BDB Chapter 22

They said the meal would be ready in no more than half an hour, but in reality, it didn’t take that long at all. The three no-nonsense old ladies, having lived their lives with determination, soon emerged from the kitchen and filled the small coffee table in the center of the living room with an abundant spread.

While the chefs in the ancient castle prepared exquisite and tasty dishes, they usually only made Western-style meals for her, as she mostly ate alone.

The spread before her now was a full meal with stir-fried, steamed, and cold dishes, as well as soups and stews, brimming with the aroma of home-cooked food. It was a feast she hadn’t seen in a long time, let alone tasted.

Since they planned to go out in the afternoon, Old Madam Ma gave her two sisters half a day off after the meal was prepared.

When she emerged from the kitchen with a bowl of food, she saw her granddaughter-in-law sitting cross-legged on the rug, her expression gentle yet expectant.

Her expression, reminiscent of a young girl, added a touch of tranquility to her delicate makeup, making her appear more approachable and reducing the sense of distance one might feel.

Old Madam Ma smiled as she said, “Tangtang, this is your meal.”

Jiang Rao accepted the bowl with both hands. The Old Madam looked around, and her smile gradually faded from her face. “That brat left?”

She had just agreed to act as a mediator for him, and he had the audacity to leave without even staying for the meal?

Want to have a child? Then figure out a way to have one yourself!

Jiang Rao nodded and, though she told the truth, she had softened her words considerably. “He has a meeting in the afternoon, but he’ll come back to see you in the evening after he finishes.”

Old Madam Ma’s expression immediately brightened, but she still grumbled, “What kind of meeting is so important that he can’t even have lunch? He shouldn’t come back tonight. It’s too bothersome if he comes and then has another meeting.”

She then turned to her granddaughter-in-law and said, “Forget about him. Tangtang, eat more meat. This is the plum-flavored spare ribs I made especially for you. It was one of my specialties when I was young.”

Jiang Rao picked up a piece of spare rib and placed it in her bowl.

She first tasted the sauce, which was a perfect blend of sweet, sour, and plum flavors.

Then she used her teeth to separate the bone from the meat, savoring the spare rib that had absorbed all the flavor. The meat was neither too dry nor too tough, but just right.

She smiled and said, “It’s delicious.”

Old Madam Ma beamed with joy.

In households where only elderly people lived, drinks were rarely prepared, but a meal was not complete without something to drink. She asked if Jiang Tang wanted jasmine tea, and upon receiving an affirmative answer, Old Madam Ma hurried off to brew tea and add sugar.

When she returned, she saw that the spare ribs had been significantly reduced.

Being able to eat was a blessing, and being picky was not a fault.

Since there weren’t many spare ribs prepared, and seeing that Jiang Tang enjoyed them, Old Madam Ma decided not to eat any of the food from that plate.

However, after tasting the stir-fried vegetables, she frowned. “Why do these taste so bland?”

She tried the crab roe tofu and wrinkled her brows even more. “I couldn’t possibly have forgotten to add salt to both dishes.”

After sampling every dish, she finally reached for the plate of plum-flavored spare ribs. But as soon as she tasted it, she found she could no longer eat it. “It’s missing the salty flavor!”

“Tangtang, why didn’t you say the food didn’t taste good?”

Jiang Rao wasn’t just eating the spare ribs; she had tasted every dish on the table.

Although she found the flavors of each dish slightly bland, she thought this meal was made to suit the Old Madam’s usual taste, as most elderly people preferred lighter food.

And since her body had been accustomed to eating only vegetable salads with a bit of oil and vinegar for the past six months, she found today’s meal quite to her liking.

So she said honestly, “I think it tastes quite good.”

Old Madam Ma, however, thought the other person was just trying to comfort her.

Even though her children and grandchildren were wealthy, someone who had come through tough times could not bear to waste such a large spread of food.

However, the tasteless, salt-free food was indeed too difficult for Old Madam Ma to eat.

So she asked Jiang Rao’s opinion, “Can we put the food back in the pot to heat it up again?”

Jiang Rao nodded.

She wasn’t particularly concerned about her taste buds.

When there was good food available, of course she wanted to enjoy it. If it wasn’t great, she could tolerate it.

The saltiness of the food was the same.

While she found the current seasoning to be just right for her taste, she noticed that the Old Madam seemed unable to eat it. Although reheating the dishes might make them much saltier, it wouldn’t affect the taste much when mixed with rice.

Sister Zhang and Sister Wang had already left, so Jiang Rao helped the Old Madam move the food back to the kitchen.

Then… she watched as the Old Madam added an extra spoonful of salt to each dish as she reheated them.

Her brows twitched.

As expected, when all the dishes were brought back to the table, the taste was indeed very salty on her tongue.

Since she ate quickly and had only a small amount of rice left in her bowl, she didn’t mention it again. Mixing the dishes with rice still gave it a different kind of flavor.

Her behavior made Old Madam Ma even more convinced that Jiang Rao was just saying nice things to comfort her.

A broader smile appeared on her face.

She had always believed that one should not judge people by appearances. Most of the rumors about the entertainment industry were false, and fortunately, she was not the kind of old lady who blindly believed in rumors; otherwise, she might have made some mistakes!

After finishing lunch, they discarded the leftovers and put the dishes into the dishwasher.

Jiang Rao washed her hands and quietly waited in the living room for the Old Madam to change and get ready.

The longer she waited, the more her heart raced.

About ten minutes later, the Old Madam appeared in front of her, having changed out of her home attire. She wore a black velvet qipao with a red woolen coat over it.

Both the qipao and the woolen coat were adorned with hand-embroidered flowers. The red and black colors complemented each other, making her look fashionable and beautiful.

It was getting late.

Just before they left, Jiang Rao couldn’t help but ask, “I hope it’s not too forward, but do you have any age-related diseases like high blood pressure or diabetes?”

“I have a bit of high blood pressure, but that’s common among elderly people. It’s not a serious illness; it can’t be cured, only controlled with medication.”

“Do you carry your medication with you?”

Old Madam Ma was momentarily taken aback, then she smiled, “Alright, I’ll bring it, just as you said.”

In her past life, Jiang Rao did not believe in ghosts or gods.

She never burned incense or said prayers.

However, having experienced something as unscientific as transmigrating into a book, she wasn’t sure if she should make a wish or pray. If she were to seek divine help, she had only one wish.

“Tangtang, what do you want to ask for?”

Jing Mountain Temple was located halfway up a small mountain on the eastern outskirts of City A. Even if they climbed the entire way, it would only take about an hour, so she and the Old Madam chose not to take the cable car.

Hearing the question, she smiled, “If I say it out loud, it won’t come true.”

Her only wish was whether her head could stop hurting when she refused to follow the plotline.

However, she did not place too much hope in this. After all, as long as she was careful and made more considered decisions, she could effectively avoid the headache symptoms.

Her main purpose for coming today was to accompany the Old Madam, and she didn’t have many other thoughts.

Half an hour passed quickly, and the outline of the temple gradually came into view.

Old Madam Ma was clearly a frequent visitor. She bought incense and candles and led Jiang Rao smoothly toward the main hall where the Buddha statues were placed.

The Old Madam had given Jiang Rao a share of everything that needed to be offered. Jiang Rao followed her example and completed the rituals, eventually kneeling on the mat with her eyes closed and hands clasped.

As she mentally reiterated the wish she had just made, she opened her eyes to see the Old Madam gazing at her with intense anticipation.

When they stepped outside the hall, Jiang Rao felt a sudden chill in her palms. She turned to look and saw that a solid gold bracelet, about the width of a thumb, had somehow appeared on her wrist. The bracelet was intricately carved and adorned with a circle of tiny diamonds.

Although it looked like a cheap imitation from a roadside store, Jiang Rao knew it was real.

Firstly, because it was heavy, and secondly, because Old Madam Ma immediately explained, “The Li family wasn’t wealthy in the past; it was only through Old Man Li that we started to prosper. But you know, in those days, having power and influence wasn’t always a good thing. I lived through a lot of hardships with him and sometimes even complained that I didn’t want to stay with him. So after the reform and opening up, Old Man Li bought me this bracelet, saying that by wearing it, I would forever be part of the Li family and should not say anything to hurt his feelings.”

“He has passed away now, and A’Yan is grown up. I’ve been part of the Li family for most of my life, and for the rest of it, I won’t say much.”

“There isn’t much of a family heirloom in the Li family, but this bracelet is quite exquisite, and the diamonds are genuine. So I’m passing it on to you, hoping that you will also pass it on to you and A’Yan’s daughter-in-law in the future.”

Jiang Rao was stunned. “This is what Grandpa gave you…” she said, trying to slip the bracelet off.

However, despite her small hands, she couldn’t seem to remove the bracelet no matter how hard she tried or from what angle she approached it.

“Keep it on. Old Man Li would support my decision to pass on this bracelet as a family heirloom. Not only that, he would also be very satisfied with you as his granddaughter-in-law.”

Jiang Rao had never felt so utterly broken in her life.

What is there to be satisfied about? She wasn’t their granddaughter-in-law! Jiang Tang was! She was just a substitute, a temporary stand-in who would leave after playing her role for six months!

But the bracelet seemed to be enchanted. No matter what angle or method she used, it remained firmly on her wrist, as if it had grown there.

At that moment, the Old Madam added, “Don’t take it off. Bracelets have their own spirit. Since it can’t be removed, it must mean that this bracelet was meant to be yours.”

“Tangtang, A’Yan said he wants a child. What about you?”

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