants. Ning Fang had suffered a lot when giving birth to him, and she never imagined that was only the beginning.

When Jin Ke was three years old, she had boiled milk to feed him, but he rejected it, insisting on date milk. She had no choice but to go out and buy it. When she returned, she saw Jin Yuzhen holding Ning Sui, who was still an infant, while Jin Ke’s face was covered in injuries. After asking, she found out that Jin Ke was dissatisfied with the milk. While she was out, he had opened the milk bottle and poured the milk over Ning Sui’s face. Fortunately, Jin Yuzhen had returned and seen it, stopping him in time. Otherwise, Ning Sui would have been killed.

Because of this, Ning Fang had nightmares for a long time. When it came time to officially name her, she happened to catch a glimpse of a book Jin Yuzhen was reading, Peaceful Years, and chose the name Ning Sui. From then on, she truly hated Jin Ke to the core, and even began to doubt the bonds of blood. To this day, she does not dare to let Ning Sui have too much contact with Jin Ke. Even though she often complains about Ning Sui being idle, in her heart, she hopes that Ning Sui can remain kind and upright, free from harm.

If Jin Hong were willing to take this monster, she would be more than happy. It would save her from having to look after her family’s reputation and speaking insincerely on his behalf.

Jin Ke had silver-dyed hair and was actually less pleasant to look at than a Husky. He glared fiercely at Ning Fang and turned to Jin Yuzhen. “I know I have many shortcomings compared to my cousin, but I will certainly work hard to learn.”

Jin Yuzhen interrupted him. “What shortcomings? You can already walk upright.”

Jin Ke felt silenced. He forced a smile. “Cousin, you have done quite a lot of charity work over the last few years. Since you can even help outsiders, why are you so harsh toward me?”

Jin Yuzhen was very annoyed by him. She had just made a quick, biting remark, and he was clinging to it, much like looking at a stray dog on the street and being followed all the way home.

“People give back to society when they find success. You find success and take revenge on society. Is that the same thing?”

Jin Ke’s face darkened instantly, and he said ominously, “Are you trying to lecture me?”

Jin Yuzhen replied, “I am insulting you.”