Ying Jingsheng examined the confidential file Wang Anran had sent, his heart tightening.
Tao Haizhen's direct superior at the Southwest Branch back then turned out to be Ying Huaishan?
If so, was Tao Xinrou's ultimate goal also Ying Huaishan?
Since she wanted to enter the archives, she must want to know her father's connections at the time. It seemed she didn't yet know she was up against Ying Huaishan.
But how far had she gotten in her investigation? How much did she know about her father's case? He wasn't sure. He needed to probe her on this point.
*
Still nursing her grudge, Tao Xinrou was indeed furious.
She decided she wouldn't serve Ying Jingsheng anymore.
So at dinner that night, she not only kept a straight face but even made Ying Jingsheng serve his own rice.
Tao's mother didn't understand and kept signaling her with her eyes, but Tao Xinrou pretended not to see, shoveling rice into her mouth rapidly while the little person in her heart had already drawn Ying Jingsheng on a target and stabbed him countless times: [So what if you're the president! A boss who hinders employees' progress is not a good tenant!]
Ying Jingsheng, however, remained calm, served himself rice, sat down to eat quietly, and even took an extra helping of the eggplant she had cooked when Tao's mother enthusiastically recommended it, complimenting, "Auntie's cooking is really good."
This made Tao Xinrou even angrier.
Eat, eat, eat! That's all you know! Where's my archive pass?
She glared at Ying Jingsheng, but unexpectedly he caught her. Startled, Tao Xinrou immediately lowered her head, pretending to pick at the rice grains in her bowl, her heart bitter.
Another tasteless meal. Tao Xinrou shuffled back to her room and collapsed onto the bed.
"Xiaorou, have you been under a lot of work pressure lately? You look thinner to me," Tao's mother said with concern.
Tao Xinrou sat up abruptly and touched her face.
Indeed, her chin did seem a bit sharper.
Of course—eating poorly and sleeping poorly every day, how could she not lose weight?
"Mom, I'm fine. Don't worry. By the way, how did your checkup go this month?"
Tao's mother suffered from rheumatic heart disease and needed daily medication to control her heart rate, plus regular echocardiograms to assess her valve condition.
The doctor had long mentioned that if her condition progressed to severe stenosis or combined insufficiency, she might need a heart valve replacement.
But for now, with medication, her condition was relatively stable, though she occasionally felt chest tightness and shortness of breath, especially on rainy days or after exertion. She always feared worrying her daughter, so she'd say, "It's fine, just an old problem." This time, Tao Xinrou heard the same words from her mother.
Tao Xinrou pressed further: "Did the doctor really say it's stable? Are you taking your medicine on time? When's your next checkup? I'll go with you."
At the string of questions, Tao's mother could see Tao Xinrou's worry. She nodded, her smile gentle but unable to hide the weariness of long-term illness: "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. I take my medicine on time. The doctor said as long as I rest well, avoid catching cold and emotional upset, and get regular checkups, I can manage for a good while longer. Your work is already hard enough. Don't keep worrying about my old problem."
Tao Xinrou looked at her mother, her eyes showing even more concern: "Mom, how could I not worry about you? You must take your medicine on time. Don't worry about money. I'm earning now—I'll make sure you live to 100 in good health!"
Tao's mother looked at her with relief: "Rourou, Mom hasn't been capable in this life. I couldn't give you much support. You have to rely on yourself for everything. At the company, you must be careful, careful, and even more careful." She started coughing again.
After her father's death, they had originally lived at her grandmother's house. Tao's mother still took care of her mother-in-law's daily needs. She said they couldn't leave the old lady alone.
Back then, Grandma would hold Mom's hand and cry about how hard she had it.
Then Aunt came.
Aunt was married to a neighboring city. She had come back during the days right after Dad's accident. On the 35th day after his death, Aunt moved in again—and stayed for half a month.
When she walked in with her luggage, Tao Xinrou was playing in the yard. Aunt passed by without greeting her and went straight inside.
That night, Tao Xinrou heard Aunt and Grandma talking in the room.
"Mom, are you planning to live here forever?"
"Where else would I live?"
"You're the homeowner. You have the right to do some things. Haizhen's gone. This house, strictly speaking..."
Tao Xinrou couldn't hear the rest.
But from that day on, the atmosphere at home changed. Grandma always found fault with Mom—
"This dish is too salty. You know I have high blood pressure—are you trying to kill me?"
"The floor is so dirty, and you haven't wiped the table. What do you do all day?"
"Look, the kid is always running outside, not studying. What kind of example is that? We don't raise freeloaders here!"
And Aunt chimed in: "Yeah, sister-in-law, we entrusted Mom to your care because we trusted you. If anything happens to Mom, can you afford it?"
Tao's mother never talked back. She just lowered her head and said, "Yes, Mom, I'll be more careful next time."
Tao Xinrou didn't understand why Grandma had suddenly changed so much.
But these incidents grew more severe. Once, while Tao's mother was mopping the floor, she didn't watch Grandma in the room, and Grandma fell. Aunt couldn't hold back anymore: "Sister-in-law, what do you mean by this! Mom wanted to move around—why didn't you watch her?"
Yet Aunt herself sat in the living room with the TV volume turned all the way up.
Tao's mother took off her rubber gloves, her face full of guilt: "Mom, are you okay? Let me take you to the hospital."
"Take me to the hospital? She must have broken a bone! If anything happens to my mom, can you afford it?"
Tao's mother's face flushed red. She wrung her hands, at a loss: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It's my fault."
"Sorry is useless? I told you long ago, you can't take care of my mom! My brother was killed by your bad luck, and now you're going to kill my mom!"