Chapter 31: Mother-Daughter Warmth

Chapter 31 Mother-Daughter Affection

"Why are you scolding my precious grandson again?"

Old Mr. and Mrs. Jiang, who hadn't seen their beloved grandson all day, arrived just in time for his dismissal from school. The moment they stepped through the door, they heard their daughter-in-law disciplining their eldest grandson. Old Mrs. Wang, fiercely protective of her kin, immediately bristled.

She darted in, pulled her plump grandson behind her, and without even asking what had happened, began to berate her daughter-in-law.

"You heartless woman! The child has been toiling over books all day outside—isn’t that exhausting enough? Instead of offering him good food and drink when he comes home, you point at his nose and scold him? What kind of mother are you? My poor Yao Zu..."

"Second Sister."

"Coming!"

Neither sister moved, but with that familiar call, Old Mrs. Wang immediately quieted down. Jiang Laosan could only wryly acknowledge his grandmother’s profound affection.

"Grandma, I don’t want to get spanked today!"

"You little brat, all you know how to do is bully your brother at home. If you’ve got the guts, why don’t you go out and conquer the world instead?

My precious grandson, it’s only been a day, but you’ve already thinned out. Quick, quick, come with Grandma—I’ve asked the kitchen to prepare lots of delicious treats.

We won’t share with them; it’s all for you..."

Old Mrs. Wang prattled on as she dragged her grandson away. Meanwhile, Old Mr. Jiang, who had accompanied her, frowned unhappily when he saw the bruise on his eldest granddaughter’s face.

"Which scoundrel hit you? Tell your grandpa, and I’ll go have a word with their parents!"

Jiang Wan smiled dismissively.

"If you go knocking on their door, you might end up having to pay them compensation for medical bills."

Well, that meant their child hadn’t been wronged. Satisfied, the old man walked out with his hands clasped behind his back, grumbling under his breath.

"A girl your age, brawling with others outside—what’s the meaning of that? Hurry up and get that bruise treated. Do you think it looks good, all blue and purple? Every day you all give us more worries, none of you know how to ease our minds..."

His grumbling faded into the distance, and the mother and her two daughters in Anran Residence couldn’t help but smile.

After sending Second Sister back to the courtyard to play, Xu Shi took out some ointment for bruises and swelling and applied it to Eldest Sister’s face while asking in a low voice,

"What really happened? Given your usual shrewdness, I doubt you’d get into a fight with the Li family’s son on your very first day there."

"Hehehe, Mother, you flatter me. What shrewdness do I have? Your daughter has always been better at resolving things through strength.

It wasn’t for no reason—we were in the right. The Li family probably doesn’t have the face to come knocking on our door, so don’t worry."

She said half-jokingly, and her mother lightly flicked her forehead.

"Who’s joking with you? Give me a straight story about what happened. Your father isn’t home right now, so we should lie low and avoid unnecessary trouble."

"Understood."

After her mother finished applying the ointment, Jiang Wan tilted her head and watched as her mother stood up to wash her hands. A warm feeling filled her heart, and her voice unconsciously took on a tender, docile tone.

"Mother, do you think the Prince of Huai will win in the end?"

Xu Shi took a cotton cloth to dry her hands, habitually glanced outside the door, and replied in a low voice,

"It’s highly probable. But until the final outcome is decided, no one can guarantee that there won’t be any surprises.

However, since we’ve already boarded this ship, we can only pray that it weathers the storms safely and reaches the other shore."

"Yes, you’re right."

Slumping down in her chair, Jiang Wan murmured,

"Before the final outcome is decided, anything can happen."

"Why the sudden philosophizing? Did something happen today at the Li family that you’re puzzled about? Why not tell me about it?"

Xu Shi walked over and sat beside her daughter, reaching out to smooth her somewhat tangled hair.

She sighed inwardly.

Life had been too hard in previous years, and her two daughters had suffered for it. When she and her elder sister were young, didn’t everyone have lush, cloud-like locks?

How could Wan Jie'er and Han Jie'er end up like this, looking like a pair of pitiful, scrawny, yellow-haired little things?

"The herbal tonics I prepared for you still need to be eaten regularly. Don’t dislike them just because they don’t taste good. If young girls don’t take care of their appearance, wouldn’t it be a waste of their youth?"

"I am eating them. But those things aren’t magic pills—how could they work overnight miracles? Don’t worry so much about everything. With a mother as beautiful as you, I promise Second Daughter will grow up to be a great beauty who’ll astonish the world!"

"You girl, always saying whatever comes to mind. If anyone is going to grow into a great beauty, it should be you too. My elder sister was once a breathtaking beauty, a rare beauty in this world!"

Xu Shi never avoided mentioning her elder sister in front of the children. In fact, it seemed as though she feared everyone would forget the woman named Xu Ruojin, so she always made sure to tell Jiang Wan and her sister how outstanding her elder sister had been.

Though in Jiang Wan’s eyes, this was just the everyday behavior of someone who was sister-obsessed.

"Alright, alright, Mother, you’re right.

Then I’ll try my best to grow up well, and strive to stand side by side with Second Daughter, taking the world by storm with our stunning beauty.

Don’t you worry, us sisters will definitely not tarnish the legendary beauty of you two, the Jin-Yu sisters!"

"You child! Who taught you to be such a chatterbox?"

Xu Shi was amused, her eyes crinkling with laughter as she tweaked her daughter’s soft earlobe, her gaze full of maternal affection.

"Don’t go starting fights with others outside from now on. It’s better for girls to be chaste and quiet.

I know you’re strong and have high spirits.

But Wan Jie'er, the world is often unfair to women, placing many restrictions on them. If you are too unconventional, you’ll only bring more troubles upon yourself.

Sometimes, an uneventful life is already a rare blessing. Don’t ask for too much, alright?"

Jiang Wan rested her head on her mother’s thin shoulder, feeling a sense of peace in her heart. It was a feeling she had never experienced in her previous life—a sense of security.

"I have a good head on my shoulders. Don’t worry."

"Mother knows my Wan Jie'er is clever. I’m not worried."

She gently stroked her daughter’s soft hair. A mother’s love for her child was always so tender and accommodating.

"Then tell me, why did you get into a fight?"

When it came to serious matters, Jiang Wan immediately sat up straight and met her mother’s gaze.

"Mother, be honest with me. Did you send us to the Li family with the intention of making a marriage match with their children?"

"Why would you ask that? Haven’t I already told you? Your father and I have no such intention."

Xu Shi also replied with a serious expression.

"If possible, your father and I hope all three of you will find partners you truly love in the future. After all, our family comes from common stock—we have no old family pedigree to speak of, and there’s no need for us to seek marriage alliances."