Chapter 5

Pei Family Hall

When Jiang Xi went out, she found many people already in the room. Pei’s parents were glaring at the middle-aged man and woman in front of them, looking frustrated. A few teenage boys and girls were also watching.

When they saw Jiang Xi come out, everyone had different expressions, but they all looked unhappy.

Jiang Xi recognized these people from the original owner’s memories. After Pei’s parents married, they had two sons, Pei Deming and Pei Deyi. They were now in their thirties, married, and had children. Their oldest child was fifteen years old.

Pei Hejun was born when Pei’s parents were in their thirties, and they raised him themselves. The two older sons were raised by Pei’s mother and grandmother and were not close to her.

The two sons had been separated for over ten years.

Pei’s parents and their two sons were not very close. They only visited during festivals or when sending food. They rarely came here otherwise.

They came now for their own interests.

Jiang Xi stood quietly to the side.

Pei Deming glanced at Jiang Xi and said angrily, “You’re really old and confused! You’re supporting someone just for the third child! I didn’t even know you were doing this. It’s crazy!”

Pei Deyi agreed, saying with a dark expression, “Is the third child so important? Can’t my eldest brother and I take care of him? Why hire someone else?”

The wives of the two men were also upset and said, “Dad and Mom, do you think our families are worse than an outsider’s?”

Mother Pei was so angry she was shaking. She stood in front of Jiang Xi and shouted at her sons and daughters-in-law, “You say I’m confused? That an outsider is better than you? What have you done? Apart from visiting and showing a little pity, what else? You only remember to ask for money! You want money to save the third child!”

Mother Pei was hurt because she was talking about her own son.

She asked, “Am I confused or am I too clear-headed? Ask yourselves, if I give the third child to you, will you really take care of him properly?!”

The four of them were momentarily stunned. Pei Deming awkwardly replied, “How do you know I won’t take good care of him?”

Mother Pei sneered, “When the third child was in the city hospital, I asked you to send some food. What did you send? Leftovers! Sometimes you even forgot! You told him to cook for himself while sick!”

Xu Cui’s eyes lit up as she explained, “You know we’ve had many children for the Pei family, and we don’t have anyone to help us? Dad doesn’t want to come to our house for dinner, it’s not intentional!”

Mother Pei was furious and said, “How can a living person who can walk and talk be treated so poorly? The third child can’t speak now, and I won’t trust you with him. What if he starves to death? How can I trust you?”

Pei Deming pointed at Jiang Xi and accused, “Then why marry someone just to take care of the third child? She met someone this morning. Who knows if she’s planning to cheat you and take the money?”

Pei Deyi and the others’ eyes lit up, and they all started talking loudly, “That’s right, maybe she’s already planned to run off with the money!”

Mother Pei became even angrier and was about to hit someone.

Jiang Xi stopped her, smiled, and then turned to Pei Deming and the others. Her face became serious, and she said loudly:

“Brother Pei, what you said might be true, but the person I met today is a battalion commander. If you think this is true, I will call his unit, and someone from the unit will come to investigate. If he’s guilty, he’ll be dismissed and I’ll go to jail. If he’s innocent, you’re wrongfully accusing an active-duty officer, and you’ll all go to jail!”

As soon as she finished, the faces of everyone who had been talking excitedly changed, and they fell silent.

Especially Pei Deming, who looked away, clearly unnerved.

What Jiang Xi said was intimidating. It sounded like something from a dramatic trial, leaving everyone stunned and speechless.

Mother Pei breathed a sigh of relief and said firmly, “I trust Xiaoxi. She’s not that kind of person. No little girl would sacrifice her whole life for a small amount of money!”

Xu Cui’s face fell, and she glared at Jiang Xi. She hadn’t expected her to be so difficult. She rolled her eyes and suddenly said, “Mother, you don’t need to marry someone to take care of the third child. Can’t you just take care of him yourself? We won’t complain, really!”

Mother Pei sneered, “Forget it, do you think I believe that?”

If she took care of him herself, the two families would still feel resentful and demand money. When Jiang Xi was gone, she would have no choice but to deal with the consequences!

Xu Cui was at her wit’s end. She stomped her feet in frustration, pinched her husband’s arm, and pulled him, trying to make him speak.

Pei Deming was sweating with anxiety, but his father was silent, his mother was firm, and Jiang Xi was even more assertive. He looked to the second son for help.

Pei Deyi’s eyes sparkled, and he gritted his teeth, threatening: “Mom and Dad, if you do this, you’re saying my eldest brother and I aren’t your own sons? If you think an outsider is better, then let this outsider take care of you in your old age.”

When this was said, everyone was silent, surprised, and soon thought it made sense. Liu Xiaohua supported her husband and bluntly said, “Yes, then let outsiders take care of you in the future—”

Father Pei, who had been silent the whole time, looked sternly at his second son and shouted: “You bastard, say that again?!”

_

Pei Deyi, frightened by his father’s anger, tried to stay defiant. He said stubbornly, “You think outsiders are better than me and my brother, so let her take care of you in your old age, right, brother?”

Pei Deming nodded vigorously: “Yes, Lao Er^[1]is/are the second son. is right.”

Xu Cui and Liu Xiaohua also agreed.

Father Pei was so angry he couldn’t speak. He pointed at his two sons, his eyes full of disappointment.

Mother Pei’s face turned pale. She looked at her two sons and cried out in anger, “Why did I give birth to two bastards like you!”

Jiang Xi comforted her and said loudly, “Uncle, Auntie, don’t be afraid. They have a legal obligation to support you. If they don’t, you can sue them and put them in jail.”

The Pei brothers’ faces changed: “Don’t scare me, you damn girl!”

Jiang Xi smiled proudly, “I’m not kidding. Just read our country’s laws. Your parents raised you, so you can’t just refuse to support them in their old age. That would be a mess.”

Pei Deming and the others looked at her, surprised and suspicious. They believed her 70% and their faces turned ugly.

Pei’s parents still didn’t speak, feeling some fear from their sons’ threats.

Jiang Xi knew that the law she mentioned was rarely used in their village or town. They had no real hope in the law.

Jiang Xi also knew that staying with the Pei family was not just about finding a place to settle, but also about getting rid of the original owner’s troublesome family. She intended to provide for the elderly couple as they had taken her and her sisters in.

Jiang Xi said sincerely, “Uncle, Auntie, after I marry Pei Hejun, I will also be a member of the Pei family. It’s my duty to provide for you in your old age. Even if I remarry, I will return all the money I took from the Pei family, and my promise to care for you will never change!”

“Xiaoxi…” Pei’s mother called out, sobbing.

She was so angry with her sons that her heart felt cold. She didn’t expect an outsider to promise to support them.

Pei’s father was also moved.

Pei Deming and the others didn’t believe her and laughed.

Liu Xiaohua whispered, “It sounds nice, but who knows if it’s true? There are still more than ten years to go!”

Jiang Xi glanced at her and continued, “To prove I’m telling the truth, let the captain write a letter for me! Write it down in black and white. If I don’t provide for your retirement and don’t treat Pei Hejun well in the future, you can come to me with the letter.”

The Pei parents were shocked. 

Pei Deming and the others were furious. Xu Cui couldn’t hold back and cursed: “You little bitch, just lying…”

“Shut up!” Pei’s father yelled.

He didn’t look at his son or daughter-in-law but only stared at Jiang Xi. Tears flickered in his eyes, and he was excited and nervous: “Girl, are you telling the truth?”

“Of course it’s true!” Jiang Xi said firmly. “Uncle, let the captain be the witness so my elder brother and second brother won’t have any ideas, right?”

She planned to stay with the Pei family to help the elderly couple and get rid of the troublesome family members.

Father Pei looked at the children with a gloomy expression and said coldly: “I’ll go find the captain!”

“Dad! You really believe it!” Pei Deming panicked.

Pei’s father ignored him and walked out.

Pei Deyi was furious, gasping and staring at his father’s back.

Jiang Xi’s words had made the parents lean toward her. He felt she was too clever!

_

Soon, the captain arrived.

He came with letter paper and a pen, and looked meaningfully at the Pei Deming brothers.

He knew about the Pei family’s issues recently. Several nearby teams were discussing it. Pei Hejun’s pension was definitely not small, estimated to be around one thousand yuan. 

The captain first understood the situation, then asked Jiang Xi: “Are you sure you want to write a document? Do you really want to provide for them in their old age?”

Jiang Xi nodded vigorously: “I remember how my uncle and Auntie have taken care of my family. Now that I’m about to marry Pei Hejun, it’s my duty to provide for them.”

The captain praised: “She is a kind child.”

Pei’s parents nodded repeatedly and praised Jiang Xi, “Isn’t it? The third child is really lucky to have met Xiaoxi!”

The captain handed over the letter paper and the letter. Jiang Xi took them, sat at the table in the main hall, and began to write. She wrote the letter clearly and made two copies: one for Pei’s parents and one for the captain to keep.

Pei Deming, Pei Deyi, and the others watched the document being created and felt defeated. They were angry but couldn’t find any way to accuse Jiang Xi of having bad intentions.

They left feeling frustrated, but Pei’s parents were happy with the letter. The captain had read it to them, and it clearly stated that Jiang Xi would take care of them in their old age. Even if she remarried, this promise would still stand!

Father Pei, who was usually quiet, was especially close to Jiang Xi. He even came over to pat her on the head and spoke gently, as if afraid to scare her: “Good child, don’t worry. When your Auntie and I get old, just give us leftovers to eat, and check on us from time to time. Don’t feel burdened.”

Kind old people are too humble to ask for more.

Jiang Xi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry but didn’t explain too much. She felt actions would be more reassuring than words.

At this point, Pei’s mother asked, “By the way, when are we going to hold the banquet?”

She was eager to discuss it, so she decided to talk about it now instead of waiting for the evening.

Jiang Xi replied, “The sooner the better. Otherwise, I won’t be able to live here properly.”

She felt no shame in saying this, as the groom was in a vegetative state.

Mother Pei agreed and said, “How about the day after tomorrow? I’ll go shopping tomorrow, and you and my second and third sisters can come with me. I’ll buy you two new clothes.”

She was excited and went into the house to get a passbook^[2]is a book used to record bank transactions.. She handed it to Jiang Xi and said warmly, as if speaking to her own daughter: “This is the pension for the third child. His medicine is free each month, and this money is your betrothal gift. It’s your private money. You can use it however you want. Don’t worry about home expenses; your uncle and I have saved some money.”

Jiang Xi looked at the passbook and saw a balance of one thousand yuan.

She was stunned. 

This gift was much more than she expected!

Jiang Xi had thought it would be at most three hundred yuan and was still planning on budgeting to support her sisters.

***

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