Volume One, Chapter Three: After Satisfying Her Hunger and Thirst, She Took the Money to Find Her Cousin

“Mom, what are you doing here?” Ji Junxiao hurried forward to support his mother when he saw her standing at the door.

Mrs. Ji’s health had always been poor, and these past few days, she’d been crying her eyes out, begging her daughter-in-law to keep the child. Her eyes were swollen nearly blind from weeping.

As she wiped away her tears, Mrs. Ji pulled twenty neatly folded yuan from her pocket and placed them in front of Lin Ranran. “Ranran, take this. This is all the money we have left.”

“Mom, if you give her the last twenty yuan, what are we supposed to eat?” Ji Junyong burst in, his anger barely contained. He jabbed a finger at Lin Ranran, his eyes blazing with fury.

He despised this woman. Ever since she married into the Ji family, there had been nothing but chaos. In his eyes, she was nothing less than the nation-destroying temptress, Daji!

Seeing the situation, Ji Junxiao instinctively shielded Lin Ranran behind him, despite the pain she’d caused him.

“Brother, you’re still defending her?” Ji Junyong’s eyes were bloodshot, his emotions on the verge of spiraling out of control.

Fearing her son would do something reckless, Mrs. Ji quickly pulled Ji Junyong back, her voice anxious. “A-Yong, your sister-in-law promised to keep the baby.”

“Mom, you’re being foolish. She’s been lying to us from the start—she just wants our last bit of money.” Ji Junshan squeezed in as well, his voice full of accusation as he pointed at Lin Ranran.

Mrs. Ji’s eyes filled with tears, and her voice trembled. “No, no. Even a tiger won’t eat its cubs. Ranran wouldn’t get rid of the child.”

Ji Junzhan forced his way in, righteous indignation on his face. He shouted, “Mom, stop letting her deceive you! Haven’t we suffered enough these four months? With the family in ruins, the only way to vent my anger is to give her a thorough beating!”

Ji Junyao rushed in as well, sobbing and shouting, “Exactly! That liar! After all the kindness I showed her, my sincerity was wasted on a dog! I fully support giving her a good beating!”

Good heavens!

Valiant, brave, kind, and martial!

The names in this family really were something special.

Ji Junyong: tough and decisive, destined to be a formidable instructor.

Ji Junshan: shrewd and resourceful, a future business tycoon.

Ji Junzhan: dauntless and bold, a future legendary commander.

Ji Junyao: meticulous, eloquent, and resolute, a future top lawyer.

Oh, original self, what kind of trouble did you stir up to have offended every member of this family?

Why must I be the one to clean up your mess?

“That’s enough! Watch your words. Do you have any respect left for your sister-in-law? Apologize to her, now!” Mrs. Ji glared at her children.

In an instant, the room fell silent. Yet the hatred in everyone’s eyes as they looked at Lin Ranran only deepened.

“Sister-in-law, sorry,” they muttered, their apologies utterly insincere.

Lin Ranran replied, “It’s all right. I was wrong before. Trust me, I’ll change.”

Everyone was stunned!

The sister-in-law who always cursed and scolded them was suddenly so docile?

It had to be an illusion, definitely a trick of the mind from being scolded too often.

“Ranran, tell Mom—you’re not lying to us, are you?” Mrs. Ji slowly walked up to Lin Ranran, gently taking her hand, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Lin Ranran nodded solemnly. “Mom, I’m not lying. I promise I’ll keep the baby.”

Mrs. Ji looked at her through her tears.

Ever since Lin Ranran got pregnant, she hadn’t called her “Mom” once.

Now, did she really hear that word, or was it a hallucination?

Even the rest of the Ji family doubted their own ears.

“Good.” Mrs. Ji’s hands trembled as she pressed the last twenty yuan into Lin Ranran’s palm.

“Mom!” the children cried in unison, their voices full of confusion and reproach.

“All of you, go kneel before the ancestors this instant!” Mrs. Ji’s anger erupted.

Lin Ranran might not be trustworthy, but she was carrying Mrs. Ji’s much-coveted grandchild!

If her sons were so capable, they could have a baby themselves!

At this thought, Mrs. Ji’s heart ached, and her crying grew even more intense.

Seeing their mother like this, the children, though unwilling, could only obey and file out, each shooting Lin Ranran a fierce glare before leaving.

Lin Ranran understood. Once bitten, twice shy. There was no way they’d accept her right away.

She’d have to use real actions to slowly change their minds.

“Mom, don’t cry. The baby’s hungry—here, feel for yourself,” Lin Ranran said softly.

Mrs. Ji looked at her in disbelief. Had she really heard right? Ranran called her “Mom” and was letting her touch her belly.

“Really? I can?” Mrs. Ji asked, her voice trembling with hope.

Lin Ranran gently guided Mrs. Ji’s hand to her round belly. “Mom, feel it—your precious grandson says he’s hungry.”

Mrs. Ji’s hands shook uncontrollably. This was the grandchild she’d been longing for!

To touch her grandchild for twenty yuan—worth every penny!

She couldn’t help but squat down, pressing her ear to Lin Ranran’s belly.

“He’s moving! My precious grandchild is moving! Grandson, it’s Grandma!” Mrs. Ji cried out, overwhelmed with emotion.

Seeing this, Ji Junxiao’s eyes reddened.

He had no idea if Lin Ranran would really keep the child. But at least, for now, she’d given his mother hope. Before they all had to leave for the countryside, his mother’s spirits were a little brighter.

Mrs. Ji quickly stood up, excitement lighting her face. “Ranran, wait here—I’ll make you something delicious right away. I can’t let you or my grandchild go hungry.”

Lin Ranran smiled. “Thank you, Mom. Take it easy.”

Mrs. Ji nearly skipped out, exhilarated, muttering to herself, “Ranran called me Mom. She let me touch her belly. She said she’ll keep my grandchild. Wonderful, just wonderful!”

Ji Junxiao looked at Lin Ranran. Since becoming pregnant, she’d taken on a new kind of beauty—one that made it hard to look away.

But such a beautiful woman was also the most dangerous poison in the world.

She’d taken the last of his mother’s money and was now about to claim their last meal as well. Ruthless, indeed.

He wanted to touch her belly, too, but his hand, half-raised, fell back.

“Lin Ranran, whatever happens, I still want to thank you,” Ji Junxiao said quietly.

Even if this was all a beautiful lie, at least, for now, he and his mother could live in that lie.

At this moment, they were happy.

Lin Ranran naturally took his hand, smiling. “There’s no need to be so formal between husband and wife.”

Ji Junxiao froze, stunned that she would take his hand so willingly.

Not only him—the younger siblings, seeing the two walk downstairs hand in hand, were all wide-eyed with shock.

Ji Junyao stomped her foot. “What is this vile woman up to now? She’s definitely plotting something. Who knows what kind of trouble she’s brewing in her mind.”

Ji Junyong frowned. “Sis, she took the last of Mom’s living expenses and now she wants our last meal.”

Ji Junyao’s face flushed with anger. “We begged her for days. She went on hunger strikes, threatened to jump from the building, threatened to die in our house just to send us all to jail. And now, she suddenly changes her tune? I see right through her—what a schemer! If she were in some imperial drama, even the Empress Dowager would be no match for her.”

Ji Junshan sighed helplessly. “We’re heading to the countryside the day after tomorrow. Guess we’ll all be hungry until then.”

Ji Junzhan gritted his teeth. “Before we leave, I swear I’ll get a few people together and give that woman a good beating!”

Ji Junyao nodded. “I’m with you, Fourth Brother!”

Then, thinking of the baby in her sister-in-law’s belly, Ji Junyao began to cry. “Oh, my poor nephew, not even born yet!”