Chapter 6

If Xu Lihong really ruined her reputation, Jiang Yao would likely take her side and personally put Xu Lihong—her eldest sister-in-law—in her place.

Second Sister-in-law Jiang curled her lips into a smirk, waiting to watch the dogs of the eldest household bite each other. Maybe then, their grandmother, who doted on her eldest granddaughter, would step in and teach Xu Lihong a lesson.

It would be best if she took back all the smoked pork and dried goods Xu Lihong had in her hands and sent her home empty-handed.

“Second Sister-in-law, Big Sis is just looking out for Little Sis. Little Sis isn’t young anymore—she’s of marriageable age already.”

The moment Jiang Yao heard the name “Jiang Zhu,” she had an odd feeling of familiarity. It was the same sensation she’d had when she first heard the name Deng Hongda.

She couldn’t shake the feeling she’d seen these two names somewhere before…

“If she keeps being so stubborn, even if she gets married, she’ll just bring trouble to your family.”

Jiang Yao had noticed how proud Xu Lihong had acted in front of the second household earlier—clearly, there was long-standing resentment. Strangely, there was no such memory of tension in the original owner’s memories. The original Jiang Yao had believed the two branches of the Jiang family got along fairly well.

Uncle Jiang (the second uncle) had made mistakes when he was younger, but he had changed for the better. He was now quite filial to his parents and wouldn’t allow his children to speak disrespectfully to them.

But Jiang Yao discarded the original Jiang Yao’s old assumptions and spoke up to shut Jiang Zhu down.

From an outsider’s perspective, the second household really didn’t seem like anything good. The original Jiang Yao had just been too naive, still treating them like close relatives.

“You—Jiang Yao! You’re going too far!”

Jiang Zhu, now fuming, pointed at Jiang Yao. “Who do you think you are? Just because Grandpa and Grandma spoil you and you went to school for a few years, you think you’re so great? What right do you have to lecture me like you’re some elder?”

“What I said is the truth! Grandpa and Grandma are biased! All the good stuff goes to your family. Mine? We’ve never even gotten a piece of rotten wood!”

Jiang Zhu firmly believed that love followed money. They hadn’t received a single cent from the old couple—not even when the family split. They were practically thrown out with nothing.

If it hadn’t been for her father, who managed to earn some money from outside now and then, their whole family would’ve starved.

As for her father’s claim that Grandma supported them privately? Jiang Zhu willfully ignored that. She believed he was just making excuses to make the money seem like it came from a respectable source.

As if that old hag Li Guihua would be that kind-hearted!

No matter the time or place, Grandpa and Grandma had always treated their family with cold indifference. Even in her past life, when she had married the wrong man and begged them for help, they only spared a few sacks of rice and flour.

Back then, the eldest household was living quite well thanks to Jiang Yao. They could’ve easily forked over 50,000 yuan to save her.

But those two old devils had lied to her and said they had no money. Who would believe that?

Didn’t Jiang Yao’s husband entrust three children to them and send back a good amount of money every month?

Lines of frustration rippled across Jiang Yao’s forehead. From the original Jiang Yao’s memories, it was clear the grandparents had distanced themselves from the second uncle’s family because they were deeply hurt by him.

“After the family split, Grandpa and Grandma lived with us. Your family never gave them a penny for their upkeep. And when they were sick, you all turned a blind eye—not even a simple ‘how are you?’”

Jiang Zhu looked at Jiang Yao’s fair and radiant face, so full of vitality. She bit her lip and stubbornly countered:

“So what? Who told them to be so biased? When we split the family, they didn’t give us a single coin. And now they expect money for their retirement?”

Jiang Yao sighed and massaged her temples. The original owner had memories of that time. Surely Jiang Zhu, who was only a month younger, wouldn’t have forgotten it either?

“Second Sis, have you forgotten why Grandpa and Grandma split the family in the first place?”

“Back then, Second Uncle was working in the city. He made a serious mistake on the job and caused a co-worker to fall and break his leg. He was fired and had no money to compensate the man. He begged Grandpa and Grandma to empty out almost all their savings to settle the matter.”

“The entire family nearly lost everything because of him—we almost even lost the old house. And that’s what you call favoritism?”

Hearing these words, Li Guihua’s eyes welled up with tears. This was the first time she didn’t have to argue herself—her beloved granddaughter had stepped in to defend her.

When that incident with her second son happened, she not only emptied her savings, she even used the dowry money the eldest son had saved up for Jiang Yao—just to help her second son.

Who would’ve thought he’d be such an ungrateful wretch?

“My dad didn’t mean to do it. Jiang Yao, did you have to drag up ancient history like that?”

“And who says they spent all the money on that incident?”

It was just an excuse those two old fools used to keep all the good stuff in the eldest branch!

“Hmph, the elders in the Jiang family all witnessed what happened. You can deny it all you want—it won’t change anything.”

“And don’t forget what happened that night—when you and Big Brother were knocked out cold. Second Uncle was going to sell you both to human traffickers, just to use the money to buy himself a decent job.”

When Jiang Yao accessed this memory from the original host, she felt nothing but shock and disgust. How could Second Uncle be so heartless as to consider selling his own niece and nephew?

Even if he had since reformed and acted like a dutiful son—making his children be respectful and obedient—Jiang Yao couldn’t trust him.

To her, he was like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike when his prey let down their guard.

“Otherwise, why would Grandpa and Grandma have kicked him out of the family?”

Although the elderly couple split the family over that incident, the original memories showed that Grandma still loved her disappointing second son very much.

She’d say harsh things, but she still secretly supported him when she could.

“And if Grandpa and Grandma were really as heartless as you claim, the house you’re living in right now wouldn’t even be yours. The land it’s built on still belongs to Grandpa.”

Jiang Zhu’s face froze. She couldn’t bear to be suppressed like this, her past dragged out and used against her. She shot a fierce glare at Jiang Yun, Jiang Yao’s younger sister, who was hiding behind the gate.

That wretched girl had changed lately. She no longer obeyed her every word and didn’t even back her up during arguments anymore. Now, she had the nerve to hide during a confrontation, leaving her big sister to fend for herself?

Once she was done dealing with the eldest branch, she was going to make Jiang Yun pay.

“That was all in the past. These days, who in the brigade would dare say my dad isn’t filial? If anyone dares talk back to Grandpa or Grandma, he’ll beat them until they admit they’re wrong.”

Though Jiang Zhu resented her father’s blind devotion to the elderly, it didn’t stop her from using it as a badge of honor to prove his worth.

“Not like Big Uncle, who only cares about keeping his position. People could be trampling all over Grandpa and Grandma, and he wouldn’t even fart.”