Chapter 50 – Their Infighting, She’s Happy to See It

“We’ve split the family.”

Madam Song simply repeated this one sentence, calmly continuing her needlework as if she considered Second Madam Song to be invisible.

“Li’er.”

Second Madam Song turned toward Song Jiuli, who was cooking porridge. “Your grandmother used to love you the most. You can’t just watch her… pass away like this.”

She glanced at Old Madam Song, who was sitting dazedly. Just moments ago, she had been lucid, but now she seemed confused again.

She just sat there blankly, eyes empty, looking like a fool. It really was quite pitiful.

Song Jiuli felt a pang in her heart but quickly looked away and lowered her gaze, saying:

“I truly sympathize, but I can’t even support myself, so there’s nothing I can do.”

It was rare to see Song Jiuli not acting like a saint. Jiang Wan was a little surprised, but it was a good thing to her that Song Jiuli had changed.

Seeing that no one was paying her any mind, Second Madam Song grew frustrated, but with Jiang Wan now backed by Ren Bang, she didn’t dare act out.

At most, she could just irritate First Madam Song with a few words—but to First Madam Song, it was neither painful nor itchy.

Like punching cotton—it just left her feeling helpless.

“All done.”

Song Jiuyuan handed the cleaned wild rabbit to Jiang Wan, blatantly ignoring Second Madam Song.

She was furious but then suddenly heard a sneer—it came from Shen Qian.

She seemed to have given up on everything. At this point, Shen Qian found everyone displeasing to the eye and no longer held back her temper.

Jiang Wan looked over and saw Shen Qian’s vicious gaze. Even though she had been tortured to the point of looking neither human nor ghost, she was still hanging on.

Truly a cockroach that refuses to die. Second Madam Song, enraged, began to strike Shen Qian, who didn’t back down, and soon the two were entangled in a fight.

Jiang Wan didn’t bother to look. Their internal strife amused her—she treated it like watching a play.

She continued verbally instructing Song Jiuli on how to roast the rabbit. With the space upgrade, she was in a good mood and didn’t want to bicker with anyone.

Once the rabbit was roasted, the family shared it. Jiang Wan saved a small rabbit leg and walked toward Chen Wenhao, speaking gently.

“Wenhao, this is for you.”

“Thank you, Auntie. I’m not hungry.”

Chen Wenhao shook his head sensibly. He wasn’t actually not hungry—he just didn’t want to keep taking advantage of Jiang Wan.

“If your aunt gives it to you, then you eat it.”

At first, she’d helped him because she had looted the Chen residence, but now, his sensibility made Jiang Wan feel a bit of heartache.

“Miss Song, thank you, but we managed to get a bit of food.”

Madam Chen was boiling a pot of very plain porridge. She had exchanged for some grain while lodging in the village.

Just as she finished speaking, the spoon in her hand suddenly fell into the pot. A wave of dizziness hit her, and she almost fainted. Chen Ce quickly caught her.

“Dear, what’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing.”

Madam Chen weakly shook her head, trying to reassure him. “Don’t worry, I’m just a little tired.”

“But you’ve fainted from exhaustion several times already.”

Chen Wenhao pouted as he accepted the rabbit leg from Jiang Wan. “Thank you, Auntie. Can I give this to my mother?”

His big, watery eyes looked up at her. The once fair and chubby boy was now thin and gaunt, his face barely having any flesh left.

Jiang Wan bent down and gently rubbed his hair. “Since I gave it to you, you can give it to whoever you like.”

“Thank you, Auntie.”

Chen Wenhao beamed and held the rabbit leg up to Madam Chen’s mouth in a soft, childish voice:

“Mom, eat this.”

Madam Chen’s eyes grew hot, her nose tingling with emotion. “I’m not hungry, silly child. You eat.”

She pinched Chen Wenhao’s cheek gently, her expression soft. Jiang Wan frowned and stepped forward.

“Let me take your pulse.”

“Then I’ll trouble you, Miss Song.”

Chen Ce’s eyes were filled with worry. Afraid his wife would refuse, he quickly agreed for her.

Since he’d already spoken, Madam Chen naturally didn’t object. She gently rolled up her sleeve, and Jiang Wan placed her pale fingertips on her pulse.

After a few moments, Jiang Wan gave Madam Chen a strange look and twitched her lips. “You… don’t know why this is happening?”

“It’s probably just exhaustion.”

Madam Chen smiled, not overly concerned. She had been pampered in the past, and now couldn’t handle long, grueling travel—it was understandable.

That’s also why she had been gritting her teeth and persevering. She just didn’t want her husband to worry.

“No.”

Jiang Wan shook her head speechlessly and whispered the answer into Madam Chen’s ear. Madam Chen’s face instantly turned pale with shock.

“Miss Song, is it true?”

“Of course. You should tell your husband.”

Jiang Wan stood up and returned to sit beside Song Jiuyuan, picking up her portion of lunch and starting to eat.

Over on the other side, Madam Chen and Chen Ce were whispering to each other. Soon, both their faces were full of worry.

Even Song Jiuli was curious, so she quietly asked Jiang Wan, “Sister-in-law, what’s wrong with Madam Chen?”

Jiang Wan instinctively glanced at Song Jiuyuan and noticed that he, too, seemed curious, though he stubbornly looked away when their eyes met.

Feeling playful, Jiang Wan deliberately sighed. “Madam Chen’s situation… it’s hard to say, but it won’t be good for our journey ahead.”

“She’s sick?”

First Madam Song, being kind-hearted, immediately asked with concern. Jiang Wan answered vaguely.

“If she wants to recover, it’ll take at least seven months.”

“Seven months?!”

Song Jiuli nearly screamed. What kind of illness needed that long? Jiang Wan flicked her on the forehead.

“Keep your voice down.”

“I want to speak with you alone.”

Just moments ago he had pretended not to care, but now Song Jiuyuan looked serious. Jiang Wan shrugged.

“Alright.”

So First Madam Song took the kids and walked off a bit, leaving Jiang Wan and Song Jiuyuan sitting together.

Though they said it was private, they weren’t that far from the group. As long as they kept their voices low, others wouldn’t hear.

“Could you… tell me what’s going on with Madam Chen?”

Beneath his robe, Song Jiuyuan’s fingers were tightly clenched into a fist. Jiang Wan could basically guess what he was thinking.

Chen Ce was his man. If something happened to them, it must be because of Song Jiuyuan. If something went wrong with Madam Chen, no matter what, Chen Ce would feel some resentment toward him.

And Song Jiuyuan himself would surely feel guilty. Seeing how badly he wanted to know, Jiang Wan leaned in and whispered:

“She’s… pregnant.”

She was focused on delivering the answer and didn’t notice how close the two of them had gotten. Her warm breath brushed across Song Jiuyuan’s face.

He even caught a faint, sweet fragrance. It wasn’t the time for random thoughts—he dug his nails into his palm to snap himself out of it.

Thinking it over, Song Jiuyuan finally understood why the Chen couple looked so troubled.

“This journey is far from peaceful. With her being pregnant, the child might not make it.”

Let alone the fact that they didn’t have enough to eat, the strenuous travel alone might be too much for Madam Chen’s body.

“Mm.”

Jiang Wan nodded, bored as she poked at the firewood on the ground with a stick. “She’s been pregnant for over two months now. Probably didn’t realize it before.”