Chapter 6

“Mom, if you’re upset, just cry it out. Don’t hold it in,” Jiang Ci said.

“Mom doesn’t want to cry; I’m just angry,” Lin Wan replied.

Her chest heaved with anger, but she didn’t feel sad.

The realization that Jiang Guozhu was such a scoundrel and that Grandma Xu was so malicious only strengthened her resolve to leave with her daughter.

Once she sorted through her thoughts, her mind began to clear. “Xiao Ci, you need to secure your grandpa’s job. Don’t let that black-hearted Jiang Guozhu take advantage of us. After the family meeting, I’ll take you away from this home. Both of us have salaries; we won’t starve.”

Jiang Ci thought to herself: Is there really a benefit in calming the mind and refreshing the spirit? At least now, she wouldn’t have to worry about Lin Wan having a heart attack.

The old Jiang family, apart from the few little ones who had gone to school, sat huddled together in the main hall. Even the third son’s wife, Shen Meimei, had taken a leave of absence to return home.

Jiang Ci and Lin Wan sat beside Grandpa Jiang, and Jiang’s Second Son entered, bowing his head in front of him. “Dad, the eldest brother is outside the door.”

Grandpa Jiang’s face darkened even more.

Seventeen years after leaving home, Jiang Guozhu gently comforted the woman beside him. “Don’t be afraid. We’re just going to get our marriage certificate and register the child. You’ve helped the Jiang family have kids, so my dad won’t dare chase you away. Besides, my mom loves me the most; she will definitely speak up for us.”

Kang Guixiang looked at him with gentle eyes. “Guozhu, your dad’s job hasn’t yet been passed on to Jiang Ci. You need to fight for it! It wouldn’t make sense for you, the son, not to get it while giving it to a girl.”

In truth, she was incredibly excited inside. She was finally back; this time, she was determined to shine even brighter than in her previous life.

At this time, she had also followed Jiang Guozhu to the Jiang family. She had found a “diary” in a camphor wood trunk on the second floor, which mentioned that Lin Wan’s daughter was the “female lead” and would soon wake up from the hospital and return home.

The female lead was blessed with good fortune and able to bring prosperity to those around her. After she woke up, she took Lin Wan away from the Jiang family. Lin Wan quickly found a man a thousand times better than Jiang Guozhu and married him, enjoying a life of comfort as a wealthy lady for the rest of her days.

Jiang Ci ended up with a landlord’s son, known as “Wolf Cub,” and soon, the stigma of the landlord’s background was removed from his family.

The Wolf Cub family uncovered several large boxes of treasures, and within a few years, the two had expanded their business nationwide and even abroad, becoming the wealthiest family in Qin Province.

Jiang Ci was pampered by that man for her entire life.

As for her, Kang Guixiang had taken the female lead’s father. After Jiang Guozhu returned and saw his ex-wife becoming increasingly beautiful and radiant, he gradually began to regret his decisions. After several years of arguing, Kang Guixiang and Jiang Guozhu eventually divorced. She ended up raising four children alone and looked as old as a seventy-year-old woman by the age of fifty.

The shock made her drop the notebook, and when she picked it up, she shook it vigorously, only to find that the writing had changed.

A new passage appeared in the diary: Kang Guixiang ran to the hospital and stole a vial of sedative, injecting it into Jiang Ci’s IV line. Jiang Ci didn’t wake up in time, and Jiang Guozhu took over her position at the mechanical factory.

At that moment, though she felt it was unbelievable, she still went ahead and went to the hospital to ensure that Jiang Ci wouldn’t wake up.

After completing this deed, another new passage appeared in the diary: Jiang Ci lost her job, Lin Wan fell gravely ill from anger, and Jiang Ci could only go into the mountains to secretly pick wild goods to sell. The malicious Kang Guixiang still wouldn’t let her off the hook and reported Jiang Ci for speculation, leading to Jiang Ci being sentenced to five years in prison.

That year, Kang Guixiang didn’t hesitate at all and reported Jiang Ci. After Jiang Ci went to prison, Kang Guixian followed the diary’s instructions, committing one dirty deed after another, accumulating immense wealth.

With her newfound riches, Kang Guixiang no longer cared for Jiang Guozhu. After the divorce, she found several young men to indulge in pleasures with. Unfortunately, this bliss didn’t last long, as Gu Qingchuan caused her to go bankrupt.

All the young men left her, Jiang Guozhu wouldn’t take her back, and her children, ashamed of her shamelessness, refused to recognize her and sent her to a nursing home.

Upon waking, she fell at the nursing home and found herself in a guesthouse in Qin Province, accompanied by Jiang Guozhu.

How could Kang Guixiang not feel excited? With her previous experience, she was certain she could bankrupt Gu Qingchuan. Her little white faces were not only handsome but also knew how to charm people.

Looking at Jiang Guozhu beside her, she noticed that, despite being in his forties, he lacked the energy he once had, and his sun-darkened face was no match for her little white face.

Having been reborn, Kang Guixiang could hardly stand this man for a moment, but she had to endure; it wasn’t time yet to kick him out.

She gently reminded him, “Guozhu, you have to take over your father’s job. The four kids and I are counting on you to support us with that salary.”

“Don’t even think about work,” Jiang Guozhu replied. “The old man is too stubborn. If he had been willing to give me a job, he wouldn’t have opposed the annulment of the engagement in the first place. He forced me to marry Lin Wan. Luckily, we didn’t get the marriage certificate; otherwise, there wouldn’t be a place for you to stand in this house today.”

Kang Guixiang shrugged her shoulders, thinking that later she would go demand a job from that dead man.

Their four children were not allowed to be brought back by Grandpa Jiang, who was still at the guesthouse while she and Jiang Guozhu entered the door.

The courtyard gate closed behind them, followed by the front door of the main hall.

Kang Guixiang felt smug. Seeing Lin Wan again made her heart uneasy; after all these seventeen years, how could this woman still be so young and beautiful? She looked to be in her twenties.

But it didn’t matter; now Jiang Guozhu was her man, and soon Lin Wan would be throwing a hysterical fit, right?

Hahaha, it was truly satisfying. Before Jiang Guozhu went to the frontier, he had written her a letter, and they had kept in touch for a while before losing contact.

Ten years ago, Jiang Guozhu wrote to her again. At that time, her husband had just died, and she immediately went to find Jiang Guozhu with her two sons, later giving this man two daughters.

But when her gaze swept over Jiang Ci, she nearly fainted.

Where had it gone wrong? Jiang Ci should have been lying in a hospital, waiting for her to inject the medicine so he could continue sleeping, right?

Now that she was awake, how was this going to work?

No! She had to calm herself down. Having experienced a lifetime of strange occurrences, Kang Guixiang, though anxious to the point of dying, said nothing at all.

As soon as she spoke, it revealed her intentions, but she couldn’t help glancing at the staircase. The diary beneath the camphor wood box on the second floor was definitely still there. As long as she could get that diary, it would teach her what to do.

She wasn’t afraid. She would find a way to locate the diary upstairs; in this lifetime, she would become a wealthy woman and find more little white faces.

—o—o—o—

Jiang Ci found it strange. Kang Guixiang seemed very familiar with the layout of the Jiang family’s House. Why did she keep looking at the second floor?

That was the room shared by her and Lin Wan. What was Kang Guixiang trying to spy on?

Jiang Ci became cautious.

Jiang Guozhu knelt before Grandpa Jiang. “Dad, I’m back.”

Grandpa Jiang turned to the side. “I can’t acknowledge you as my son. My eldest son is already dead in my heart.”

His most cherished eldest son was supposed to be the pillar of the family, taking over his position and flourishing at the machinery factory. Instead, he abandoned his wife and children for a woman and disregarded his own parents. He could hardly be considered a man.

He regarded this son as dead.

Seeing her beloved eldest son treated unfairly, Grandma Xu pulled him up. “Don’t listen to your father’s nonsense; it’s good that you’re back.”

Jiang Guozhu had only recently learned that his mother hadn’t informed Lin Wan of his survival. Glancing at Lin Wan there, he felt not a trace of guilt. Instead, he believed Lin Wan’s presence would make Kang Guixiang uncomfortable.

He frowned, wanting Lin Wan to leave to avoid an awkward situation for all three of them. “What are you doing here while my family is having a meeting?”

He assumed Grandpa Jiang was discussing how to accommodate his family.

Jiang Ci glanced at the woman beside Jiang Guozhu. How could she compare to her beautiful mother? Jiang Guozhu must be blind.

“Jiang Guozhu, do you think after seventeen years, the family is still the same as when you left? My mom has a much higher status in this household than I do now. Your two younger brothers are all living off my mom, marrying wives, and raising children. Do you really think everyone will be on your side?”

Jiang Ci looked at her useless father with disdain. “What you can’t have will always be a lingering obsession. You weren’t satisfied with an arranged marriage and didn’t want to marry my mom; my beautiful mom doesn’t even want you.”

“Now you have your obsession, but one day, you’ll realize it’s nothing more than a drop of mosquito blood. How can it compare to my mom? You must be blind as a bat.”

Jiang Ci felt great satisfaction in berating him. The old Jiang family was in the wrong; no one would stand up for Jiang Guozhu at a time like this.

Only Grandpa Jiang remarked, “What’s all this talk about obsession and mosquito blood? Where did you little girls learn such nonsense? No matter how bad your father is, he is still your father. Your grandpa will take care of this.”

Anyway, now that Jiang Ci had expressed her frustrations, Lin Wan felt slightly relieved. She brought a cup of hot tea to Grandpa Jiang. “Grandpa, I’m angry, so go ahead and keep scolding; I won’t say anything more.”

Grandpa Jiang was speechless.

Jiang Guozhu wore a look of displeasure. After hosting the banquet, Lin Wan moved into the Jiang family home. After just one night, she could easily get pregnant. He should have controlled himself.

“You must be Xiao Ci, right? I’m your father, so you should show some respect.”

Ha… Jiang Guozhu still had the nerve to act like a father. Did he deserve it?

Jiang Ci replied coldly, “My grandpa said his eldest son is dead, so in my heart, my dad is also dead.”

Jiang Guozhu was at a loss for words.

Originally, he planned to simply have Lin Wan leave the family; he intended to accept his daughter. However, given the current situation, Jiang Ci clearly wouldn’tcouldn’t get along with her stepmother, Kang Guixiang.

The only option left was to let her leave the Jiang family.

Kang Guixiang felt emboldened. In her past life, she had stepped all over Jiang Ci, and now, with her experience of being reborn, she wasn’t afraid, even if Jiang Ci woke up early!

“You little girl have no family education at all…”

Jiang Ci interrupted Kang Guixiang’s words: “I was raised by my grandfather single-handedly. Are you trying to say that my grandfather doesn’t know how to teach his grandchildren?”

This single sentence immediately made Grandpa Jiang realize what was happening. This woman was subtly insulting him as the head of the family!

“My eldest granddaughter was taught by me. Are you implying that I, too, lack proper family upbringing?”

Kang Guixiang was speechless. She hadn’t meant it that way—she wouldn’t dare insult Grandpa Jiang!

“Dad, how would I ever dare to insult you?” Kang Guixiang’s face flushed purple with embarrassment, and she thought to herself how she wanted to knock Jiang Ci unconscious and send her back to the hospital to rest.

Grandpa Jiang was utterly disgusted by this woman who had ruined his eldest son’s life. If it weren’t for her, at least his eldest son and daughter-in-law could have maintained a peaceful and respectful relationship. He wouldn’t have had to make the difficult decisions he was making today.

“What gives you the right to call me Dad? Who let her in here? What business does she have being here for our family meeting? Throw her out!”

Kang Guixiang’s face darkened. “Dad, why shouldn’t I be here? I’ve given Guozhu two sons and two daughters, which is more than Lin Wan, who only gave birth to a single daughter.”

“Shut your mouth!” Grandpa Jiang almost burst with anger. The Jiang family wasn’t short on sons and grandsons, and Jiang Ci was his first granddaughter. He had always cherished this eldest granddaughter dearly.

“The second son said that those two boys are twelve and fifteen. Our Jiang family won’t raise other people’s sons.”

Kang Guixiang was shocked, suddenly realizing the old man already knew about it. Inside, she cursed him for being a foolish man.

When Jiang Guozhu’s second brother had questioned him at the guesthouse, how could Jiang Guozhu possibly tell the truth? He should have simply taken responsibility, claiming all four children as his own. That way, Kang Guixiang wouldn’t have to endure this humiliation and be mocked by Grandpa Jiang.

She looked at Jiang Guozhu for support, almost pleading, “Guozhu, you promised you would treat my sons as if they were your own.”

Jiang Guozhu patted her arm reassuringly, encouraging her to stay calm. “Your sons are my sons. The Jiang family will certainly acknowledge them.”

However, while Jiang Guozhu might be willing to accept those boys, Grandpa Jiang was not about to recognize two sons who weren’t truly part of the family.

Grandpa Jiang felt utterly disappointed by his eldest son’s determination to raise another man’s children. This had been the son he valued most, yet now he was thoroughly disillusioned.

Having lost any hope, Grandpa Jiang turned to Lin Wan. “Lin Wan, Jiang Guozhu is beyond my control. You’re the one who has suffered the most. Tell us your demands, and the Jiang family will agree to them.”

Lin Wan looked at Jiang Guozhu and the woman he had brought back, marveling at how she hadn’t gone mad. Perhaps having known in advance had dulled her anger, leaving only disgust and disappointment.

Arranged marriages truly ruin lives, but she didn’t regret it entirely—she still had her daughter.

“Dad, I only moved into the Jiang family home after Jiang Guozhu and I held a wedding banquet. Now, I can’t stay here any longer, but I can’t just walk away like this either. Jiang Guozhu must first give me the marriage certificate he owes me, and then I’ll divorce him. From then on, we’ll each live our own lives with no further connection.”

“Fair and reasonable,” Grandpa Jiang nodded in agreement. “It should be done.”

After Jiang Guozhu had committed such a disgraceful act, Grandpa Jiang had no expectation that his eldest daughter-in-law would remain part of the Jiang family.

Lin Wan’s proposal allowed everyone to save face.

But not everyone was willing to accept this.

“That’s out of the question!” Kang Guixiang jumped up. “If this marriage certificate is issued, then won’t I be labeled as the home-wrecking mistress? Guozhu isn’t going to live with Lin Wan anyway, so why make things difficult for me?”

At this, Shen Meimei and Zhong Huihui couldn’t suppress their laughter.

Normally, they didn’t interject when the men talked, but this woman pushed things too far.

“Isn’t that exactly what you are—a mistress?” Shen Meimei sneered. “Our whole family only acknowledges my sister-in-law as the true wife. No one can replace her position. Even if they get divorced, she’ll still be our sister-in-law.”

Zhong Huihui nodded in agreement. She and Shen Meimei had married into the Jiang family for a comfortable life, and Lin Wan had always managed all the household affairs seamlessly.

The two of them had enjoyed a carefree existence. Reflecting on it now, they realized just how much they owed Lin Wan, and it was only right to speak up on her behalf.

Kang Guixiang, realizing that no one in the room would support her, turned to Jiang Guozhu, trying to sound coquettish. “Guozhu, you absolutely cannot go through with getting a marriage certificate with Lin Wan. It’s so disgusting!”

The sight of a woman her age acting this way was unbearable, and everyone in the room felt waves of discomfort.

Even Grandpa Jiang couldn’t stand it any longer. It was clear to him that this woman was nothing but trouble. “If you don’t comply with Lin Wan’s request, you can go back to the borderlands where you came from. Do you really think the Jiang family is so desperate for you two? It would be better if you both died far away from here.”

Kang Guixiang’s face turned from black to white as she weighed her options. If she didn’t agree, she feared Lin Wan might insist on staying in the Jiang family home. More importantly, she needed to get her hands on the diary hidden upstairs. The sooner she could secure it, the better.

“Fine, but once Guozhu is divorced, I’ll finally have the right to join this family officially, won’t I?”

She was determined to get into the Jiang family. She wanted to go upstairs to find a way to open that camphor wood chest containing the diary. Grandpa Jiang? Jiang Guozhu? Jiang Ci? None of them mattered—she had to get that diary.

Grandpa Jiang shot a glare at the obnoxious woman, then turned to Lin Wan. “Do you have any other requests?”

“No, that’s all,” Lin Wan replied. “Today, I’ll pack my things, and as soon as I receive the divorce certificate, I’ll leave.”

Grandpa Jiang nodded in reluctant acceptance. With Lin Wan, the most diligent and dependable daughter-in-law, gone, the two remaining daughters-in-law would no longer put up with his old wife’s constant interference. And now, with the addition of this woman Jiang Guozhu had brought back, peace in the family would be a thing of the past.

Already imagining the chaos that lay ahead, Grandpa Jiang sighed. “Then let’s discuss the matter of dividing the family assets.”

“Dad, how can we divide the family while you’re still here?” Jiang’s Second Son, the third son, thought that his father was truly angered by their eldest brother this time. Their parents were still alive—what was the need to divide the family?

While Jiang’s Second Son and his brother were against the idea, Shen Meimei and Zhong Huihui welcomed it. With their eldest sister-in-law gone, handling all the housework for such a large family was more exhausting than their actual jobs. They both had to work and weren’t interested in coming home, only to serve meals and clean up after everyone.

Zhong Huihui pinched her husband to keep him quiet, then spoke up. “We’ll do whatever Dad decides. However, Dad wants to divide the family; that’s how it’ll be.”

Grandma Xu was so furious she nearly fainted. If the family split up, how would she continue to enjoy the benefits of having three daughters-in-law to serve her?

“I don’t agree to divide the family!” she cried out. “After all the effort I put into raising three sons, just when it’s time for me to enjoy life, you want to split up the family? Over my dead body!”

If the family split, she’d lose her monthly allowance of ninety yuan for groceries. What was that old fool thinking?

Kang Guixiang also panicked. If the family divided, Jiang Ci would surely take everything she could, and if she found the diary left behind, Kang Guixiang’s chances of obtaining it would vanish completely.

“I don’t agree with dividing the family either,” she said urgently. “After all the effort it took for Guozhu to come home and for our family to reunite, it’s the perfect time for Guozhu and I to show our filial piety to Mom and Dad. How can we split up now?”

The thought of splitting the family now was out of the question for Kang Guixiang. If they had to divide, it would only be after she had secured the diary.

Sensing this, Grandma Xu instantly warmed up to the woman who would soon become her eldest son’s wife. “Now that’s someone who understands family duty. From now on, I’ll be counting on you to manage the household. You can take over all the chores that Lin Wan used to handle every day.”

Grandma Xu felt smug, thinking, *So what if Lin Wan is leaving? There’s someone even better stepping in to take her place.*

Kang Guixiang felt a pang of reluctance. She had no desire to become a housekeeper burdened with endless chores. But she knew she couldn’t afford to offend Grandma Xu right now, so she forced a smile and replied, “Mom, don’t worry. Guozhu and I will take good care of you.”

Grandpa Jiang, however, paid no mind to Grandma Xu’s opinion and turned to his other two sons. “So, Second and Third sons, do you agree to the split?”

“We don’t want… to…” The words caught in their throats as they felt the sharp pinch from their wives, silencing them.

Shen Meimei, a teacher and a woman of some education, chose her words carefully, speaking in a way that pleased Grandpa Jiang. “Dad, in our hearts, we don’t want the family to divide. But given our current situation, splitting up may actually benefit the family’s harmony in the long run.”

Shen Meimei continued, “Look, Eldest Brother suddenly brought four kids back with him, and there are already six school-age children in the family. That’s ten kids running in all at once after school—it’s absolute chaos. I can’t even focus on grading homework with all that noise! Dad’s been having trouble sleeping lately, too. It would be better to divide the family so there can be some peace.”

She then added, “But rest assured, even if we split up the household, we’re still one family.”

Grandma Xu, furious, retorted, “You’re dreaming, Third Daughter-in-law! You’re just trying to escape your family duties. Wanting to split the family is unfilial! I’ll go to your school and cause a scene until you lose your job.”

“You’ll go nowhere as long as I’m alive!” Grandpa Jiang’s voice boomed, full of authority. As a former factory supervisor, he carried a natural air of command, and Grandma Xu shrank back, intimidated into silence. “This family will be split today, no question about it.”

He felt relief at having made this decision. He was certain that he wouldn’t outlive Grandma Xu, and if the family wasn’t divided before he passed, his second and third sons would ultimately be ruined by their own mother, with their families broken apart.

“It’s true what they say—a wife’s influence can affect three generations,” he mused aloud, slapping the table with finality as he outlined the terms of the division.

“Honestly, there’s not much of real value to divide here,” Grandpa Jiang began. “Everything in this household was built up by me, and I arranged work for each of you. I don’t owe any of you scoundrels a thing.”

He continued, “There are two family plots. I’m giving the small house near Qu Shui Bridge to Jiang Ci. She’s my eldest granddaughter, and I’ve always doted on her. Anyone with an issue with it can keep it to themselves. These are my belongings, and I’ll give them to whomever I please.”

Second Brother and Third Brother saw that their wives both wanted to divide the family estate. They thought that if they didn’t go along with it, they might end up getting “hammered” by their wives. Besides, their father seemed determined to divide the property, so what else was there to say?

“Dad, we have no objections. We’ll follow your lead,” they replied.

Shen Meimei, of course, had even less to say. After all, it was the Jiang family’s ancestral property, so the old man could give it to whomever he pleased. “The eldest sister-in-law doesn’t have a steady job, so giving her that little courtyard would suit her well.”

Grandma Xu, however, was not having it. “This is the Jiang family’s house, and it should be inherited by our three sons.”

Now, this small house happened to be right next to Gu Qingchuan’s place, and when Jiang Ci heard her grandfather was planning to give it to her, she thought that if she didn’t take it, who knew who else might benefit from it?

She spoke to Grandma Xu, “Why don’t you let my dad have that house? Then, in the future, when my dad passes it on, it might end up in the hands of your convenient grandson. If the Jiang family’s ancestral house ends up with outsiders, won’t that be a shame? After all, I am my grandfather’s own granddaughter. Since he’s giving it to me, I’ll take it.”

Better to take what’s offered.

Grandpa Jiang thought this made sense. “Grandma Xu, keep your mouth shut. Don’t say I’m not giving you a face in front of the children. Say one more word, and you can get out.”

The house was a valuable asset. This wasn’t some kind of unit-distributed housing but their family’s ancestral property. It could be freely bought or sold and was worth quite a lot.

Since the decision had already been made about the small courtyard, the next question was about the large family compound they currently lived in.

This was a spacious, traditional residence with two front and back courtyards and east and west wings.

Taking a risk, Zhong Huihui asked, “Dad, what about this large compound? Could you make a decision on that, too?”

Grandpa Jiang, showing no favoritism, said, “All of you brothers have a share in this large compound. I’ll value it at five thousand yuan at the current market rate. I’m staying here for now, so you will need to move out. After I’m gone, whichever one of you can pay that amount can buy it, and then the money will be divided equally among you.”

He turned to Jiang Guozhu and added, “And don’t accuse me of being biased. I arranged jobs for Second Brother and Third Brother, and now that you’re back, I’ll arrange a job for you, too. But don’t dream of sitting in an office; it’ll be a front-line worker position.”

“As for the woman you want to marry, you handle her yourself. If you want to claim a son, then you raise him yourself. Don’t expect the Jiang family to spend any money or effort finding a job for that woman named Kang. Not a chance.”

Exhausted, Grandpa Jiang waved his hand. “That’s settled. Xiao Ci will accompany me to the factory to transfer the job. Lin Wan and Jiang Guozhu, take the family household registration book, get your marriage certificate, and then proceed with the divorce. Second Brother and Third Brother, start preparing to move out.”

No one dared to raise any objections to Grandpa Jiang’s decisions on the family division, not even Jiang Guozhu.

Only Kang Guixiang was restless, like an ant on a hot pan. If Jiang Ci got a job, she would no longer have to climb the mountain to collect wild goods and secretly sell them. Then how would Kang Guixiang find a way to report her?

Suddenly, Kang Guixiang shouted, “Wait a moment, I have something to say!”