Chapter 75 : Just a Life

After staggering back to Funan Commune, Jiang Yu felt her buttocks aching from sitting.

Finally returning to Nanghe Village, Wang Meili looked at the things in her hands and smiled mockingly.

“Xiao He is too polite. These vegetables aren’t worth much, there’s no reason to take them back.”

She reached out to grab what Jiang Yu was holding.

Jiang Yu dodged, saying, “Mom, this isn’t something He Tingyue gave me. I bought it for Wang Zhaodi.”

Wang Meili’s expression darkened. “There’s nothing at home yet, but you’re so ungrateful that you bought something for someone else first! She’s not even family, why do you care about her marriage?”

Jiang Yu ignored her and put the kettle back into the house.

She didn’t plan to give it to Wang Yunshan right now but thought she would save it for her wedding.

If she gave it now, it would probably be snatched away before Wang Yunshan even had a chance to enjoy it.

“Jiang Yu! Jiang Yu!”

Just as she was thinking this, Wang Yunshan appeared.

Jiang Yu immediately went out, “How did you know I was back?”

Wang Yunshan glanced at Wang Meili, sensing some hostility from her, which was confusing.

“Ignore her, let’s go talk outside.” Jiang Yu pulled her out.

Wang Yunshan smiled, rolled up her sleeves, and revealed a silver bracelet.

“Doesn’t it look nice?”

Jiang Yu’s eyes lit up, and she nodded vigorously.

“It looks great! Who gave it to you?”

Wang Yunshan’s face flushed slightly with a rare hint of shyness. “Who else could it be?”

“Lin Chenghui?”

“He just brought it over today, saying it was from his mother to me as his daughter-in-law, and he also gave me an extra fifty bucks.”

Wang Yunshan’s family initially asked for one hundred yuan, but after some discussions between her and Lin Chenghui, they agreed on fifty.

Lin Chenghui insisted on giving her a total of one hundred, with fifty for her parents and fifty for her as pocket money.

Wang Yunshan felt deeply touched that he thought of her in this way.

No man had ever been willing to protect her like this.

Although Jiang Yu had never met Lin Chenghui and didn’t know him well, it was clear from his actions that he should be a good person.

“If he treats you well, then I can rest easy.”

Wang Yunshan’s smile faded as she changed the subject. “I just passed by your uncle’s place and heard her and Jiang Li cursing you. What did you do to offend them?”

Jiang Yu chuckled, “How could I offend them? Just finding a good match is an offense to them!”

She even suspected that Jiang Li had come to the city today just for He Tingyue, but she had no proof.

“Enough about that, I’m heading home first. You should prepare to be the most beautiful bride in two days!”

Wang Yunshan also began to look forward to the wedding, her back radiating happiness as she walked away.

Jiang Yu didn’t go home directly but instead sought out Jiang Li.

Before she stepped inside, she heard Yang Cuilan berating Jiang Ye, using the foulest language imaginable.

Strangely, Yang Cuilan had two sons and a daughter, she favored the first two: Jiang Tong and Jiang Li immensely, while treating Jiang Ye, her biological son, as if he weren’t hers at all.

Jiang Yu paused at the door and then saw Jiang Ye rushing out, nearly colliding with her.

She wondered how hard Yang Cuilan had hit him, he was bleeding from his head.

Jiang Yu’s heart raced. This was a serious beating!

As Yang Cuilan chased after him, Jiang Yu stepped forward and stood in front of Jiang Ye.

“Aunt!” she shouted loudly, startling Yang Cuilan into silence.

Yang Cuilan retorted sarcastically, “Incredible! So, you’re marrying a city cadre and now you dare to shout at your elders.”

Jiang Yu looked back at Jiang Ye, blood slowly trickling down his forehead, which looked quite disturbing.

She quickly took out a handkerchief and pressed it against his wound.

“This isn’t going to work. You need to go find Grandpa Zhang for some medicine.”

Old man Zhang was the barefoot doctor in their village and later moved to the commune health center.

He should have gone home by now.

Jiang Yu pulled Jiang Ye and was about to leave, but then he heard Yang Cuilan scolding, “What medicine do you want? It’s just a worthless life!”

Jiang Yu frowned, “Isn’t he your son? He is a worthless person, so what are you?”

She really didn’t understand. They were all children born to Yang Cuilan. What was the difference? Why did she treat them differently?

Yang Cuilan choked and avoided her gaze.

She didn’t know if it was Jiang Yu’s illusion, but she always felt that Yang Cuilan looked a little guilty.

However, given Jiang Ye’s situation, she was not in the mood to argue with Yang Cuilan.

“Come on, I’ll take you to find Grandpa Zhang!”

Jiang Ye lowered his head and said, “No, it will be fine in a few days.”

Just like Yang Cuilan said, his worthless life is not worth using medicine.

He once wondered why Yang Cuilan treated the same children differently.

Not only is he not as favored as Jiang Tong and Jiang Li, he is also the punching bag in the family.

Something like what happened today would never happen to either of them.

But there is no answer to this question, there is no solution.

Jiang Yu was in a complicated mood. “Why are you so stupid? She wanted to hit you, and you just let her hit you? Can’t you hide?”

Jiang Ye smiled bitterly, “Nanghe Village is so small, where can we hide?”

Jiang Yu pursed her lips, said no more, and pulled him to find Old Man Zhang.

Children in the village often get beaten, but there aren’t many who are beaten at such an old age as Jiang Ye.

Even fewer are beaten like this.

They are your own children. At most, you would spank their fleshy bottoms a few times. Who would beat them to the point of injury?

“Grandpa Zhang, is Jiang Ye okay?”

Old Man Zhang shook his head. “It’s probably not a concussion. It’s just a skin injury. It looks a bit scary.”

It’s not just scary, it looks like a bloody head.

Jiang Yu asked Old Man Zhang to bandage the wound and inquired about the cost.

Old Man Zhang waved his hand and said, “It doesn’t cost much. Take him away. Be careful these days and don’t touch water.”

Jiang Yu didn’t say anything but left a dollar on his desk.

Watching Jiang Yu walk ahead, Jiang Ye’s thoughts were in turmoil.

He had dreamed of this scene countless times, wishing for someone to stand up and protect him just once.

But he never expected that this person would be Jiang Yu.

He wished she were his biological sister.

“Next time she hits you, just hide. Don’t just stand there like an idiot and let her hit you.”

Jiang Ye hummed and lowered his eyelids again.

Jiang Yu thought about how Jiang Tong and Jiang Li both resembled Yang Cuilan, with small eyes like slits.

But Jiang Ye was different. His eyes were a bit like peach blossom eyes and a bit like almond eyes, he was very handsome.

He didn’t look like he was born from Yang Cuilan.

Jiang Yu suddenly stopped and turned to look at Jiang Ye.

He not only looked unlike Yang Cuilan but also unlike Jiang Yongguo.

“Sister Jiang Yu, why are you looking at me like that?”

Jiang Yu pursed her lips and shook her head.

“Nothing. I remember you went to high school before. Did you graduate?”

“No, I studied for a year, but my mother wouldn’t let me continue,” Jiang Ye replied with a lonely expression.

Jiang Yu was slightly startled and recalled something.

Jiang Ye going to high school had been quite a topic in Nanghe Village.

Jiang Tong had spent a total of six years in junior high and repeatedly failed grades, but no high school was willing to accept him because his scores were too low.

However, Jiang Tong insisted on studying, and Yang Cuilan indulged him, allowing him to continue.

Jiang Ye was different, he had always had good grades and was admitted to high school as the top student.

Yet, Yang Cuilan did not allow him to study, claiming the family couldn’t afford it.

Jiang Yu couldn’t help but think that Old Lady Ye was quite biased toward the youngest, but she wasn’t as extreme as Yang Cuilan.

Could it be that he really wasn’t Yang Cuilan’s son?

When this thought crossed her mind, Jiang Yu was taken aback.