After the city meeting ended, a group of factory directors gathered for a smaller meeting.

Shen Que was asked a series of questions by several factory directors about clothing size, shoe size, and other details.

Initially reluctant, Shen Que became cooperative after hearing someone say Jiang Cheng would definitely like it.

The group of factory directors exchanged knowing smiles, all understanding without words.

*

Meanwhile, Ms. Jiang Cheng at the conference center was struggling while riding a bicycle.

Jiang Cheng wore thick wool pants, a green leather hat, cotton gloves gripping the handlebars, huffing and puffing while riding an old bike with a large burlap sack attached.

She arrived, puffing billows of white smoke, at the post office.

Jiang Cheng hurried to mail letters and packages.

After mailing them, she planned to first go to Teacher Lü’s home, then to Principal Wang and Manager Guo’s places.

While riding, Jiang Cheng thought: having good relations with people is quite exhausting.

Fortunately, the wind was at her back towards Teacher Lü’s house, saving her quite a bit of energy.

Just as she reached Teacher Lü’s doorstep, Jiang Cheng realized something was happening.

Teacher Lü’s home had its door wide open, and even from outside one could hear Teacher Lü’s angry voice.

Jiang Cheng hastily got off the bike and rushed inside without even parking it properly.

"Mom—how can you be so selfish? What’s wrong with wanting a better life? Do we all have to stay in this poor place like you?"

After a voice filled with questioning and blame, there followed Teacher Lü’s trembling but angry voice.

"Get out!"

Rushing in from the outside, Jiang Cheng saw Teacher Lü sitting on a chair, clutching her chest, with a green face.

"Teacher Lü!"

Jiang Cheng dashed over, supporting Teacher Lü as she rose, stroking her back gently.

"Don’t get angry, you need to care for your health before you can scold them."

Jiang Cheng supported Teacher Lü with one hand, while her other hand found a small medicine bottle in her pocket.

She quickly poured out a few small black pills and brought them to Teacher Lü’s lips.

"Open your mouth and hold it."

"Listen to me, you’ll have more energy to scold later, otherwise you’ll regret not performing well afterwards."

Jiang Cheng’s unique comforting words miraculously stabilized the raging Teacher Lü.

Of course, it might also have been the medicine taking effect.

"Who are you?"

A loftily masculine voice sounded, but Jiang Cheng didn’t turn around, focusing only on Teacher Lü’s condition.

After feeling Teacher Lü’s breathing stabilize slightly, she finally glanced at the standing man and woman.

"It’s you two, huh?"

After Jiang Cheng mockingly spoke, she stood up and gazed at the man and woman who bore some resemblance to Teacher Lü.

"I’ve always seen you two in photos, didn’t expect to see the real deal."

"Who exactly are you? Why are you in my mother’s house?"

As soon as the woman finished speaking, the man beside her also piped up: "Exactly, this is our family business, not needing a stranger’s interference."

The man and woman in front were indeed Teacher Lü’s son and daughter.

Teacher Lü had once said they both attended university.

A university from ten years ago.

Faced with questioning, Jiang Cheng remained unhurried and calm, looking at the two people and saying: "Only shameful family matters don’t need outsiders to intervene, seems like you two are lacking confidence here."

Jiang Cheng’s incisive words made the man and woman’s faces instantly look sour.

"You—"

"Don’t bother with her."

The man pulled the sister back, then looking at Teacher Lü said: "Mom, it’s already decided, we’re just here to inform you."

"Chang Hua and I will take the ship leaving in a week, when we reach Country M, I’ll write you a letter."

Originally calm, Teacher Lü’s breath again became rapid.

Jiang Cheng hurriedly helped Teacher Lü stand, comforting her:

"Don’t be angry, it’s not worth it, don’t be angry!"

"And you all, shut up!"

Jiang Cheng glared wrathfully.

Teacher Lü stood holding Jiang Cheng’s hand, looking at the son and daughter before her, questioning word by word with tears of blood: "Why? How has Hua Xia wronged you?"

"How can you abandon your roots, how can you abandon your motherland?"

"Is this how I’ve raised you!"

The questioned man let out a cold laugh.

"Raised by you? When were you ever part of our lives?"

"Other people’s mothers are gentle, accompanying them at home, where were you?"

"When Chang Hua and I had high fevers and were sick, where were you?"

"You always devoted yourself to what you call the motherland!"

"But what did you gain?"

The man faced the shaky Teacher Lü.

The woman beside looked somewhat unwilling, wanting to step forward, but was held back by her older brother.

"Don’t mind her! She never minded us, did she?"

"Other moms wish their kids to do better, don’t you? We had the opportunity to go abroad, but you obstructed us every way? You don’t deserve to be a mother!"

The man’s words about not deserving to be a mother made Teacher Lü slump into a chair with a thud.

In that moment Jiang Cheng wanted to rebuke, but worried about Teacher Lü’s condition.

"Teacher Lü! Teacher Lü!"

"Damn it!"

Jiang Cheng didn’t have time to deal with the two people behind her, she struggled to carry the fainted Teacher Lü on her back.

Jiang Cheng was in a panic.

The son and daughter behind regretted a bit, yet couldn’t let go of their pride.

Ultimately falling behind step by step, they didn’t follow outside inexplicably.

On the other side, Jiang Cheng carrying Teacher Lü out, walked with difficulty, dared not to exhale deeply.

"Teacher Lü, wake up!"

"Let me tell you, this time I made another achievement outside!"

"Don’t you want to hear? I made money off foreigners again!"

"There was a foreigner named Rose..."

...

Not daring to stop, Jiang Cheng kept talking.

"Beep beep—"

The sound of a car horn approached from behind, Jiang Cheng’s eyes suddenly lit up, she directly rushed to the middle of the road, stopping the car!

"Screech—-" 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

The car braked hard, the driver got out cursing.

Jiang Cheng went around to the other side of the car and knocked on the window.

The window rolled down.

"Jiang Cheng?"

"Hospital!"

Inside the car was Factory Director Fang, who had just left the textile factory meeting.

Factory Director Fang didn’t hesitate at all, getting out to help put Teacher Lü in the back seat, he himself sat in the front.

The car sped towards the hospital.

Arriving, finding a doctor, watching as Teacher Lü was taken into surgery.

Jiang Cheng leaned against the wall, her hands and feet numb.

Without Teacher Lü’s guidance and trust, she wouldn’t have achieved all she has now.

She didn’t want anything to happen to Teacher Lü.

When Shen Que arrived, answering Factory Director Fang’s call, he saw Jiang Cheng, squatting against the wall, motionless.

The dim shadow seemed to claw at her, as though wanting to devour Jiang Cheng whole.

Shen Que’s heart ached painfully.

He quickly went over, grabbing Jiang Cheng’s hand, holding tight within his palm.

"It’s okay, it’ll be okay."

Shen Que repeated softly and patiently.

His steady voice gave Jiang Cheng strength, and she finally looked up, a tear falling fiercely down.

"I should have known, I should have stopped it."

"If I had brought Teacher Lü out sooner, she wouldn’t be in trouble, I should have known!"

Shen Que’s heartache intensified in an instant.

He embraced Jiang Cheng firmly.

"Jiang Cheng, you’re not a miracle worker, you’ve already done so much, so well."

"Don’t push yourself so hard, lean on me, I’m here."