Chapter 173: Chapter 40 Jiang Ziyan: I Severed Ties with That Family
Xiang Yiren’s hands flew across the keyboard as she typed.
[Zi Yan, Brother Sun is right here with me. He’s very concerned about your safety and has been waiting for news from you. We have a question we need to ask you directly: what are your plans regarding your family?]
There was no reply for a long time, and they assumed she was struggling with the decision. However, they quickly realized they were mistaken.
She wasn’t struggling. Instead, she sent back a long message, several hundred words in length. The main idea, boiled down, was this:
*I have no lingering affection for that family. From now on, all ties are severed.*
*Brother Sun, Sister Yiren, please come rescue me.*
Well, it looks like they had overthought it.
If Jiang Ziyan had any lingering attachments before, she was now completely disillusioned with her family.
She couldn’t believe her parents would stoop so low for their son, illegally imprisoning their own daughter at home. They were desperate to trade her for money to cover the down payment on her brother’s house. If that was the case, what was there left to long for? Especially now that she had Brother Sun and Sister Yiren as a wide-open path of retreat. She would rather live with Sister Yiren in that empty villa, waiting eagerly for Brother Sun’s visits, than be forced into a blind marriage, serving as a tool for her parents to barter for a bride price.
Having their answer, they acted quickly. They didn’t show themselves; the station chief handled everything for them.
He forced the door open and rescued her, giving her overbearing parents a small warning.
"Do you realize you are breaking the law? It doesn’t matter that she’s your daughter. As a legal citizen, she has the right to her personal freedom, and even as parents, you cannot restrict that.
"Considering this is the first time and no serious consequences have occurred, we’ll give you a verbal warning. If it happens again, you will be punished severely. Once you have a stain on your record, the path for your son and grandson to take the civil service exams will be blocked by your own hands. Consider the consequences and see if you can bear them."
The old couple, who had been agitated just moments before, immediately shut their mouths when they heard their son and grandson wouldn’t be able to take the civil service exams.
"Officer, you must be mistaken, right? Such a minor issue can have such serious consequences?"
"Minor issue? You two should watch some legal education programs."
With that, the police officer took Jiang Ziyan and left. Her parents didn’t dare try to stop them.
"Dear, is it really as serious as the police officer said?"
"Hmph! He’s just trying to scare us common folk."
He still talked tough, but his trembling hands betrayed his true feelings.
After she was rescued, Jiang Ziyan threw herself into Sun Dasheng’s arms and cried nonstop. After comforting her for a few moments, he had Xiang Yiren take her home. He then went to a nearby hotel and booked a table to properly thank the officers. It was nothing extravagant, just a standard meal; if it were too expensive, they wouldn’t have dared to come.
After dinner, he hurried back.
The living room was dark. No one was there.
He walked to Xiang Yiren’s room. Sure enough, the two of them were in bed, cuddling. Jiang Ziyan was sleeping peacefully in Xiang Yiren’s arms.
Seeing Sun Dasheng enter, Xiang Yiren put a finger to her lips. "Shh," she whispered. "It took a long time to coax her to sleep."
"There’s soup in the kitchen to help you sober up. Drink some and get some rest."
"Alright. You get some rest, too."
「The night passed.」
Early the next morning, his bedroom door opened. A figure slipped into his bed and, while he was still half-asleep, began to sway on top of him.
He opened his eyes to see a radiant Jiang Ziyan. A full night’s sleep had done her wonders.
He slapped her bottom playfully. "You little minx, who asks for this first thing in the morning?"
She leaned down, pressing herself against him and kissing his ear. "But I want it."
"Alright, alright!" Sun Dasheng surrendered, holding her and moving with her.
An hour passed before Xiang Yiren’s voice called up from downstairs. "Get up! Time for breakfast."
"Let’s go. Get dressed and let’s eat. Sister Yiren has it ready," Sun Dasheng said, patting her back.
"Help me get dressed," she purred. "I don’t have any strength left."
Unexpectedly, the ordeal had its upsides. She had become much more open with him.
After he helped her dress, she demanded to be carried downstairs.
"If Sister Yiren sees this, she’ll whip you with her little leather whip tonight," Sun Dasheng teased. She was usually most afraid of Xiang Yiren.
But this time was clearly different. She just giggled. "If she wants to whip me, let her. I’m not scared."
Good grief, not only is she more flirtatious, but she’s gotten braver too.
He carried her downstairs. Xiang Yiren didn’t say much, only giving Sun Dasheng a faint, knowing smile.
There was a hint of menace in that smile.
Jiang Ziyan must have sensed it too, because she slid out of his arms on her own. She ran over to hug her "good sister," and after a moment of affectionate interaction, she calmly sat down for breakfast.
"I know you like wontons, so I went to that shop on Daxin Road specifically to buy these for you," Xiang Yiren said, pushing a bowl in front of Jiang Ziyan.
"Thanks, Sister Yiren! I knew you were the best to me! Mwah!" she said, blowing a kiss across the table.
"Eat up. As long as you’re safe and sound from now on, we can rest easy," Xiang Yiren’s words carried a deeper meaning.
Jiang Ziyan ate a few bites, then put down her spoon. She looked at them both seriously and said, "Sister Yiren, Brother Sun, don’t worry. I’ve severed all ties with that family for good. I will never have any lingering attachments to them again. If I do, you can just kick me out of this house."
It was a solemn vow, and her determination was clear.
Xiang Yiren quickly stopped her. "What are you saying? You’ll always be my dear sister. How could we ever kick you out? I wouldn’t allow it, and neither would Brother Sun, right?"