Neither Jiang Conghe nor Lu Shufen knew anything about Chiang Qing’s self-harming behavior; they both reveled in their daughter’s apparent improvement.
"Qingqing seems to be getting better; it’s such a stroke of luck. I think she will fully recover after a bit more time!" Lu Shufen’s greatest joy was her daughter’s recovery.
"Don’t get careless, after all, it’s psych..." Jiang Conghe caught his wife’s warning glance and didn’t finish his sentence, coughing instead and saying, "Anyway, the treatment must continue. Doctor Zhong is an authoritative doctor; unless she says it’s okay, we must continue. You need to keep a close watch, the medication can’t stop, she’s our only daughter!"
"Yes, I know that," Lu Shufen replied. "But I think it’s about time. Qingqing herself wants to go out for a walk; she says it’s too stifling staying at home."
Jiang Conghe frowned upon hearing this.
"What? Is there a problem?" Lu Shufen, observing his expression, couldn’t help but ask.
"It’s better to recuperate at home for now. Once this commotion has died down, then she can go out," Jiang Conghe said hesitantly.
"What commotion? My daughter isn’t a criminal," Lu Shufen was disgruntled and said, "People outside are quick to make assumptions based on rumors, always talking nonsense. How is one to get better if they’re cooped up at home every day?"
"Of course, I know she needs to go out, but what if she hears what people are saying about her? What if she’s affected by that?" Jiang Conghe said, adding that there was something he hadn’t mentioned: the focus was currently all on the Chiang Family, and if they were to make a spectacle of themselves now, that focus would not shift away.
Lu Shufen was speechless.
"The main thing now is for Qingqing’s illness to improve, isn’t it?" Jiang Conghe comforted her.
Lu Shufen’s eyes reddened as she said, "This way, neither of us can leave the house, but I don’t have the face to go out anymore!" She had been genuinely suspended from her job.
"I just came back from my father-in-law’s place. Dad said if you’re not a director anymore, then you’re not. Later we can transfer you to another department. For now, while you’re resting, stay at home with Qingqing. When you’re free, you can arrange flowers or learn tea ceremony or something. I hear it’s quite popular in our circles now," Jiang Conghe reassured her.
At the mention of this, Lu Shufen felt even more distressed, voicing her grievance: "What’s the use of learning that, when all those people probably don’t know how to view us, mother and daughter alike? You have no idea how arrogant Xiao Meilan sounded over the phone when she told me about the suspension."
Lu Shufen had been proud for most of her life and never expected to stumble over something like this now that she was older.
It was all that bitch with the surname Cheng’s fault!
"Forget it, forget it. Don’t bother with them. Dad said we need to keep a low profile for now. Once this blows over, it’ll all be fine!" Jiang Conghe said. "Prepare some nutritional supplements or something; I’ll send someone to Qing City. The Chief said that I should take good care of Qi Taiguo."
"The decision has been made?" Lu Shufen was startled.
Jiang Conghe nodded, saying, "They noted an infraction on my record, which is why I’m telling you to keep a low profile. Once I rise higher up, you’ll have plenty of people trying to curry favor with you, even kneeling and licking your shoes!"
Lu Shufen scoffed, "Having to apologize to those lowlifes is so revolting. Director Wang is doing this on purpose, isn’t he? Just to make a laughing stock out of us." "Don’t talk like that anymore. Whether or not I can occupy that position depends on him!" Jiang Conghe warned.
Lu Shufen sullenly said, "Regardless, I just can’t accept it, it makes me uneasy."
For people like them to have to apologize to someone of lower status, what kind of situation was that?
Jiang Conghe’s expression grew very grave, and after a long while, he finally said, "Don’t worry, we’ll get our own back eventually!"
Qi Taiguo, hmph, what’s he compared to us!