Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Whether Jiang Mingchuan would help or not, Jin Xiuzhu didn't know. All she knew was that she had laid her cards on the table, and he wouldn't hold her back.

In the following days, Jin Xiuzhu waited quietly. Before she heard from Chef Zhang, however, she caught wind of an uproar next door.

Though Jin Xiuzhu was curious, it wasn't appropriate for her to openly inquire. It was He Yan who told her during breakfast one morning that Elder Sister Daya wanted to go to school, but Auntie Qian and Grandma Wu disagreed. Elder Sister Daya was crying at home, saying they favored her brother. Auntie Qian was so angry that she hit her with a stick.

He Yan's face had filled out recently due to better meals, his chin rounding a bit. Frowning, he said, "Elder Sister Daya has always wanted to go to school. I've seen her read Xiaojun's books several times, asking him how to pronounce certain words. Once, Xiaojun snapped at her, and she was upset for a long time."

Back when he lived with the Wus, he felt sorry for Elder Sister Daya. But he was also pitiful. He didn't dare say anything, only thinking that if he ever went to school, he'd teach her. Now that he no longer lived with Grandma Wu, he couldn't do that.

Jin Xiuzhu nodded. Whether in the Great Jing Dynasty or here, girls faced more challenges.

When she was young, her family sold her and her second sister to traffickers just to feed her brother. Her second sister died on the journey, and the traffickers kept her alive, planning to sell her to a brothel. It was the Second Lady of the Marquis Mansion who saw potential in her and bought her, even using underhanded means to send her to the residence of the heir.

She instructed, "We should stay out of other people's business. If anyone asks, just say you don't know."

He Yan obediently nodded before asking, "What if Wu Xiaojun tells me himself?"

Wu Xiaojun had a big mouth and liked to share his family's affairs.

"It depends on what he says. If he complains about his family, tell him he's overthinking things. You think his family is great—his parents work hard, his grandmother is kind, and his sister is sensible. Every family has its struggles, and he needs to understand them. If he criticizes himself, praise him for being filial and understanding. When talking to others, always be cautious. Try to say nice things, as bitter truths aren't always welcome. Also, you can't be sure you'll always be friends. If you ever fall out, your harsh words could come back to haunt you. Of course, you shouldn't flatter people too much either, as that would seem insincere. You need to find the right balance."

He Yan nodded vigorously; nobody had ever taught him these things.

He felt guilty, remembering how he used to agree with Wu Xiaojun's complaints to avoid being excluded.

Beside them, Fu Yanyan gripped her chopsticks tightly. The old Jin Xiuzhu would immediately shoot down and criticize anyone, as if doing so made her superior.

Jiang Mingchuan had always acted this way, but not because he thought about it as much as Jin Xiuzhu did—it was simply his nature.

Looking up at Jin Xiuzhu, he realized there were many aspects of her that surprised him.

Jin Xiuzhu didn't think her words would have a significant impact on the children. This was just a small part of her survival strategy. Now that He Yan and Yanyan were her children, teaching them was normal.

She not only expected the children to follow her advice but also practiced it herself.

That morning, Qian Yufeng came over with red eyes. Jin Xiuzhu served her some freshly baked pastries, cutting them into small pieces and placing them on a plate.

Qian Yufeng took a bite. They were salty, filled with shredded radish and pickles, but delicious. She couldn't resist eating two more and then looked apologetically at Jin Xiuzhu. "Sis, you're so talented. You always make such tasty treats. Xiaojun keeps pestering me to make them, but I don't know how."

She sighed. "Neither of my kids is considerate. I used to think Elder Sister Daya was quiet and well-behaved, but now she's not. She wants to go to school and accuses me of favoritism. What favoritism? She doesn't appreciate her good fortune. If she went around the village, she'd see that no one else has it as easy. She's well-fed and warm, and she doesn't have to work in the fields."

"What's the point of educating a girl? In the end, she'll just get married and have kids. Isn't that a waste of money? Sis, don't laugh at me. I just want to save some money."

Jin Xiuzhu comforted her. "I feel the same way. I want to save money too, but the kids are so skinny. Since we don't have much money anyway, I figure we might as well enjoy food and drink and take care of their health."

Qian Yufeng shook her head. "You don't understand. My situation is different from yours. Most of my husband's salary goes to support his family back home. Thinking about it makes me angry. His father had another wife before he passed away, and she had a son—my husband's older brother. A few years ago, he fell while working in the fields and hit his head on a rock, leaving him paralyzed. We sent money twice, and his good-for-nothing sister-in-law stopped working to take care of him and her kids, relying on my husband to support them. Even if they ate meat every other day in the countryside, it wouldn't cost fifty yuan. I told my husband that his brother doesn't need expensive medicine since he's paralyzed. I used to hope he'd recover, but now it seems unlikely."

"If Xiaojun's father brought all his money home, would I deny Elder Sister Daya an education? She has a younger brother who will soon need to start a family. I need to save money for Xiaojun's marriage. Life isn't easy for me."

Her eyes welled up again as she lamented her fate.

Jin Xiuzhu looked at her sympathetically, gently patting her back. "I had no idea you were dealing with so much, Sis. Don't blame Elder Sister Daya. She's done better than most kids. That's why she's only starting to complain now. It's actually good that she's expressing her thoughts. Think about it: you used to say she was reserved. Now that she's telling you what she thinks, it shows progress. You won't have to worry about her being mistreated when she gets married."

She paused before continuing. "Also, hearing your story, I think there might be something questionable about Xiaojun's uncle's family. Maybe his father and grandmother know but don't want to say anything because of family ties. As a daughter-in-law, you're in a difficult position, but Elder Sister Daya's outburst might be an opportunity."

Hearing this, the anxious Qian Yufeng gradually calmed down, finding some truth in Jin Xiuzhu's words. Her eyes lit up as Jin Xiuzhu continued. "What do you mean? Go on."

"From Elder Sister Daya's living conditions, it's clear that Xiaojun's father and grandmother love her."

Qian Yufeng nodded vigorously. "Indeed, when she was little, her father would always carry her when he came home, and her grandmother never let her do heavy work."

"No matter how good outsiders are, they can't compare to one's own flesh and blood. Sis, go home and comfort Elder Sister Daya. Think about when we were daughters. We didn't dislike our younger siblings; we just wanted to be sure our parents loved us. But as parents, we sometimes overlook these things. No matter how well we act, it's not as important as a kind word. Kids are young and only see the surface. They don't understand your intentions."

These words resonated deeply with Qian Yufeng, making her realize that Elder Sister Daya hadn't understood how much she cared.

Reflecting on Jin Xiuzhu's words, she found them increasingly insightful. Indeed, as a daughter-in-law, she was an outsider, and her words couldn't match those of her own children.

But she was an outsider, and Elder Sister Daya's uncle was even more so.

Realizing this, Qian Yufeng couldn't sit still any longer. She got up to leave, eager to talk to Elder Sister Daya.

Jin Xiuzhu gave her two pastries as she left.

Back inside, Fu Yanyan looked at Jin Xiuzhu and suddenly asked, "Mom, do you really think Auntie Qian loves Elder Sister Daya?"

Jin Xiuzhu responded instinctively, "Why do you ask?"

"Because if Auntie Qian truly loved Elder Sister Daya, she wouldn't come to you to complain."

Jin Xiuzhu was taken aback but didn't find it strange coming from her three-year-old daughter, knowing some children were precocious.

After careful consideration, she said, "Love can be sensed. If you doubt someone's love for you, they probably don't love you. I said those things because Auntie Qian wanted to hear them."

Fu Yanyan remained silent, wondering if the previous Jin Xiuzhu didn't love her at all.

Seeing her downcast mood, Jin Xiuzhu reassured her. "But you don't have to feel bad for Elder Sister Daya. Sometimes realizing your parents don't love you can be a good thing."

Fu Yanyan looked up at her.

Jin Xiuzhu smiled. "It can reduce a lot of worries. Human relationships are complicated. So, no matter who you meet in the future, if they don't like you, you don't have to like them. You don't have to please or accommodate them. Just be yourself. There are millions of people in the world, and some will dislike or like you for no reason."

Fu Yanyan never expected to hear such words from Jin Xiuzhu, but they felt like a pair of hands slowly opening a long-sealed door in her heart.

Light flooded in instantly.

In the afternoon, when Jiang Mingchuan returned, Jin Xiuzhu happily shared with him, "I think our Yanyan might be a genius."

Jiang Mingchuan stuffed a log into the stove and chuckled at this, "Why do you say that?"

Jin Xiuzhu recounted the events of the morning to Jiang Mingchuan. She wasn't worried about him thinking her intentions were bad; after all, he had long known what she was like, "She's only three, yet she understood the subtleties and complexities, and pointed out the truth bluntly. That's just very smart."

While Jiang Mingchuan was also surprised by Yanyan's words, he was more concerned about Jin Xiuzhu's dangerous thoughts, "You can't teach children like that. She's only three; how could you say such things to her? What if she grows up twisted?"

Jin Xiuzhu gave him a sidelong glance, "What I said is solid truth. How would she grow up twisted? Are you going to teach her to be kind and understanding, but bear grievances silently? That's leading her down the wrong path. For ordinary families' children, it's important to be street-smart. Just wait and see, if Daya doesn't change her ways, she'll have plenty of hardships ahead."

Knowing he couldn't convince her, Jiang Mingchuan decided to talk to his daughter alone after dinner, telling her that some of her mother's words could be listened to, but others shouldn't be taken too seriously, "The most important thing in life is kindness and sincerity. There are always more good people in the world. You're still a child, don't make people out to be too complicated."

Fu Yanyan looked up at him and suddenly said, "But Dad isn't sincere either."

Jiang Mingchuan laughed, "How is Dad not sincere?"

Fu Yanyan replied, "I overheard it. Dad lent money to Uncle Wu before, and when Uncle Wu said he couldn't repay it for now, Dad said it was fine, but Mom doesn't know about it."

"..."

Jiang Mingchuan subconsciously glanced back, relieved when he saw no one around.

A hint of amusement flickered in Fu Yanyan's eyes.

Jiang Mingchuan felt a bit awkward, "That depends on the situation. You're still young, there's no need to think too much. Extreme wisdom can lead to harm, we shouldn't exhaust ourselves too much."

Fu Yanyan fell silent, feeling a soft ache within her heart.

Whether in her previous life or now, Father Jiang always had her best interests at heart.

After Jiang Mingchuan left, voices soon came from the kitchen.

He Yan, who had been writing nearby, couldn't resist leaning over to ask his sister once their father was gone, "What were you talking about? Why can't I understand?"

The smile vanished from Fu Yanyan's face as she glanced at him coolly, "Idiot."

He Yan looked aggrieved, "Why are you cursing?"

Feeling that his sister acted differently towards others.

Author's note:

Jin Xiuzhu: You lend money to others and then write it off?

Jiang Mingchuan: Dear, let me explain...

Fu Yanyan: Brother said so.

He Yan (unbelievable): I said so?

Fu Yanyan: See, he admitted it himself.