Chapter 19

Wasn’t Jiang Yao always the type to mind her own business as long as she wasn’t provoked—completely indifferent and hands-off?

Why had she suddenly slapped both sisters?

“Big Sister? You hit me? Even Grandpa and Grandma have never laid a finger on me, and you actually slapped my face?” Jiang Zhu clutched her burning cheek, demanding an explanation.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yun, who had also taken a slap, didn’t react much—just stood there dazed, covering her face. Her goal had never been to fight Jiang Zhu but to prevent her from getting the original Jiang Yun’s old notebooks. As long as that was achieved, nothing else mattered.

“You should count yourselves lucky I didn’t drag you both outside. Couldn’t you use your brains before brawling? The moment you start fighting, you can’t see anyone but your opponent, right?”

Jiang Jianguo had already been helped up by Jiang Yao’s father, Jiang Chaomin. He was rubbing his sore backside and trying to recover.

“That shattered bowl cut Grandma’s hand, and you acted like you didn’t see it—still fighting like it was your personal battlefield. Then Grandpa got caught up in the scuffle and took a solid fall, yet you still wouldn’t stop.”

“A slap is getting off easy. You should feel what it’s like to fall flat on your rear.”

After speaking, Jiang Yao helped Li Guihua sit on a nearby chair, then turned and headed to her grandmother’s room to get the medicinal powder she’d previously bought from Doctor Chen.

Doctor Chen had gathered the herbs from the mountains himself. According to the original host’s memory, most households in the Qianjin Brigade kept it stocked—it worked well on minor wounds.

Jiang Yao brought out the medicine and applied it carefully to Li Guihua’s wound.

Only then did Jiang Zhu come back to her senses. Seeing her grandmother’s clearly deep wound and her grandfather still needing to be supported by Jiang Chaomin due to his bruised backside, fear surged through her.

Her father might treat her better than Jiang Yun, but he was truly filial to his parents. She could never compare to Grandpa and Grandma.

Not only had she injured Grandpa today, she’d also hurt Grandma. Surely, like before, her father would scold her fiercely, maybe even hit her.

But to her surprise, the pain she was expecting never came. She cautiously observed her father’s expression—he wasn’t nearly as angry as she expected. In fact, there was even a fleeting trace of satisfaction on his face.

She recalled that the times her father punished her and Jiang Yun for being disrespectful to their grandparents were always in public, where everyone could see.

Her face turned pale.

Could what Jiang Yao said that morning be true? Was her father not actually a devoted son—just putting on a show for others?

“Yao Yao, Grandma’s fine. It’s just a scratch from a broken bowl. Don’t worry,” Li Guihua said, comforted and proud to see her once-tiny granddaughter so concerned. She gently patted Jiang Yao’s hand.

“Grandma, sit here for now. I’m going out for a bit.”

Elderly people falling was no small matter. A fracture could mean never walking properly again. After tending to Li Guihua’s hand, Jiang Yao left and brought back the barefoot village doctor from nearby.

She wanted him to check her grandmother’s wound and her grandfather’s condition after the fall.

The Jiang family didn’t know where Jiang Yao had gone, but they didn’t ask. They simply let her go.

“Dad, I’ll help you lie down in your room and get some medicinal wine for the bruises. I promise I’ll make them pay for this.”

He glanced at Second Uncle Jiang, who was still sitting there like none of this had anything to do with him.

The girls had started it, so he couldn’t hit them—but the father could pay for the daughters’ debts.

Jiang Jianguo, wincing in pain, noticed his second son unmoved. He realized what his eldest son must be thinking.

That worthless brat always put on a show of filial piety outside—he’d even fooled his own mother. But in front of his parents, he couldn’t even fake it.

Just then, Jiang Yao returned with Doctor Chen, right as Jiang Chaomin was helping Jiang Jianguo into the house.

“Dad,” Jiang Yao called out, “I brought Doctor Chen. Please take Grandpa inside to be examined—it’ll give everyone peace of mind.”

“Falls are a serious issue for the elderly. Let Doctor Chen also check Grandma’s wound and prescribe something to help her heal faster.”

At first, Jiang Chaomin thought his daughter was overreacting. But her last comment struck a chord. He nodded—some elderly villagers had died not long after a serious fall.

His father was getting old. Better to have him checked.

“Yao Yao, it’s just a little bruise. Grandpa can rub some medicinal wine on it—it’s nothing serious. No need to trouble Doctor Chen.”

Same granddaughter—yet the other two only stirred up trouble. Only Jiang Yao thought to fetch a doctor for him. No wonder his wife favored her so much.

“Grandpa, Doctor Chen’s already here. Just let him take a look, okay?”

“She’s right, Dad. Let him check—it’s better to be safe,” Jiang Chaomin agreed.

“It’s a bone bruise,” Doctor Chen said after the exam. “Not too serious, but he needs to rest in bed for a few months. No heavy work.”

He gave Jiang Jianguo a bottle of medicinal wine and stern instructions to avoid physical activity. Then he checked Li Guihua’s wound—it wasn’t deep, but he warned her to keep it dry for a few days.

After seeing them both, Doctor Chen left.

As Jiang Yao saw him out, she looked back at the second branch of the family still standing around like wooden poles. She found the sight incredibly irritating.

Outside, villagers who had heard shouting and suspected a fight had gathered. They’d seen Jiang Yao rush out, then return with Doctor Chen.

Now that the doctor had come out, curiosity peaked. Everyone wanted to know what had happened in the Jiang household.

They crowded around Doctor Chen.

“Doctor Chen, what happened in there?”

“Why were you called over?”

“Who got hurt? I thought I heard Third Auntie cursing that someone hurt her husband. Was it Third Uncle?”

Annoyed by the endless chatter, Doctor Chen rubbed his ears. The crowd only grew.

“Both Third Uncle and his wife were hurt. As for how? I’ve no idea. I only treat injuries.”

“If you want to know more, go ask those few boys who climbed the tree.”

With that, he returned home to tend to his herbs.

Back in the Jiang courtyard—

Jiang Yao stood blankly as she took in the scene: the front gate left ajar, a few heads peeking in, her furious Second Uncle, and the neighborhood boys perched on a tree, gawking.

She didn’t know what to think.

Her Second Uncle’s change in attitude was staggering. When his own parents got hurt, he hadn’t even glanced their way—but now he was suddenly berating his daughters.

After scolding them, he quickly returned to a calm, expressionless face. All he said was: “You girls have been spoiled rotten by your mother. It’s one thing to fight, but how could you hurt your grandparents?”