Chapter 237: Zhang Ling

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

Chen Xing organized his thoughts and began, “If Jiang Qing was exchanged to find a bride for the Old Madam grandson, then the bride must be from the same place where Jiang Qing was sold to. The bride and the old madam may not be of the same mind, so perhaps we can find a breakthrough from her.”

Jiang Chuan thought about it and found that it made sense. Jiang Qing was exchanged to find a wife for the second son of Jiang Hua. Simultaneously, the daughter from that family was sent to the Jiang family.

Jiang Chuan remembered that the original owner of the memory he had often sought opportunities to communicate with the girl, wanting to ask where she came from.

However, the Jiang family protected this daughter-in-law very well, never allowing Jiang Chuan to approach her.

While Jiang Chuan and Zhou Lan were still in the old Jiang household, they worked from sunrise to sunset and had no time at home. By the time he left for work, the girl was still asleep, and when he returned, she had already gone to bed. He wanted to ask, but he never had the chance.

Chen Xing was the captain of the production team. It was completely reasonable to ask the girl’s hometown during the census, and they would have to tell him.

Considering this, Jiang Chuan and Zhou Lan’s moods lifted. The weight that had been pressing on their hearts since their arrival here seemed to finally lighten.

After discussing the matter, Chen Xing began to eat with relief. The dishes Zhou Lan cooked not only looked appetizing but tasted even better. The wild vegetables still had a sweet taste, and it had been a long time since Chen Xing had such fresh greens. He ate heartily, and soon all the dishes and the soup were finished.

Knowing Jiang Chuan’s urgency, Chen Xing took action the next day when the census order came. With the notice in hand, he approached the old Jiang family.

The one who opened the door for Chen Xing happened to be Jiang’s second son’s wife, Zhang Ling.

Hearing that she was the one Chen Xing was looking for, she became wary, “Captain, what do you want to know from me?”

Chen Xing noticed Zhang Ling’s concern and explained in a formal tone, “The country is planning to conduct a population census. To avoid any duplication, we need to know your hometown.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ling became even more anxious. She looked around, hoping someone would come to deal with Chen Xing on her behalf.

Ever since Jiang Chuan left, all the household chores fell on Jiang Hua family. During the day, they were all out working, including the two sons, leaving only the two daughters-in-law at home. So, there was no one to help answer Chen Xing.

There was a reason why Zhang Ling was afraid. It was because she did not have a household registration. Firstly, her family wasn’t in the village, so registration wasn’t strict, and her family never thought of registering her. Secondly, due to the preference for sons over daughters, Zhang Ling was disliked in her family. Life for her wasn’t better than Jiang Qing’s in the old Jiang family. Illegally selling individuals was a crime, and she feared her parents might blame and beat her if anything was exposed.

Life in the old Jiang family was tough for Zhang Ling. Old Madam Jiang treated her like a laborer expecting her to do all household chores, and any misstep led to scolding and deprivation of food.

Now, with the old madam having hurt her waist, her temper has become even more volatile. If Zhang Ling didn’t respond to her calls immediately, the old madam would pinch her arm hard. Zhang Ling’s arm still had blue and purple bruises to show for it.

If anything else were to go wrong, Zhang Ling feared she wouldn’t be able to endure her life any longer.

Chen Xing could sense Zhang Ling’s hesitations. After all, he had already learned about their family situation from Xiao Wu the previous night. He suspected that Zhang Ling’s family might be unregistered residents in the mountains, having moved there to avoid the village grain taxes.

So, Chen Xing gently tried to persuade her, speaking very politely, “It’s like this: we are simply conducting a population census to count the total number of people in the country. That’s why we’re asking where your family is from. You can rest assured, if your family members ask how we found them, we will not reveal anything.”

“You really won’t mention me?” Zhang Ling asked, not entirely convinced..

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