Chapter Four: Unbelievable!

"Godfather, godmother, I've just returned to Jiangcheng and still have some matters to take care of, so I won’t stay much longer."

Qin Mu stretched lazily as he stood up, and Wu Mu instinctively positioned himself behind him.

"Leaving so soon?"

Jiang Haishan remained composed, but hearing Wu Mu address Qin Mu, he couldn’t help but be startled. He had anticipated that his son, after ten years in the military, would achieve great things, but never imagined he would return and immediately ascend to such heights.

"Yes, I'll come back in a while. Maybe then I can attend Jiang Zhen’s wedding banquet."

With those words, Qin Mu slipped away, leaving behind a figure that no one dared meet with their gaze.

Once Qin Mu departed, exclamations erupted among the crowd.

"A... a general?"

"Did you see the man beside Qin Mu? He’s terrifying!"

Third Aunt collapsed on the floor from fright, recalling the awe-inspiring look Qin Mu had given earlier, her heart filled with lingering dread.

Zhao Jiacheng’s face was pale, his hands trembling, struggling to breathe. He could hardly believe someone from this humble Jiang family would possess such an extraordinary background!

It was simply inconceivable!

After seeing Qin Mu off, Jiang Haishan turned back, scoffing, "Look at you people, all dressed up like peacocks!"

"Lao Huang, didn’t your family book a venue? You wanted Xiao Mu to carry bricks for you, didn’t you?"

"No, no, I wouldn’t dare..." Lao Huang forced an awkward smile.

"And what about your water delivery business? Wasn’t your voice loud just now?"

"Oh, I was only joking."

"And your family..."

As Jiang Haishan questioned them one by one, the spectators’ faces lost all color, dispersing like frightened birds.

The shock Qin Mu had delivered was overwhelming, leaving them restless.

To ask a military officer to do manual labor for them—even if Qin Mu agreed, would they dare?

Jiang Haishan wore an expression of pride, happier now than he had ever been at any promotion.

The past period had been stifling, constantly hearing rumors about his Jiang family, how they clung to powerful connections for the sake of appearances, even selling their daughter.

Now, thanks to Qin Mu’s actions, he finally held his head high.

Who would dare say his Jiang family was shameless, or that he sold his daughter?

Zhao Jiacheng knew well enough to be embarrassed, found an excuse, and left with Third Aunt and the others.

Only Jiang Zhen remained, still unable to recover.

No matter how tightly she clenched her delicate fists, until her nails dug into her flesh, she could not calm the waves within her heart.

How could this be?

This person, picked up by her father and never favored by anyone, had changed so much in just ten years!

In her mind, with Qin Mu’s abilities, he should have remained obscure, never leaving this small county even if he risked his life. That would justify her conviction that marrying into the prestigious Zhao family was the right choice.

"No! I must ask him directly!"

Without heeding her parents' attempts to stop her, Jiang Zhen raced downstairs, just in time to catch Qin Mu about to get into his car.

"Jiang girl, what's wrong?" Qin Mu sat in the passenger seat, smiled as he saw Jiang Zhen approach.

"You..."

Jiang Zhen gazed at Qin Mu’s smile, unchanged from ten years ago. The words she wanted to say hovered on her lips, but she faltered, unable to voice them.

Suddenly, she remembered when she was a child, bullied by some boys in her class. She came home crying, and Qin Mu, without a word, rushed back to school.

Back then, Qin Mu wasn’t as tall and strong as he was now, even a bit frail, but he endured the blows of several boys, and knocked them all down.

When Jiang Zhen saw Qin Mu again, his face was swollen, but he still wore that smile, telling her that as long as he was there, no one would dare bully her.

No wonder her father, when he first brought Qin Mu home, warned her repeatedly to treat him well.

No wonder, when she insisted she wouldn’t marry Qin Mu but chose the wealthy Zhao family instead, Jiang Haishan sighed over and over, as if he had aged ten years.

Now, with Qin Mu’s current status, she had missed her chance for this match.

Jiang Zhen felt a pang of sadness, an emptiness within her heart.

"Will you come to my wedding banquet?"

After a long pause, Jiang Zhen gathered her courage, met Qin Mu’s eyes, and forced herself to sound carefree.

Qin Mu regarded her for a moment, then nodded solemnly.

"Yes, I will come."

...

"That little girl doesn’t seem to get along with you," Wu Mu remarked, driving the car and making casual conversation.

On the battlefield, their relationship was strictly hierarchical, but in everyday life, Wu Mu spoke bluntly.

"When I first arrived at the Jiang family as a child, she never quite accepted me," Qin Mu replied, eyes closed in recollection.

Children, after all—she’d been the pampered princess, suddenly forced to share her parents’ affection with an outsider. Any child would be unsettled.

But Qin Mu matured early, always yielding to Jiang Zhen, never letting the conflict escalate.

After Qin Mu left to serve in the military, Jiang Zhen, coming of age, wanted to pursue Zhao Jiacheng. Her father objected, insisting she marry Qin Mu, and Jiang Zhen rebelled, determined to join the Zhao family and prove her father wrong.

"What a pity," Wu Mu pursed his lips and shook his head, referring, of course, to Jiang Zhen.

"Enough about this. Have you found a suitable place to live?" Qin Mu massaged his temples.

He intended to stay in Jiangcheng for a while to investigate the deaths of his biological parents.

"I have. Swallow’s Return Garden, one of the top communities in Jiangcheng. It’s not far from Jiangcheng High School."

"Oh?"

Qin Mu was pleased by the latter detail, as he had studied for two years at Jiangcheng High. Now, he could occasionally revisit his old campus.

As for the money for the luxury home, Qin Mu didn’t bother to ask; with his current position, such trivial sums were beneath his concern.

Since it was a top-tier residence, when Qin Mu moved into Swallow’s Return Garden, the house was already fully decorated, with furniture neatly arranged and spotless.

Wu Mu had deliberately chosen a style to Qin Mu’s preference—simple, with a hint of traditional elegance—so when Qin Mu opened the door, it didn’t feel overly lavish.

"I’ll take the master bedroom, pick any guest room you like. After a day on the road, if you’re tired, just go rest." Qin Mu yawned, grabbed some new clothes, and headed for a shower.

"By the way, what's the situation with Zhu Bin?" Qin Mu suddenly remembered.

"I have someone tailing him. After leaving, he borrowed money from a few distant relatives, and now he's still holed up at the casino."

"Seems he didn’t take the general’s words seriously."

Wu Mu reported honestly.

"Alright, we’ll settle accounts with him tomorrow."

Qin Mu nodded, a cool tone tinged with menace.

He always meant what he said.

...

The next morning, Qin Mu had a simple breakfast, donned loose sportswear, and jogged a few laps around the community under the rising sun.

Returning, he found Wu Mu waiting with the car at the gate.

"Let’s go."

Jiangcheng’s First Welfare Institute, also called the Little Cradle Welfare Institute, was the city’s largest childcare organization, funded directly by the municipality, centrally located with excellent facilities rivaling top universities.

It boasted a wealth of educational resources, catered to early childhood education, and cared for left-behind children, consistently earning praise from city officials.

"General, we’re here."

After a short drive, the Little Cradle Welfare Institute appeared before them.

"I spent seven years here," Qin Mu said, his eyes filled with emotion.

It was hard to imagine what dire circumstances would compel parents to entrust their child to a stranger’s care for seven years.

Wu Mu took the opportunity to park the car and handle admission procedures.

Shaking his head, Qin Mu refused to dwell on memories, instead approaching a vacant hall nearby, feeling puzzled.

"I remember this used to be a library—why is it closed?"

As a child, Qin Mu spent hours in the library.

But now the familiar place was tightly shut, dust thick on the doors, evidently unused for years. Through the glass, he could see empty bookshelves and just a few broken stools.

For some reason, Qin Mu felt the welfare institute was unusually quiet, lacking the innocent laughter of children.

"Registration’s done. I’ve also inquired about Zhu Bin’s whereabouts," Wu Mu said, returning.

"No rush."

Qin Mu walked deeper into the institute.

Wu Mu fell silent, keeping pace.

This was a courtyard for orphans and left-behind children. Through the wooden fence, he could see many kids playing.

Qin Mu ignored the guards, stepping inside. They tried to stop him, but Wu Mu, towering and holding a permit, intervened, so they let it go.

Qin Mu entered quietly, choosing a corner and sat down.

Beside him was a solitary little girl; while others played in groups, she built sandcastles alone.

Qin Mu rolled a clay ball in his hand, helping her with her castle.

The girl was surprised to see an adult: "Big brother, what’s your name?"

"My name is Qin Mu. What’s your name?" Qin Mu asked gently.

"I’m Sisi," she replied in a childish voice.

Qin Mu smiled; she reminded him somewhat of Jiang Zhen as a child.

"How are things here?" Qin Mu probed.

The girl grew suddenly anxious, stammering, "Sisi is fine. Sisi is very happy here."

Hearing this, Qin Mu sensed something was amiss.

Meanwhile, the security guards outside grew agitated, shouting, "What’s that man doing inside? Come out!"

When Qin Mu didn’t respond, one reached for his baton, but Wu Mu quickly pinned him down.

Qin Mu tried to take Sisi’s hand.

But she recoiled as if shocked, crouching in the corner, terrified and crying.

"Sisi will be good! Sisi will obey! Uncle, please don’t hit Sisi!"

Wu Mu saw Qin Mu’s expression darken.

"Don’t worry. With big brother here, no one will dare bully you."

Qin Mu knelt beside Sisi, hands open, waiting quietly.

His words carried a peculiar power; Sisi, half-believing, slowly extended her right hand.

Qin Mu gently rolled up her sleeve—and froze.

Before his eyes, the once tender skin bore dozens of dense, bloody welts from a whip.