Chapter 128

The full-month banquet for the dragon and phoenix twins wasn’t a large event. They didn’t even notify the factory directors—just a small gathering between the two families and a few invited teachers.

Relatives started arriving early in the morning. Ling Xiulan and Wang Sufen brought the babies out first, while Zhenzhen enjoyed a comfortable bath in the tub. When she dried her hair and stood in front of the mirror, she was pleasantly surprised to find that her belly, which had grown during pregnancy, was flat again. Her figure didn’t look much different from before pregnancy. Perhaps it was because she was breastfeeding two babies—though she ate a lot at each meal, the energy consumption was also significantly higher than that of an average postpartum woman.

After drying her hair, Zhenzhen mentally scanned the large courtyard. Most of the guests were already seated outside. It was September—neither too hot nor too cold, with just the right amount of sunlight. The garden was brimming with signs of harvest, making it a pleasant place for both young and old. Children were running wild, climbing trees to pick apples and catching fish by the pond—like paradise for games. Li Mingzhong, now old, lay on the softest patch of grass, watching the children play with gentle eyes. If any child came over to pet its head, it would affectionately nuzzle their palm.

Zhenzhen tried on several outfits from her wardrobe. Because of breastfeeding, her pre-pregnancy clothes were all a bit tight. Fortunately, Ling Xiulan had anticipated this and sent over plenty of new clothes. Zhenzhen chose a short-sleeved top and pants—more convenient for nursing.

As soon as she entered the courtyard, the dragon and phoenix twins in Ling Xiulan and Wang Sufen’s arms seemed to sense her presence and started crying loudly. Ling Xiulan patted little Watermelon’s bottom and laughed, “You know your mom’s here and want to eat, huh?”

There was a small Western-style house in the garden that used to be Ling Xiulan’s resting place. They brought the babies inside, changed their diapers, fed them, and the two little ones quickly fell asleep again.

Wang Sufen placed the twins on the bed and whispered, “Go out and greet the relatives, I’ll stay here with them and rest a bit too.”

There was no need to argue over the task. Ling Xiulan was more suited to socializing, while Wang Sufen preferred caring for the children. Zhenzhen brought another pillow from the next room for Wang Sufen to lie down near the babies’ feet in case she wanted to nap.

Coming out of the house, Zhenzhen saw little Xinxin from the Mingbei family holding an apple and trying to feed it to Li Mingzhong. Back in his youth, Li Mingzhong loved apples, but now his teeth weren’t good—he needed even meat to be cooked until soft to eat. For a dog, Li Mingzhong had lived a remarkably long life, largely due to living close to Zhenzhen since he was a pup and being nourished by her powers.

“Auntie, Hongzhong won’t eat the apple,” Xinxin said in a soft, sticky voice, slightly sad because the dog couldn’t eat it.

“He’s too old now. He can’t bite it,” Zhenzhen said as she crouched down and stealthily “produced” a small cake. “Give him this instead.”

Xinxin took the cake, hesitated, then took a bite herself. “Wow, it’s so good!” She licked her lips and looked at her aunt sheepishly. Her little face turned red as she made an excuse, “I just wanted to check if it was soft.”

Zhenzhen couldn’t help but laugh. Even Li Mingzhong looked amused. Zhenzhen pulled out another piece of cake and handed it to Xinxin. “Give this to your sister Diandian. You have to share the good stuff with your family.”

Xinxin nodded and, this time, didn’t sneak a bite. She clumsily ran toward her sister with the cake raised high. “Sister, sister, eat cake! Auntie gave it!”

Zhenzhen withdrew her gaze and sat down on the grass next to Li Mingzhong, stroking his head. Lost in thought, she asked, “Mingzhong, is there anything you want to eat or play with?”

“I’ve eaten everything and played everything there is. Even tigers are my friends. I have no regrets,” Li Mingzhong said proudly. Then, with a wistful expression, he added, “But I wonder how Da Huang is doing? Can you take me to see him?”

Zhenzhen eyed him suspiciously. “You used to pee yourself every time you saw him. Getting more masochistic in your old age?”

“I’ve come to terms with life and death,” Li Mingzhong wagged his tail. “Besides, he must be old too. What’s there to fear in a toothless tiger?”

“Alright, I’ll take you tomorrow.” Zhenzhen placed her hand on his body and used her powers to guide life energy through his meridians—something she had done every day since arriving in the Imperial Capital. It was this energy that had sustained Li Mingzhong’s long life.

“Animals live such short lives. I want to be human in the next one,” Li Mingzhong said with sorrowful eyes. “Then maybe I can stay with you forever.”

Zhenzhen’s nose tingled with emotion, and she almost cried. Stroking his head, she made a wish: “Next life, you’ll definitely be reborn as a human. Any dog raised by Li Mingzhen must be blessed with that kind of luck.”

As if her words gave him strength, Li Mingzhong perked up. Just then, the food ordered by Ling Xiulan arrived, and Auntie Yang’s bone and meat porridge had cooled. She brought over a large bowl.

Seeing the bowl full of meat, Li Mingzhong instantly came alive again. He happily bounced over and took a bite of the soft, stewed meat. Wagging his tail, he grinned at Zhenzhen: “Actually, being a dog isn’t so bad. Most people don’t eat this well.”

Zhenzhen laughed and went to wash her hands and call the guests to the table. Then she hurried upstairs to ask Wang Sufen to come eat. Ling Xiulan had bought a stroller, and together they put the twins inside and wheeled them into the garden.

Since birth, the twins had been very easy—eating and sleeping well, and rarely fussing unless their diapers were wet. While everyone ate, they slept peacefully. Li Mingzhong, after finishing his porridge and drinking half a basin of water, walked over to the stroller, took a look at the babies, then lay down beside them in a guardian’s pose.

As the twins grew day by day, Li Mingzhong aged visibly. As the weather got colder, he barely moved from beside the radiator. Then one morning in the twelfth lunar month, Zhenzhen woke up and, as usual, went to check on him—only to find he had passed peacefully in his sleep.

A dog that had accompanied her for over twenty years was gone. It was impossible not to grieve. Even the twins couldn’t lift her mood. According to his final wish, Zhenzhen took Li Mingzhong back to the mountain in Beicha. Da Huang came over, sniffed his body, and let out a sorrowful howl.

Back home, her family was considerate and didn’t ask many questions. A couple of gloomy days passed, and then it was the night of the seventh day of the twelfth lunar month. After midnight, it would be Zhenzhen’s birthday. Based on past experience, her powers would change.

She went to bed early and fell asleep quickly. This time, the golden blood absorbing the moonlight essence took longer. It wasn’t until past 2 a.m. that Zhenzhen woke up.

Opening her eyes, she was startled by a shadow at the foot of the bed. “What the—Li Mingzhong!” Had her new ability let her see ghosts now? That would be way too literal.

Li Mingzhong’s spirit immediately perked up and stood tall. His youthful build and shiny coat looked just like when he was young.

“Finally! You can see me!” he said, floating and sticking out his tongue. “I’ve been following you for days. But I can only stay here for seven days. If you still couldn’t see me today, I’d have to reincarnate.”

Zhenzhen calculated—it was the seventh day. Seeing his spirit and hearing he’d reincarnate soon lifted her mood. “Will you be reborn as a human this time?”

“Absolutely! Thanks to you, both Da Huang and I get to be human this time.” Li Mingzhong looked proud, like he had ascended to heaven. Seeing Zhenzhen confused, he asked, “You don’t know who you are? I heard from the judge down there—you’re the Mother of Earth. You govern yin and yang, nurture all life, and command the land, mountains, rivers, and seas. Sounds hella badass.”

Zhenzhen touched her chin. It did sound impressive. Besides her abilities to control land, sea, and living things, she hadn’t felt the other aspects yet—it all seemed far away. Maybe in this life, she’d never fully awaken to her past identity. Still, it was great that her wish had let Li Mingzhong reincarnate well. She smiled, reached out to touch his form one last time, and said, “Go ahead. Be reborn soon.”

Li Mingzhong licked Zhenzhen’s palm, then turned and vanished into thin air. That night, Zhenzhen slept soundly and sweetly.

Having resolved a burden on her heart, Zhenzhen regained her smile. Grandma Li and Wang Sufen both breathed a sigh of relief. Although they also felt sorrow for Li Mingzhong, birth, aging, illness, and death are natural parts of life. Passing away peacefully in one’s sleep, free of pain or illness, was something to be envied. In comparison, they felt more distressed seeing Zhenzhen so downcast, eating and sleeping poorly.

Seeing how Grandma Li and Wang Sufen were being overly cautious and avoiding any mention of Li Mingzhong, Zhenzhen spoke openly instead: “On my birthday, I dreamed of Li Mingzhong. He told me he was going to be reincarnated as a human.”

“Oh my, that’s wonderful news.” Grandma Li, ever since witnessing her granddaughter’s uncanny abilities, had come to believe in the mystical. “Did you ask him which family he’d be born into? Maybe we could go and visit, become relatives or something.”

Zhenzhen couldn’t help laughing. “If Li Mingzhong’s being reincarnated, then he won’t remember anything from his past life. And what would we even say when we showed up? ‘Congratulations on your newborn son. He was our dog in a past life. We’d love to stay in touch and become close.’ Wouldn’t they chase us off with a broom?”

Grandma Li imagined the scene and burst into laughter too. “You’re right. As long as Li Mingzhong has a good next life, that’s what matters.”

Wang Sufen nodded. “That’s one thing off our minds. We should start preparing for the New Year now.”

The Xi family’s New Year celebration was just like in past years. Xi Junjie and Zhenzhen arrived early at the old residence with their children. But this time, they encountered someone they didn’t want to see—Xi Sumei and her daughter, Shang Qingran.

For years, Old Madam Xi had excluded Xi Sumei’s family from holiday and birthday gatherings. Even when Zhenzhen gave birth and held a full-month banquet, they weren’t invited. As a result, Zhenzhen had successfully avoided every occasion where Xi Sumei and her daughter would be present. Even when Shang Qingran tried to visit multiple times, Zhenzhen never let her get close. But this time, with everyone coming together as a family, Zhenzhen couldn’t just turn around and leave, even though she saw the mother and daughter inside using her awareness.

As Xi Changbo’s family entered, Xi Sumei’s gaze lingered briefly on him, then settled on her handsome nephew. Her tone was tinged with grievance. “Junjie, you’re really something now. You didn’t invite me to two major events—your child’s birth and full-month banquet. Do you not think of me as your aunt anymore?”

“Mm.” Xi Junjie responded blandly, immediately infuriating Xi Sumei. She turned to Old Madam Xi and complained, “Mom, did you hear how your grandson talked to me?”

“I was the one who told him not to invite you,” said Old Madam Xi, waving her hand. “Everyone, go back to your rooms.” Everyone immediately stood up and rushed toward the back, even Xi Sumei’s sister, Xi Suyu.

Ling Xiulan stepped out and gently covered Watermelon’s face with a blanket corner, letting out a sigh of relief. “Is Xi Sumei mentally sound? Maybe we should get a psychiatrist to look at her. She’s getting more and more paranoid.”

Xi Suyu, recalling her younger sister’s behavior over the years, was deeply irritated. “She’s always been foolish. Dropped out of school to marry a guy she chose herself, cutting ties with the family for it. When the marriage turned sour, she blamed us like we owed her something.” Thinking of her niece’s calculating face, Xi Suyu looked exasperated. “Especially that Shang Qingran. She’s a carbon copy of her father—always scheming and treating everyone like fools.”

Mentioning that mother-daughter pair cast a gloom over the whole family. Everyone returned to their rooms, visibly unhappy.

Xi Changbo’s family lived in the fourth courtyard of the residence. Ling Xiulan stayed in the main house, while Zhenzhen and Xi Junjie lived in the east wing. Since they had been coming back every weekend for the past six months, the room was fully equipped with a crib, stroller, diapers, and everything else—very convenient.

Watermelon and Grape slept soundly. After settling the twins in the crib, Zhenzhen eagerly climbed into bed, closed her eyes, and used her awareness to check in on the lively main house.

Every time Xi Sumei came to the old residence, she either wanted money or tried to get some benefit from her older siblings, but was always refused. For some reason, she never gave up—each time making demands as if they were perfectly justified.

“Mom, Qingran didn’t get into high school and has been working in a factory since graduating from middle school. That’s too hard. Who lets their child suffer like this?” Xi Sumei said angrily. “Look at Ling Xiulan—she’s actually a beauty salon manager now. Wasn’t she just using her looks to seduce our Changbo back then? What skills does she have? I say let her quit and let Qingran take over as manager.”

“At least Xiulan’s a college graduate. Your daughter only finished middle school. No way she’s more qualified than her aunt.” Old Madam Xi took a sip of tea and retorted coldly, “Besides, Xiulan started that salon with her own money. She can manage it if she wants. If you’re not happy, open your own.”

Xi Sumei didn’t even have money for a facial, let alone to open a beauty salon. The remark stabbed right into her heart. Enraged, she jumped to her feet and confronted Old Madam Xi. “Are you even my real mother? How can you side with outsiders?”

“No, you’re not my real daughter. You were adopted,” Old Madam Xi said immediately, following her lead. “I regret picking you up. Go find your real mom.”

Xi Sumei was speechless. Of course, just by looks, it was clear she was a biological child, but she hadn’t expected the old lady to be so shameless as to deny her own daughter. Shang Qingran, seeing her mother defeated in just two exchanges, grew anxious. She quickly put on a pitiful expression and knelt beside Old Madam Xi. “Grandmother, my mother only did it for me…”

“I know,” Old Madam Xi interrupted. “I also know your mother’s brain can’t come up with such elaborate schemes. Most of it must be your idea.”

A flicker of embarrassment passed over Shang Qingran’s face. She stood up in anger. “Our family has the means to help us. With just a little effort, we could live well. Why be so cold and unfeeling?”

Old Madam Xi had said this countless times: “Your parents both have jobs. Now you’re working too. That already puts you above most families. As long as you stop being jealous of others, life won’t be bad.”

Shang Qingran looked at the jade bracelet and pearl necklace on Old Madam Xi, a look of unwillingness flashing across her face. The old lady saw the greed clearly and sneered. “Let me make it clear. Your grandfather and I have agreed that all family property, jewelry, and household belongings will be split evenly between Changshan, Changhe, Changbo, and Suyu’s families. You get nothing.”

“Why?” Xi Sumei jumped up and screamed, “Why do my sisters get a share and I don’t? Why?”

“When you left the family to marry that boy from the Shang family, you voluntarily cut ties with us. That matter could’ve been let go. But you and your daughter repeatedly reported Zhenzhen—we can’t let that stand. Your father and I have to revoke your inheritance.” Old Madam Xi said calmly, “Since Zhenzhen returned from abroad, you’ve reported her four times—letters sent to the newspaper, the city, and even higher authorities. They’ve already verified it was your handwriting.”

Xi Sumei staggered back a few steps, throat choked with emotion. Shang Qingran quickly supported her, trying to brush it off. “We didn’t report Sister-in-law. Why would we report our own family? It must be a misunderstanding. Maybe someone forged our handwriting to stir up trouble.”

“Yes, yes, it’s a misunderstanding!” Xi Sumei nodded repeatedly. They had indeed sent those letters anonymously, never imagining they’d be traced back—or that their parents would find out.

“Zhenzhen’s business activities were reported as soon as she graduated. Over the years, she’s contributed a lot to the repatriation of Chinese cultural relics. She’s a national asset. The media and authorities took your reports very seriously. The first letter was fact-based, but the next three were filled with fabrications—defamation, plain and simple.” Old Madam Xi said evenly, “I’m telling you this only because we’re still mother and daughter. You should go turn yourself in.”

“Even if I was wrong to report her, what does that have to do with turning myself in?” Xi Sumei was truly panicking now. “Does the police even care about who reports who?”

Reporting the truth is certainly not wrong, but what exactly did you write in that letter? An American spy? You really have quite the imagination.” Old Madam Xi jabbed her cane hard into the ground. “You two mother and daughter should reflect deeply while you’re inside. Once you’re out, live your lives quietly and don’t come back here again.” She stood up and handed a newspaper that had been beside her to Xi Sumei. “Your father has already published a notice severing ties with you. From now on, you are no longer part of the Xi family.”

Xi Sumei panicked when she saw the public notice in the paper. “Mom, I was wrong, I really know I was wrong. Please talk to Dad, don’t let this happen. I don’t want to go to jail.”

“When you did such a disgusting thing back then, didn’t you think this day would come?” Old Madam Xi sneered coldly and shot a mocking glance at Shang Qingran. “Your mother used to be just stupid, but now she’s not only stupid, she’s vicious. And I’d say you played a big part in that. You’ve called me grandmother for years, so let me leave you with one piece of advice—don’t treat everyone like fools. All your little schemes are clear as day to us. We just spared you for the sake of face. If you want a better life, rely on your own efforts. People who only know how to manipulate others never end well.”

With even her last shred of dignity ripped away by the old lady, Shang Qingran had nothing left to lose. She grabbed the limp Xi Sumei from the floor and dragged her out without a trace of sentiment. Xi Sumei, frightened by the old lady’s words, had gone weak all over. She clung to Shang Qingran, crying and wailing, “You said writing that letter would get back at Li Mingzhen for looking down on people. Now she’s fine and we’re in trouble—what do we do? Will the police arrest us?”

Shang Qingran had no idea how serious this was either. A few years ago, someone had been executed for groping a young woman. She didn’t know if defamation would be treated as severely, but she never expected the authorities to trust Li Mingzhen so much.

Biting her lip, Shang Qingran looked pleadingly at Xi Sumei. “Mom, maybe you should take the fall for this. I’m still young—if I go in, my whole life will be over. But you’ll be out in less than two years. When that happens, I’ll take care of you.”

Xi Sumei felt a chill in her heart. She had fought so hard all these years just to give this daughter a better life, hopefully marry someone capable and enjoy a comfortable future together. She never thought that the schemes she carried out for her daughter’s sake would lead to alienation from everyone, and now, in trouble, her daughter wanted to use her as a scapegoat.

Seeing her mother’s expression, Shang Qingran’s eyes flickered with guilt. She began calculating whether she should first send Xi Sumei home, then sneak out the family’s savings and flee to Shenzhen or Hong Kong. There were way more opportunities to make money there than in the Imperial Capital.

With ulterior motives in their hearts, the mother and daughter stumbled to their door. Just as they entered, they were caught red-handed by the police who had been waiting inside. “Xi Sumei, Shang Qingran? You’re under arrest for malicious defamation. Come with us.”

Shang Qingran’s face went pale. She hadn’t even had the chance to escape. She hadn’t even married yet—if she was locked up, her life would be ruined. Her eyes darted rapidly, and before the officers could act, she bolted for the door. But she didn’t get two steps before she was pinned to the floor.

News of their arrest reached the Xi family the same day. Old Master Xi remained calm, but Old Madam Xi shed a few sorrowful tears. “Truly gave birth to a cursed child.” But with the whole family around, her sons and grandsons didn’t want her to be sad about Xi Sumei during the New Year, so everyone tried to cheer her up in different ways. Surrounded by her children and grandchildren, Old Madam Xi eventually cast Xi Sumei out of her thoughts.

It was only then that Zhenzhen learned that Xi Sumei and her daughter had secretly reported her activities. According to national regulations, it was indeed forbidden for government employees to engage in business. Back when she graduated, the country had a shortage of trained journalists, so she was accepted under special provisions. Later, her significant contributions to China meant no one had ever publicly questioned the issue. She never expected this to become a weapon others would use against her.

Zhenzhen never intended to work at the newspaper for life. She’d always seen it as a place to gain experience and build connections. After donating cultural relics, she had amassed a vast network and a solid social standing. Staying at the newspaper was no longer necessary. Maybe, she thought, it was finally time to do something she truly loved.

After the Spring Festival break, on the first day back at work, Zhenzhen submitted her resignation.

Author’s note: That awful mother-daughter pair? Good riddance. Let them collect their boxed meals.