When Bai Jiu woke up, she found a circle of people gathered around her bed. The first thing she saw was Mother Bai’s red, swollen eyes.
"Mom," Bai Jiu called out hoarsely, heartbroken by her mother’s haggard appearance. However, the severe fever had left her terribly dehydrated, reducing her voice to a mere whisper.
But Mother Bai, whose attention had been firmly fixed on her, heard it. "Jiu’er, you’re finally awake! Does it hurt anywhere?" Bai Jiu had been unconscious for two whole days, and the family had been beside themselves with worry.
If the doctor hadn’t assured them she would be fine, they would have transferred her to another hospital.
Speaking was strenuous. Bai Jiu shook her head. "I’m fine."
"Mom! Mom!" Seeing her awake, Xiuxiu and Zhengyang pushed their way to the bedside. Being so small, they had no choice but to squeeze through the crowd of adults.
Looking at her two children, Bai Jiu desperately wanted to stroke their heads and comfort them, but she had absolutely no strength. She could only use her scratchy voice to tell them she was okay.
Fortunately, someone in the room kept a clear head and immediately rushed out to fetch the doctor.
The doctor hurried over and breathed a sigh of relief after examining her. She had finally regained consciousness; if she hadn’t woken up soon, the hospital would have suggested transferring her to another facility.
Soaking in a freezing river in the dead of winter would have been too much even for a strong, young man, let alone a woman who had recently given birth.
"She’s out of danger. She just needs plenty of nourishment to recover, though it’s best she stays in the hospital for another couple of days," the doctor told the family after the checkup.
He knew that hospitalization was expensive, but the patient was incredibly weak and genuinely needed IV fluids for a few more days.
"Alright, thank you, Doctor."
Not long after waking up, Bai Jiu drank some warm water, forced down a little porridge, and drifted back to sleep. She was simply too exhausted.
The original owner of this body had been severely malnourished. Bai Jiu hadn’t been in this world long enough to nurse it back to health, even with daily tonics. This illness had triggered all of the body’s underlying ailments at once, which was why she felt so terrible.
Seeing her sleep peacefully, everyone’s tense nerves finally relaxed.
"Mom, take Xiuxiu and Zhengyang home," Bai Xinghua said. He placed the two children beside his mother, his heart aching as he looked at her after she had stayed up all night. "You still have to work tomorrow. I can keep an eye on things here since I’m on the night shift tomorrow."
He had rushed over right after getting off work, just like his oldest brother and the others. Father Bai was home alone, and they were worried about him too.
"Okay, I’ll take Xiuxiu and the others back. You watch over your sister tonight. If anything happens, call a nurse. We don’t care how much it costs," Mother Bai agreed. She truly couldn’t hold out much longer, and she had an early shift the next morning.
"I know. Don’t worry, Mom."
Bai Xingguo was still a bit uneasy. He wanted to suggest having Xiang Gaoli come over, but they weren’t married yet and she had to work during the day, so he had to let his youngest brother take on the burden.
Bai Xingbang didn’t have as many concerns. His job was relatively relaxed and undemanding. Although it was a bit busier toward the end of the year, he was about to get a few days off soon, so he planned to come care for his oldest sister once he finished his work.
He pulled two yuan from his pocket and handed it to Xinghua. "If she wants to eat anything, don’t be stingy. Use this to buy it."
Bai Jiu remained completely oblivious to the activity in the room. She slept incredibly soundly.
When she finally woke up again, she heard Father Bai arguing with someone.
"Impossible! My daughter will never forgive those two murderers. You can give up on that idea right now," Father Bai retorted between coughs.
The other voice was unfamiliar to Bai Jiu, but based on what the woman was saying, she could easily guess who it was.
"Dad." Bai Jiu had woken up briefly in the middle of the night and had some liquid food. She was noticeably stronger than yesterday, and her voice was louder.
The moment she called out, the argument outside stopped. A moment later, the door was pushed open.
Father Bai walked in first, followed closely by the two children.
The kids immediately ran to the bedside, their eyes filled with fear.
"Don’t be scared, Mom is here." Seeing her children like this instantly erased any goodwill Bai Jiu might have had toward the two women who had followed her father into the room.
At the same time, the original owner’s memories surfaced in her mind.
The visitor was Gao Zhiguo’s wife, Li Hongxing, a daughter of the Li Family from the regiment farm.
"Bai Jiu, I’m so glad you’re awake! Please, I’m begging you. Just let Gao Zhiguo off the hook," Li Hongxing said, getting straight to the point the moment she walked in. "He truly didn’t mean to do it. He was egged on by someone else." She pushed all the blame away in one breath.
Heh, what a typical daughter-in-law of the Gao family—they were all cut from the same cloth.
Bai Jiu just stared at her without saying a word. Seeing her lack of response, an older woman stepped forward from behind Li Hongxing.
"We’re all family. There’s really no need to let things get this ugly. You’re a daughter-in-law of the Gao family too; you can’t just ruin the entire family. You need to think about your own husband and your two kids."
The woman wore an arrogant expression, acting as if pleading for leniency was her doing Bai Jiu a massive favor. In her eyes, Bai Jiu ought to obediently listen and forgive Gao Zhiguo.
But Bai Jiu wasn’t about to indulge her. "Excuse me, but who are you, ma’am?" She propped herself up to lean against the headboard. "Coming in here and making such grand statements—who gave you the audacity?"
Bai Jiu glared at Li Hongxing. "He wasn’t the mastermind? Ha! He pushed me into the river with his own two hands, and he dragged me all the way from the house to the riverbank himself. Don’t you dare tell me Song Caihua did it all on her own. She simply doesn’t have the strength.
"Whether it was getting that drug or showing that kind of sheer ruthlessness, she doesn’t have the ability or the guts."
Bai Jiu directly tore through their lies.
Li Hongxing had been tormented half to death over the past two days. When she first received the news, she couldn’t believe her husband had committed murder.
Wasn’t he just going home to get some grain and meat? How did it turn into murder?
When she arrived at the Public Security Bureau, she had wanted nothing more than to hack him to pieces. But he was her son’s father, and her son was still too young to grow up without one.
Ultimately, she came up with a plan: make Song Caihua take the fall for everything. No matter what, she had to save Gao Zhiguo first.
But the police wouldn’t just take her word for it. Therefore, her only option was to beg Bai Jiu, hoping she would change her statement.
Wasn’t Bai Jiu just looking for a way to vent her anger? Then she could take it out on Song Caihua! If worst came to worst, Li Hongxing’s family would just pay her off.
Yet, she hadn’t expected to be turned away twice before finally managing to see her today.
"What, you want Old Mrs. Song to take all the blame?" Bai Jiu looked at Li Hongxing with a face full of mockery. "Heh, impossible."
Even if Old Mrs. Song confessed to doing it alone, Bai Jiu wouldn’t let this family off the hook.
Bai Jiu had deduced the Gao family’s scheme from Li Hongxing’s words. She just wondered what Old Mrs. Song would think about being thrown under the bus.
"What do you mean, impossible? She did the whole thing by herself! My son-in-law couldn’t withstand his mother’s threats and only helped her. Even if he’s guilty, he doesn’t deserve to die for it!" Li Hongxing’s mother snapped.
Hmph. If he didn’t have a child with her daughter, she wouldn’t have bothered getting involved in this mess at all. Her husband was reaching retirement age, and if this scandal wasn’t handled properly, she feared it would drag their own family down too.
Bai Jiu felt like her eyes had been opened. "Ha! It seems city folks aren’t anything special after all. You’re definitely number one at lying through your teeth. Bring out the evidence if you have it! Regardless, when I woke up in the river, I saw him pushing me in with my own two eyes." There was no way she would let them escape justice.
"You just said you ’woke up.’ Who saw what happened before you woke up?" Li Hongxing’s mother proved to be quite sharp-tongued.
"What’s the use of arguing with me? Go tell the police if you’re so capable. If I don’t get a proper explanation, I’ll take this straight to court! I want to see just how much influence your Li Family really has." Bai Jiu was genuinely furious now. She had seen shameless people before, but never anyone this despicable.
"Let me remind you, I was brought straight to the hospital. The doctor drew my blood immediately, and a simple lab test will prove exactly what drug was in my system. It’ll be blatantly obvious whether Old Mrs. Song was capable of getting her hands on a drug like that.
"Whether Gao Zhiguo committed this atrocious crime or not, heaven knows, earth knows, he knows, and I know! I refuse to believe there’s no justice left in Blue Country!"
After shouting this, Bai Jiu was seized by a sudden, violent coughing fit. She coughed so hard she nearly hacked up her lungs, her face turning a deep, suffocated red.