Chapter 71

Chapter 71

Jiang Yiyan racked her brain and finally managed to say, "I deeply sympathize with what you've been through. But it's all in the past now, so don't dwell on it. I believe... I believe that Mother, wherever she is, would want you to live a good life."

Wen Mochuan certainly wanted to live a good life; it was his mother's last wish, which he had promised her.

Mother had suffered from a hereditary disease, one that had also claimed the lives of his aunts and grandmother. So there was no question of anyone being responsible for her death.

When he was younger, Wen Mochuan used to feel that fate was unfair, but as he grew older, his mindset became much more peaceful.

So for Jiang Yiyan's clumsy words of comfort, Wen Mochuan simply smiled and said, "Don't worry, I want to live a good life more than anyone else."

This left Jiang Yiyan at a loss for words.

Given how tragic his childhood had been and that he had shared it with her, could she really continue to fuss over who should cook? Besides, he had already offered to handle all meals for the next few days.

Jiang Yiyan was a kind-hearted person, and after empathizing with his difficult childhood, her attitude towards him softened.

"Forget it. Even if you're willing, I can't let you do everything alone. I might not be able to cook much, but I can help out with simple tasks."

Wen Mochuan did not refuse. "Alright."

His quick agreement made Jiang Yiyan wonder if she had fallen into some trap. But it was too late to take back her words now.

Well, seeing Meimei so happy, it was worth it for her sake.

Wen Mochuan could cook, but only simple home-style dishes. Sweet and sour ribs, braised carp, boiled shrimp, stir-fried broccoli, and a vegetable meatball soup. The family of three enjoyed these simple dishes heartily.

The dishes were common, but they tasted great, which impressed Jiang Yiyan.

Both mother and daughter ate until they were full and couldn't help burping simultaneously, causing them to laugh together.

Meimei was genuinely happy today, and her laughter became increasingly exaggerated, almost silly.

Jiang Yiyan was also very happy, and this warmth gave her hope for the future.

She had wavered before, but her rational mind kept reminding her not to indulge in this fleeting joy.

Her husband wasn't hers, and neither was her daughter. Everything was just an illusion.

Jiang Yiyan remained firm about getting a divorce, so even though she knew Wen Mochuan's efforts were aimed at saving their marriage, she was unmoved. She had work to do, but she still kept her promise to come down and help with cooking every day.

Wen Mochuan worked from home these days, spending only one or two hours on work each day, while the rest of his time was devoted to spending time with his daughter and doing household chores.

With Feng Ma and Fang Fang away, not only were the meals unprepared, but the house was also untidy. Jiang Yiyan didn't have time to clean, so these tasks inevitably fell to Wen Mochuan.

There were machines to replace manual labor, but they weren't fully automatic and still required human intervention.

These days, Wen Mochuan had become a full-time househusband.

Seeing this scene when she came downstairs, Jiang Yiyan felt a surge of emotion.

Suddenly, her phone rang, bringing her back to reality. She picked it up and smiled, calling out to Meimei, "Grandpa wants to video chat with you."

"Grandpa!" Meimei jumped off the sofa and ran to Jiang Yiyan.

Jiang Yiyan answered the video call and continued walking downstairs. Sitting on the sofa, she hugged her daughter and greeted Jiang Cheng.

"Dad," Jiang Yiyan called out.

Jiang Cheng was sitting on a sofa, and beside him sat Cai Wenqing, whose smiling face immediately came into view. Jiang Yiyan greeted her as well, "Aunt Cai is here too."

Meimei also shouted, "Grandpa! Grandma Cai!"

Jiang Cheng pretended to be stern. "It's been days since you last video chatted with Grandpa. How busy can you be?" Although he was speaking to Meimei, Jiang Yiyan knew he was actually addressing her.

In recent days, she had been preoccupied with discussing the divorce with Wen Mochuan and hadn't had the time or mood to connect with her family.

But this time, her father seemed to have made progress. Instead of waiting for her to call, he had taken the initiative to reach out.

Family members should support each other. Today, I take a step back; tomorrow, you take a step back. That's how relationships endure.

Always having one side give in can lead to resentment over time.

Jiang Yiyan saw her father's willingness to compromise, and the sight of his prominent white hair softened her heart.

So she patiently reassured him, "I've been busy these past few days, so I haven't been in touch much. It's my fault, Dad, I'm sorry."

Jiang Cheng, who wasn't really angry, was mollified by her apology.

"You need to take care of yourself, don't overwork yourself. Where is Mochuan? Why isn't he taking better care of you?" He asked, "Is it the weekend? Is Mochuan at home?"

"He's at home." Jiang Yiyan adjusted the camera to show Wen Mochuan, who was busy with a sweeping robot.

Seeing Wen Mochuan in casual clothes, handling the robot, he wondered, "Is it broken?"

Wen Mochuan, noticing the camera, looked up and smiled.

Jiang Yiyan readjusted the camera back to herself and explained, "No, Feng Ma and Fang Fang went back to their hometown, so he's been doing everything."

Jiang Cheng: "..." Although his daughter was benefiting, the traditionally patriarchal Jiang Cheng still felt uneasy about it.

"Why should Mochuan do these things?" His words hinted at favoring his son-in-law. "We could hire temporary help."

Jiang Yiyan replied, "They'll only be gone for a few days, so it's not worth hiring someone."

Wen Mochuan put aside his task and sat down.

"These are small matters, Dad, don't worry about it." He added, "Yiyan has been helping too; we work well together."

Meimei: "Dad's cooking is delicious!" Catching her mother's gaze out of the corner of her eye, her survival instinct forced her to add, "Mom washes the dishes so clean!"

Jiang Yiyan: "..." *Cough cough.*

It wasn't that she washed the dishes well; it was the dishwasher that did a good job.

Then came Jiang Cheng's laughter from the other end: "What did Meimei do?"

Meimei thought seriously for three seconds and then laughed a bit embarrassedly, "I just ate."

This remark made Jiang Cheng laugh even harder.

After the video call ended, Jiang Cheng still had a content smile on his face.

Beside him, Cai Wenqing smiled along. "Yiyan and Mochuan's relationship is getting better, which is truly heartwarming."

Jiang Cheng took a deep breath, feeling relieved. "These two kids have grown up. Yiyan has become more sensible, and Mochuan is becoming increasingly mature and steady. Now that they don't fight anymore and life is peaceful, I feel at ease."

Cai Wenqing thought to herself that no one argued with Jiang Yiyan before, and their lives were chaotic. That chaos was entirely due to Jiang Yiyan herself. But such words would never be spoken aloud. Even in front of Jiang Cheng, she wouldn't show any dissatisfaction with Jiang Yiyan.

She could only follow him, playing the supporting role. If he praised his daughter, she naturally joined in the praise.

But Cai Wenqing felt resentful inside. She always believed that Jiang Yiyan, this stepdaughter, had taken away the happiness that should have belonged to her own daughter.

Before, when Jiang Yiyan caused trouble and their lives were chaotic, Cai Wenqing found some solace in thinking it was self-inflicted and that karma was at work. But now, seeing how Jiang Yiyan had completely changed and her life was improving, Cai Wenqing felt even more aggrieved for her own daughter.

The more she felt injustice for her daughter, the more resentment she harbored toward Jiang Yiyan.

In the past, she could maintain a calm demeanor and pretend to be magnanimous, but now, Cai Wenqing was growing increasingly unwilling to put up with it.

Jiang Xu was not inferior to Wen Mochuan in terms of conditions. Although the Jiang family might not be as large as the Wen family, Jiang Xu was the heir to the Jiang Group. As for Wen Mochuan, with his two older brothers around, it was unlikely he would take over the Wen family's vast business.

Moreover, Wen Mochuan himself had long given up his inheritance rights.

If Yao Yao could have married Jiang Xu, it would have been perfect. But now, she was Jiang Xu's stepmother, and Yao Yao was his stepsister. Though they shared no blood relation, they couldn't be together.

Not to mention that Jiang Cheng would never agree, even if he did, the gossip within their social circle would be enough to deter them.

Cai Wenqing hoped her daughter could be a respected wife in a wealthy family, not someone who appears glorious in public but faces criticism behind closed doors.

If her daughter had a better suitor than Jiang Xu, Cai Wenqing wouldn't be so troubled. But after five years abroad, Yao Yao hadn't entered the circle of rich second-generation heirs domestically. After returning, she had few opportunities to meet new people. Apart from Jiang Xu, she hardly interacted with anyone else.

Even now, working at the Jiang Group, who among her colleagues could match Jiang Xu?

Cai Wenqing wanted to broaden her daughter's social circle, but lacked the opportunity.

She couldn't help but feel resentful, thinking that if Jiang Yiyan had returned after completing her studies, Jiang Cheng would have held several welcome banquets by now. Yet, Yao Yao has been back for quite some time, and he hasn't mentioned anything.

Previously, although Cai Wenqing had grievances, since Jiang Cheng didn't have such intentions, she couldn't do much about it. But now, for her daughter's future happiness, Cai Wenqing couldn't help but become more active in her thoughts.