Reborn in the 1980s: I became a stepmother in the 1980s

Part 157 Business

Jingxiu was shocked. "What's going on here? This thing about checking the water meter is obviously a scam!" She snorted, "Get lost! If you don't leave, my brother will come back and beat you!"

Suzi Xi chuckled disdainfully. "Jingxiu seems smart, but not quite enough."

"If there really were bad people outside, wouldn't this be telling everyone that my brother isn't home?" Her younger sister, Subao, wouldn't make such a mistake at her age.

"My brother asked me to get something from you," Suzi Xi said expressionlessly. "A dark red ring hanging around your neck."

Jingxiu was taken aback. How did he know? Her brother said no one else knew about this ring, instructed her to keep it hidden, and not to tell anyone. So Jingxiu wore the ring on a black string around her neck. Apart from her brother, no one else knew. Could this person really be her brother's friend? As she looked at him again, he seemed vaguely familiar. Perhaps she had seen him around her brother before... but couldn't remember?

Outside the door, Su He Wen muttered to himself, "Will she really open the door?"

At that moment, Su He Wen had many doubts in his mind, but before he could ask anything, he saw the door open cautiously, and Jingxiu poked out her head warily.

Su Zi Xi stood still, calmly saying, "Don't worry, we won't come in. Just hand over the ring to me."

Jingxiu double-checked, "Are you really sent by my brother?"

Su Zi Xi replied expressionlessly, "Yes. Hurry up, or your brother will be in trouble."

Jingxiu felt a bit anxious. She didn't know the significance of the ring. Her brother only said that if something happened, she should discard the ring and he would rush back immediately. Could it be about the incident a few days ago when she got pushed aside and scratched her face... Did her brother find out?

Jingxiu hesitated, "Okay." She took off the ring and handed it to Su Zi Xi.

Su Zi Xi took it and glanced at her, saying, "Be more independent in the future. Don't always rely on others to serve you."

Jingxiu dared not speak, watching Su Zi Xi leave with bewildered eyes. She closed the door, feeling lost.

Be independent? How could she manage... Who would cook for her, clean up, wash her clothes, and fold the blankets?

As Su He Wen went downstairs, he still felt like the two brothers were acting like swindlers.

"Second brother, how did you know she definitely had a ring on her, hanging around her neck?" Su He Wen asked curiously.

Su Zi Xi said, "On the day of the car accident, theoretically, Duan Meixuan couldn't have pushed Jingxiu away with such speed."

Su He Wen asked, "But she had an evil spirit on her head. If that evil spirit was there to protect Jingxiu, it's normal for her to rush over."

Su Zi Xi shook his head, "Besides that, there was also a flash of dark red light at that time."

With so many cars and traffic lights around, it's easy to overlook that faint light. But Su Zi Xi noticed it keenly.

He didn't understand at the time, but now knowing that Duan Meixuan had a chicken blood vine ring, he understood.

Su He Wen realized, "So, Jingxiu wasn't normal at that time..."

Being thrown by Duan Meixuan, she should have been more seriously injured, possibly with more than just scratches on her face.

Su Zi Xi nodded, "So, Jingxiu definitely has a ring too. There must be a kind of 'exchange' relationship between them."

Su He Wen asked, "In other words, Duan Meixuan was a substitute for protecting Jingxiu."

That's why Duan Meixuan was so severely injured... almost all bones broken.

Considering the evil spirit's instructions for Duan Meixuan to take care of Jingxiu, it's inferred that the evil spirit was supervising Duan Meixuan to voluntarily become Jingxiu's caregiver.

And the chicken blood vine ring not only bound the evil spirit but also bound Duan Meixuan. All these arrangements were for Jingxiu—

Not only did they find a willing caregiver for Jingxiu, but they also turned the girl into a tool for protection. If there was a life-threatening situation, instead of Jingxiu dying, it would be Duan Meixuan.

This is too malicious!

Su Zi Xi sneered, "Only someone like Jing Zhan could pull off something like this."

Receiving Jingxiu's ring, he would study whether he could use it to break the binding among the three parties. If not, they would think of other ways. Anyway, they had caught this evil spirit firmly.

Su He Wen was excited, "This evil spirit seems challenging this time, let me handle it!"

Su Zi Xi looked disdainful, "You didn't even notice the red light that flashed by at the time. Can you handle it?"

Su He Wen was taken aback, "..."

He felt a bit indignant. Just as he was about to retort, Su Zi Xi continued, "Furthermore, you don't even know why Jingxiu's ring is hanging around her neck. You're useless!"

Su He Wen pondered, "..."

What's going on? Wasn't he just guessing?

Su He Wen was puzzled, various conjectures flashing through his mind. Could it be because hanging it around the neck, close to the heart, was more effective? But Duan Meixuan wore hers on her hand, which doesn't explain it either.

Could it be that hanging it around the neck stabilized some kind of energy exchange... No, that doesn't hold up to scrutiny.

Could it be the ring was too big for Jingxiu's fingers... Su He Wen examined the ring; it was the right size.

It must be that Jing Zhan specifically instructed Jingxiu not to let others see the ring. But if that's the case, how did he know the ring was hanging around her neck? Why not hide it on her body? Wouldn't hanging it around the ankle be even more discreet?