"Xing'er~ my baby!" Mother Ji cried and rushed forward as soon as she saw Ji Xingmi get out of the car, hugging her and crying at the gate. The neighbors in the distance were peeking from their upstairs windows.
"It's okay, Mom, I'm fine! Really, look!" Ji Xingmi said, turning around in front of her mother to show she was unharmed. She patted Mother Ji's back, who was crying so heartbrokenly that Ji Xingmi didn't know how to comfort her.
At this moment, the old gentlemen who were waiting inside also came out. Seeing Ji Xingmi standing before them alive and well, and having the energy to turn around, they seemed to think she was alright.
"Grandpa Hua, Grandpa Ye, Grandpa, Grandpa," Ji Xingmi and Gu Jingyi greeted the old gentlemen. The old gentlemen nodded, and finally, Old Man Bi spoke first, "Qingqing, Xing'er is back, don't cry anymore. Let's go inside and talk. It's not proper to stay at the entrance like this."
Ji Xingmi glanced around and saw people watching from a distance, not with their usual nosy interest. However, she also noticed the PLA soldiers standing around her house and, thinking of Elder Hua, understood what was happening.
Mother Ji finally managed to calm down and led them into the house. Once everyone was inside, the old gentlemen began to ask Ji Xingmi about what had happened.
After drinking a cup of water, Ji Xingmi started recounting the events of the past three days and two nights. Mother Ji listened with great trepidation, especially when she learned that Zhao Chen had intended to shoot Ji Xingmi. Her heart leaped into her throat, and when she heard that Feng Changze had taken two bullets for her, she clasped her hands together in prayer. She declared that once things were settled, she would find time to go to the hospital to thank him, and now she couldn't sit still.
"Tomorrow, tomorrow we'll go to the hospital to see Feng Changze. We must thank him properly. Yes, I'll go prepare some gifts for him."
"Hey~ Mom, you~..."
"Let Auntie go. She'll be even more agitated sitting here!" Gu Jingyi gently pulled Ji Xingmi's hand as she tried to stop Mother Ji and then said.
Old Man Bi also advised, "Yes! If you let her keep busy, she'll feel better!"
"So, Xing'er, are you saying that Zhao Chen's actions were due to Zhao Sheng being sick?" Elder Ye raised his question. He had met both children and felt they were not the same person!
"It should be. I only encountered three of his personalities. And I felt that his personalities switched very quickly. Theoretically, this shouldn't happen. I don't know if he encountered some traumatic event that led to such uncontrolled moments," Ji Xingmi frowned as she said this. She wasn't very knowledgeable about this area, but this situation was unheard of.
"This is an illness! And it seems to be quite serious. I met Zhao Chen once; he was clear-headed and acted with discretion. He was quite a decent person," Old Man Bi added at this point.
Elder Hua only felt relieved. If that child hadn't lost control of his emotions, with Zhao Chen's scheming nature, if he had truly plotted, Xing'er would have had no chance of survival this time. "Alas~ if he hadn't lost control of his emotions, this incident would have had a different outcome."
"Indeed! It's just that this child must have hated them to the extreme, otherwise, why would he have acted in such a self-destructive manner?" Old Man Gu also sighed. He was the most affected, as he had always had a good relationship with Old Zhao. They had even chosen Qian Shi Village together back then, and now it seemed it was all his plan.
Elder Hua didn't know how to comfort them at this moment, so he could only instruct them, "Alright, since they have already presented the evidence, you must thoroughly investigate the matter. Neither harass nor shield!"
Old Man Bi snorted, "Then I won't participate in this matter. I'm afraid I might not be able to resist hitting that old man."
Old Man Gu also had no intention of participating. On one hand, he didn't know how to face his old friend. On the other hand, he was actually guarding against Gu Jingyi. With this young man's shrewdness, he probably wouldn't let them off the hook. If he didn't get involved, he would have fewer opportunities to interact with the Zhao family. And under Elder Hua's watchful eye, there shouldn't be any major trouble. "I won't get involved either. Alas! We walked together back then. I never realized that Old Zhao harbored such thoughts."
When Gu Jingyi heard his grandfather say this, he glanced at him, then smiled as if he understood the reason for his doing so. Ji Xingmi saw his smile and touched him, asking, "What are you smiling about? Your smile looks so wicked!"
"Nothing! I'll tell you later! Are you hungry? Shall I take you to get something to eat?" As soon as Gu Jingyi finished speaking, Ji Xingmi felt her stomach growling. She then scratched her head sheepishly and said, "I think I am really hungry~! I want to eat wontons!"
"I'll go see if we have any. If not, would soup noodles be okay?"
"Huh? Are you going to make them for me?"
"What? Don't you trust my cooking? My taste has been certified by Grandpa Hua and the others, you know?"
Ji Xingmi became interested. "Alright then, I'll try it today. What if Grandpa Hua and the others were just encouraging you? Then I can tell you the truth!"
As they spoke, the two walked towards the kitchen. Gu Jingyi rolled up his sleeves as he walked, and Ji Xingmi watched him with great interest. At this moment, she wasn't in a hurry to tidy up; filling her stomach was more important.