novelraw Chapter 160
Chapter 160
Chapter 160: Han Rou’s Secret, Was I Wrong?
A little while later, Jiang Zhou stood up.
Everything had been explained clearly now. He figured there wouldn’t be any major misunderstandings in the future. It was time for him to leave, with his good deeds done and his name a secret.
“Uncle and Auntie, it’s getting late. I have to go home. My parents are still waiting for me.”
Chen Wanying stood up as soon as she heard this. “Jiang Zhou, why don’t you stay here and have dinner before you go back?”
Chu Xiong also nodded. “There’s a case I’d like to talk to you about. We can have a drink together too.”
Huh? He wanted my help with another case? With my memories from a past life, I am basically a cheat.
Is Uncle Chu getting addicted to using cheats? That wouldn’t do. If you took shortcuts too often, you’d lose your footing.
What if he encountered a case I don’t remember in the future?
Thinking of this, Jiang Zhou immediately declined. “Uncle and Auntie, thank you for your kind offer, but I still want to have my first meal back at home with my parents.”
“Well… that makes sense. Then we’ll find some time another day for you to come over.”
Jiang Zhou nodded. “Okay, I won’t be shy then.”
Seeing this, Chu Yuwei also stood up. “Jiang Zhou, I’ll walk you downstairs.”
“Let’s go.”
The two of them opened the door and walked out under the couple’s benevolent gazes.
The moonlight was soft and bright, as if the heavens were spilling water onto the earth. Chu Yuwei followed behind Jiang Zhou as they slowly walked downstairs.
Jiang Zhou opened the car door and looked at the school beauty. “The fire inspection thing was something I made up. As long as they believe it, you don’t need to.”
“No way, I really did get a call. It’s true! You’re always secretly being so good to me!”
Jiang Zhou gave her a helpless look. “How did you go so crazy with the theories?”
Chu Yuwei gave a couple of playful hums. “Can I come visit you during the holidays?”
“Han Rou is home anyway, and she doesn’t have any other friends. You can come if you want, just don’t bother me.”
“Then I’ll come for Chinese New Year too! I can help Auntie make dumplings!”
Jiang Zhou ruffled her hair and sighed. “They really do get attached when they’re older. What’s the point of raising a daughter anyway?”
Chu Yuwei’s cheeks flushed. “I’ll help my mom first, and then I’ll go to your house.”
“Watch out for your appendicitis. Eat less spicy food during the holidays.”
“I know!”
Jiang Zhou got into the driver’s seat, stepped on the gas, and slowly drove away. Chu Yuwei stood downstairs, gently waving her little hand.
He arrived back at the Shengze Jiayuan at around six in the evening. Jiang Zhou pushed open the door and found Ms. Yuan Youqin watching TV on the sofa.
Mr. Jiang Hongshan was reading the newspaper with his reading glasses on.
Han Rou wasn’t around, she had probably gone back to her room.
On the dining table, there was only a pile of leftover food.
Hmm???
What is going on?
How is all the food gone? The eldest son of the Jiang family wasn’t even back yet! How had they already finished the welcome feast?
Jiang Zhou was dumbfounded.
“…”
“Mom, where’s my food?!”
As soon as he spoke, the couple stood up at the same time. They walked toward him, staring at Jiang Zhou with a look of amazement.
“I almost forgot, we have an awesome son at home too~!”
“Mom, do you think that’s funny…?”
Yuan Youqin snorted. “You didn’t even come home and ran straight to the Chu family’s house. Didn’t they feed you?”
Jiang Zhou’s face turned dark. “I told Uncle Chu that I wanted to have my first meal with my family!
“But all the food is gone. I can see that.”
Jiang Hongshan folded his newspaper. “Eat the leftovers. Tell your mom to heat them up for you.”
Jiang Zhou was helpless. “I’m starting to think I’m the fifth wheel here.”
“Alright son, don’t look so miserable. Your mom actually saved you some food.”
“Really? I knew it, I must be her real son!”
Ms. Yuan Youqin smiled and went into the kitchen, bringing out a plate. On the plate were two steamed buns that had dried up and cracked.
Jiang Zhou looked at his mother, hoping she would say she was just joking. But his mother kindly handed him the plate and patted his head. So much for wanting to have his first meal with his family. In the end, it was just him being moved by his own words!
Jiang Zhou picked up a steamed bun and took a bite. At that moment, Ms. Yuan Youqin leaned in close.
“Son, what’s going on with Rou Rou recently?”
“Huh? You noticed something too?”
“Yeah. During dinner just now, I felt like she was a little unhappy.”
Jiang Zhou glanced at the bedroom opposite. “I’m not exactly sure why. I was just about to go talk to her.”
Yuan Youqin helped him heat up some dishes. “If she doesn’t want to talk about it, don’t press her.”
“I know. Young girls these days have a lot on their minds.”
“Oh, you know so much about young girls, why haven’t you brought one home to me?”
Jiang Zhou put down the steamed bun and stood up. “You won’t even feed me. How am I supposed to have the energy to find a girlfriend?”
Yuan Youqin looked at him. “Hey, hey, hey, where are you going?”
“I’m not eating this. I can’t swallow it. I’m going to go check on Han Rou.”
After speaking, Jiang Zhou knocked on Han Rou’s door. “Rou Rou, are you not feeling well?”
Han Rou’s voice came from inside the room. “I’m fine, big brother. Come in.”
“Okay, I’m coming in.”
“Okay.”
Jiang Zhou opened the door and walked in, finding the room’s lights were off.
Han Rou was sitting on the bed, her hair a bit disheveled.
Although she was smiling, he could tell she wasn’t in good spirits. Her lips were pale, and there was a hint of panic hidden in her expression.
If he couldn’t see a problem now, he was truly blind.
“What are you doing in your room?”
“I’m a little tired. I wanted to lie down for a bit.”
Jiang Zhou sat on the edge of the bed and pinched her cheek. “I have a question for you. Who am I?”
Han Rou looked at him blankly. “You’re my big brother. Why are you asking such a strange question?”
“Then how come I heard that your brother is going to die?”
“You… how did you know!?”
Jiang Zhou patted her head. “Yuwei heard you on the phone when she went to the bathroom and thought I was the one who was going to die.”
Han Rou lowered her head, biting her lip. “Big brother, I wasn’t trying to keep it a secret from you.”
“What’s wrong? Is your brother sick?”
“No, no, no, he’s not my brother. You’re my brother. You’re very healthy!”
Jiang Zhou was silent for a while. “Cancer is hard to cure, and it costs a lot of money.”
Han Rou moved closer and leaned on his shoulder. “Actually, I got the call this morning. They said Han Ziyang has liver cancer.”
“Your biological brother?”
“Yeah, but I’ve never considered him my brother, or them my family.”
“But you’re still sad about it, aren’t you?”
“No, why would I be sad?!”
Jiang Zhou couldn’t help but ruffle her hair. “But you’re clearly worried about him. You’ve been out of it all day.”
Han Rou suddenly looked up. “No, I’m not worried about him!”
“Don’t worry, even though I’m a little jealous, I’m not mad.”
Han Rou’s face turned red. “Big brother, what are you talking about? How can you be jealous of something like this?”
“Because you’re not telling me the truth.”
“I am telling the truth. In my heart, you’re the only big brother I have.”
Jiang Zhou thought that Han Rou was afraid he would get mad, so she didn’t dare to admit she still had feelings for her biological brother.
This was actually quite normal. Blood ties weren’t something that could be severed just like that. He could understand. And he didn’t want Han Rou to bear this pain alone.
He hoped she could talk about it and not keep it bottled up.
“Big brother, what are you thinking about?”
“Rou Rou, stop being so strong. I can see it, my mom can see it, even Chu Yuwei can see it.”
Han Rou was a little anxious. “I’m really not unhappy because of this. Big brother, believe me!”
Jiang Zhou, on the other hand, was a little puzzled. “Then I don’t understand. Why were you hiding and crying in the bathroom?”
Han Rou hugged his arm, her voice sounding a little wronged. “They’re pressuring me. They’ve been pressuring me all along.”
“Pressuring you to do what? What else haven’t you told me?”
“Actually, this is my fault, so I didn’t dare to tell you.”
After hearing this, Jiang Zhou’s brow furrowed slightly.
Han Rou’s birth family had caused her extremely serious harm.
Her alcoholic father would beat and curse at her.
When she was little, he even locked her up and didn’t give her food.
Her mother favored her biological brother and ignored Han Rou. If Han Rou hadn’t been so strong and gotten into a university in the capital and earned her tuition through part-time jobs, she might still be suffering persecution to this day.
It was very normal for Han Rou to have no feelings for them.
After everything she’d been through, a girl like her would probably only feel hatred.
Jiang Zhou’s brow furrowed slightly.
Could it be that I am wrong? Han Rou wasn’t worried about her biological family.
After all, what feelings could Han Rou have for a person who beat and cursed at her since she was a child and blamed her for every trouble he caused?
Then why was she hiding and crying in the bathroom all by herself?
“Tell me, or I’ll be worried.”
“They… they’re pressuring me for money.”