Jiang Chun usually pushes a wheelbarrow to town; 30 minutes of time are enough.
But because she had to take care of Song Shi’an, this sickly guy, the mule cart was driven even slower than walking—took a full 45 minutes to arrive.
Fortunately, there was no rush, so Jiang Chun didn’t nag him.
After arriving at town, she first went to buy two packs of the cheapest pastries, costing sixteen wen.
Then she went to buy a small jar of the cheapest water wine, costing forty wen.
Song Shi’an secretly glanced at Jiang Chun.
Before leaving, Jiang He had instructed her not to be stingy when buying gifts, to pick good ones—she had agreed wholeheartedly.
But once she got to town, she obeyed in appearance but opposed in heart, picking only the cheap ones to buy.
Even fooled her own biological dad—truly a person whose outside and inside don’t match.
Jiang Chun sensitively noticed his gaze and waved a fist at him: “Mind your own mouth. Don’t talk nonsense in front of my dad, or else watch out—I’ll beat you up.”
Song Shi’an turned his head aside, not bothering to respond to her.
Jiang Chun drove the mule cart to the entrance of Osmanthus Street, jumped down from the shaft, then turned around and reached her hand toward Song Shi’an: “I’ll help you down.”
Song Shi’an hesitated for a moment, but still handed his hand over to her.
The mule cart used in the countryside didn’t have a carriage—only an open flatbed. And there definitely wasn’t any footstool to step on for getting up and down.
If he were to jump down like Jiang Chun did, with the current state of his body, he would definitely fall flat on his face like a dog gnawing mud.
Jiang Chun used strength in her hand to help this sickly guy Song Shi’an down from the cart.
Then she led the mule and tied it to the tree beside them, and took out the meat, pastries, and wine they brought from the back of the cart.
“Follow me.” She lifted her chin toward Song Shi’an, then raised her foot and walked toward a storefront with a sign hanging at the entrance that read “Wang’s General Goods Store.”
This storefront wasn’t big. All around were shelves lined up in a square, and in the center, only a narrow open space was left.
And in that narrow open space sat an old weaving loom.
Jiang Chun’s eldest aunt, Jiang Xi, was sitting behind the loom, creaking away at weaving cloth.
Upon hearing someone enter the shop, she hadn’t even raised her head when she first greeted enthusiastically: “Customer, what would you like to buy?”
After seeing it was her niece from her natal family, she immediately widened her eyes in surprise and said in astonishment: “Chun-niang, what brings you here?”
“Eldest Aunt,” Jiang Chun called once, lifting her eyes to look around at the simple and crude general store, then answered: “The festival’s coming soon. My dad asked me to come check on Eldest Aunt and by the way bring the new son-in-law for you to see.”
Hearing this, Jiang Xi then turned her gaze toward the entrance, where Song Shi’an was slowly walking in.
She immediately widened her eyes again in shock.
This niece’s husband is way too good-looking—eyes, nose, and mouth, not a single part looked bad. He was simply like one of those noble young masters in paintings.
She nervously rubbed her hands, dazed for a moment, then ran into the counter to take out two small stools, setting them on the floor.
Then urged, “Sit, Chun-niang and niece’s husband—both of you quickly sit down.”
Before Jiang Chun and Song Shi’an could react, she suddenly scooped up the two small stools into her hands again, and said with an awkward smile: “Look at me, how muddle-headed. Sitting in the shop, what kind of behavior is that? Come, let’s go sit at home.”
After speaking, she put the small stools back at the counter, then hurriedly ran to close the front door of the shop, pushed open the back door, and ushered them toward home: “Come, this way.”
She didn’t even remember to take the gifts Jiang Chun was holding.
Jiang Chun had no choice but to carry the meat and pastries in one hand, and hug the wine jar in the other, following behind Jiang Xi into the Wang family’s courtyard.
And then, in her heart, she gave a soundless “Woh-ho!”
Her eldest aunt was in front, weaving cloth and watching the shop, while the Wang family’s grandmother and granddaughter were sitting under the osmanthus tree drinking tea and eating fruit—looking like a picture of quiet days and peaceful detachment from worldly affairs.
Jiang Xi shouted excitedly toward the two under the tree: “Mother, my niece Chun-niang from my natal family brought her husband to come see the daughter-in-law! Yin-jie’er, come quickly and greet your cousin Chun.”
But the two of them acted as if they didn’t hear, continuing to drink tea as they drank tea, and to eat fruit as they ate fruit.
It didn’t matter if it were just the niece, but to lose face like this in front of the niece’s husband—Jiang Xi’s face turned red with embarrassment.
She didn’t dare to say anything to her mother-in-law, Old Lady Cao, so she could only urge her own daughter Yin-jie’er: “Yin-jie’er, Mother’s calling you. Quickly come over and greet your cousin Chun.”
Wang Yin’er patted the fruit crumbs off her hands, slowly stood up, and then swayed delicately as she walked over.
Once the person came closer, only then did Jiang Chun clearly see what she was wearing.
On the upper body, she wore a goose-yellow standing-collar blouse paired with a water-pink silk bijia; below, she wore a lake-green pleated skirt, with a snow-white hand towel tied at the waist. [比甲 (bǐjiǎ): a sleeveless jacket-like garment worn by women, traditional Chinese clothing.]
This entire outfit of grandeur was completely different from the pitiful little thing from before, who couldn’t get enough to eat or wear in the Wang family.
Seems like after she was sold by Old Lady Cao, her grandmother, to a wealthy household in the county city as a maidservant, she did mix well—otherwise she wouldn’t be able to get time off during the holidays to return home.
“Cousin.” Wang Yin’er flicked her handkerchief and gave a standard curtsey.
After rising, her gaze landed on Song Shi’an, openly sizing him up from top to bottom and back again, several rounds, without the slightest hesitation.
Then she smiled disdainfully and said: “Didn’t expect Cousin, someone so rough, to be the type who only looks at faces. Look at this door-to-door husband you got—so sickly, he’s only good for that face. What use can he be?”
Jiang Chun wasn’t angry at all, smiling as she replied: “I’m in charge of earning money and supporting the family, and husband is in charge of being beautiful like a flower. We’re practically a match made in heaven.”
Before Wang Yin’er could respond, she raised her brows again and said: “What, you got a problem with that? Even if you do, you better keep it in—because I’m not gonna listen to you anyway.”
Wang Yin’er: “You…”
Got retorted into speechlessness.
Seeing the two starting to bicker, Jiang Xi hurriedly came forward to smooth things over: “Chun-niang, don’t just stand outside in the wind. Come, let’s go sit inside the house.”
When her eyes fell on Jiang Chun, she finally noticed the gifts in her hands.
She quickly reached out to take them, and called to Wang Yin’er: “Yin-jie’er, hurry and take the things your cousin is holding.”
Before Wang Yin’er could say anything, Old Lady Cao spoke up first: “Don’t let her take them—be careful not to dirty her fine clothes.”
A sarcastic smile appeared at the corner of Jiang Chun’s mouth.
This Old Lady Cao really knows how to go with the wind and set her sails. [见风使舵 (jiàn fēng shǐ duò): idiom meaning “to act according to the prevailing circumstances,” often with a negative connotation of being opportunistic.]
Back then, when Wang Yin’er was considered a money-losing good, Old Lady Cao would scold and beat her at the drop of a hat, not even letting her eat her fill. In the end, she directly called a human trafficker and sold her off.
Now, Wang Yin’er gained the favor of her master’s daughter, dressed in gold and silver, even helped find work in the county for her older brother and sister-in-law—and in an instant, she became the precious darling held in Old Lady Cao’s palm.
Jiang Chun and Song Shi’an were brought into the Wang family’s main room by Jiang Xi to sit down.
Jiang Xi was about to go brew tea, but Old Lady Cao called out to stop her and told her to bring over the teapot she and Wang Yin’er were using.
Looking at the pale, weak tea poured out of the pot, Jiang Xi smiled awkwardly and said: “There’s no more tea at home. Chun-niang and niece’s husband, make do with it.”
Jiang Chun knew Jiang Xi’s situation in the Wang family wasn’t good, and didn’t want to make it difficult for her, so she didn’t say much.
When Jiang Xi served lunch, Old Lady Cao and Wang Yin’er sat at the head seat, but had them—the two guests—sit at the lower seat. [上席 (shàng xí): head seat; 下席 (xià xí): lower seat; hierarchical seating according to status.]
Guests follow the host’s arrangements—Jiang Chun didn’t take it too seriously and just took it as respecting the elders and caring for the young.
But when Old Lady Cao wouldn’t allow Jiang Xi, the cook, to sit at the table, Jiang Chun’s fiery temper could no longer be held back.
She slapped her chopsticks on the table with a loud “PA!” and said coldly: “Today we are representing my dad in coming to visit Eldest Aunt. And yet you, old lady, won’t even let Eldest Aunt sit at the table. What’s this—trying to show off in front of us from her natal family, deliberately making us lose face?”
Old Lady Cao was stretching her chopsticks out to pick meat, and was so startled by the sudden noise of chopsticks hitting the table that her hands trembled.
Just as she was about to speak, Wang Yin’er muttered first: “What’s so strange about it? My mom never sits at the table anyway.”
Jiang Chun let out a snort-laugh from anger: “You were sold to a trafficker by your own grandmother, and if you’ve managed to make something of yourself, that’s your own ability. But since you have the ability to lift up your brother and sister-in-law, why haven’t you lifted up your own mother? At the very least, let her be able to sit at the table to eat.”
After a pause, she raised her eyes and sized up Wang Yin’er for a moment, then sneered: “Or is it that, deep down, you look down on your mother, and think she’s not worthy of sitting at the table?”
Jiang Xi suddenly looked at Wang Yin’er, face full of nervousness, afraid she might give an affirmative answer.
Wang Yin’er bit her lip and avoided the topic, only muttering: “This household is ruled by Grandma. What can I do?”
“Whether you can or can’t—you know that in your own heart!” Jiang Chun sneered with disdain. “Ignoring your own mother in hardship, yet laughing and chatting with the grandma who sold you—that’s the biggest joke under heaven.”
“Our Wang family’s business—it’s not your place, a Jiang, to meddle in!” Old Lady Cao started yelling loudly.
As she yelled, she took off her shoe and flung it at Jiang Xi: “You damn bringer of misfortune! Not letting you eat at the table, just not letting you eat at the table! If you’ve got the guts, let your natal family come beat up this old woman!”
Old Lady Cao’s stinky shoe flew across the table—the meal for today clearly wasn’t going to happen.
“Heh, there’s actually someone asking to be beaten by me. Since that’s the case, then I won’t be polite!” Jiang Chun sprang to her feet with a “whoosh” and began rolling up her sleeves.
The original host had long wanted to beat this old hag, but had held it in all this time because of Jiang He’s obstruction and Jiang Xi’s situation.
Jiang Chun couldn’t care less—she rushed up, grabbed Old Lady Cao’s hair bun, and started punching her fat arms and her butt.
She beat Old Lady Cao until she cried for her father and called for her mother, howling and wailing: “Murder! Murder! Save me! This old woman is going to get beaten to death!”
Actually, Jiang Chun didn’t just want to beat up Old Lady Cao—she even wanted to beat up Grandma Li Shi, and even Eldest Aunt Jiang Xi too.
Back when Jiang Xi was getting engaged, Li Shi opened her mouth like a lion and demanded ten taels of silver as betrothal gift. She had promised to give five taels of silver as dowry, but on the wedding day, not only did she not give a single coin of dowry, she didn’t even have a wedding dress made.
Jiang Xi just wore a pitch-black coarse cloth outfit, carrying a small bundle of her old clothes, and got on the ox cart for the wedding.
Face-loving Old Lady Cao fainted from anger on the spot.
Ever since then, she never treated Jiang Xi, her daughter-in-law, as a human being—made her work like an ox or horse in the Wang family, didn’t allow her to eat at the table, and only gave her leftovers.
And Jiang Xi herself was spineless—treated by her own mother like this, yet not only didn’t resent it, every time she saw Jiang He, she would persuade him not to hold grudges against their mother, to be filial and all that.
So much so that Jiang He didn’t like seeing her—if there was something to be done, he would just send his daughter to handle it.
That’s why Jiang Chun said she was truly both pitiful and hateful.
But Jiang Xi had done a favor for their main branch.
Back then, when Mother Jiang was gravely ill, Jiang He had to slaughter pigs and sell meat to earn money for medicine. The rest of the Jiang family stood by and did nothing—it was Jiang Xi who ran back and forth between the town and Daliushu Village every day, cooking, feeding water, and cleaning up excrement and urine for her younger sister-in-law, Mother Jiang.
For that, she suffered no small amount of beatings and scoldings from Old Lady Cao.
If not for that, Jiang Chun wouldn’t have waded into this filthy water today.
Wang Yin’er stepped forward and tried to pull Jiang Chun back, urgently persuading: “My grandma’s old already. If you beat her and something happens, we’ll have to pay a huge amount in medical bills.”
Jiang Chun shoved her half a zhang away in one move, and said coldly: “What medical bills? I might as well beat her to death and just pay funeral expenses instead. That’ll save your family one extra mouth to feed!”
The moment Wang Yin’er was pushed away, she immediately ran back.
Jiang Chun raised her eyes and glared at her: “If you get in the way again, I’ll beat you too—especially your face.”
Wang Yin’er stopped in her tracks at once.
This cousin had strong hands, and she wasn’t the type to go easy. She had duty tomorrow serving in front of her young miss. If her face got injured and the young miss asked, it’d be hard to explain.
Jiang Xi, who had originally wanted to step in and break up the fight, shrank her neck at those words and didn’t dare go forward either.
Old Lady Cao heard Jiang Chun say she’d beat her to death, and saw her granddaughter Yin-jie’er cowed into silence. A wise man submits to circumstances—she immediately began begging for mercy.
“Stop, quickly stop! I, this old woman, was wrong! I’ll let Yin-jie’er’s mother sit at the table, isn’t that enough?!”
Not only did Jiang Chun not stop, she even took the opportunity to pinch the tender flesh at Old Lady Cao’s waist, making her scream like a pig being slaughtered.
She sneered coldly: “Trying to fool me? No way! Saying with your mouth that you’ll let my aunt sit at the table—aren’t you just going to torment her again the moment I walk out your door?”
Old Lady Cao wailed loudly: “Don’t pinch! Don’t pinch! I won’t torment her! I won’t torment her! Stop hitting! Someone’s going to die!”
Jiang Chun made a sound that, to Old Lady Cao, was like the voice of a devil: “From now on, you’re not allowed to torment my aunt anymore! Not allowed to keep her from sitting at the table!”
Old Lady Cao didn’t want to agree, but the pain in her flesh wouldn’t allow her to stay stubborn. She quickly kowtowed like pounding garlic: “Alright, alright, alright—I promise, I promise everything!”
First agree for now. It’s not like she’s going to live in this house—when the time comes, it’s still her word that counts.
But Jiang Chun saw those beady little eyes darting around and instantly knew she was scheming in her heart.
She immediately rained down another round of fists.
She said coldly: “Dare to fool me—I’ll come beat you up every time I find out! Our family has a meat stall in town. As long as I’m willing to spend some silver to hire idle men to keep watch, you won’t be able to hide a single thing from me.”
This time, Old Lady Cao was completely out of moves. She wailed like she had lost her husband: “Don’t dare fool you! Don’t dare fool you!”
This niece of the Jiang family—she was simply a devil!
Only after seeing her behave did Jiang Chun finally let go of her head.
Today’s big scene might not completely change Jiang Xi’s situation, but after taking such a beating, Old Lady Cao would at least think twice before tormenting her again.
Jiang Xi’s days should be much better than before.
And Jiang Chun could also be said to have fulfilled the original host’s long-standing wish to beat up Old Lady Cao.
Her whole body felt refreshed and clear-headed.
Only—it seemed like she’d forgotten something.
Ah, right—where’s Song Shi’an?