Daily Life of an Ancient Couple’s Struggle 24

Chapter 24: Jiang Song’an’s Childhood
Throughout the entire afternoon and into the night, Tie Zhu’s words echoed in Yuan Yao’s ears.
“That year, during the great famine, so many people died. Many in the village, driven to desperation, even turned into cannibals. Most fled, leaving behind only the old, the weak, the sick, and the disabled in the village. And then… Second Brother was also abandoned at that time.”
“In such freezing snow, that couple was truly heartless—they abandoned their sick second brother in the mountains, where he nearly got carried off by wolves. Fortunately, a hunter saved him.”
“Why did they abandon him? Simply because they believed it didn’t matter since he wasn’t their own child! Oh right, Sister-in-law, you don’t know the Jiang family’s situation. That shameless Jiang Dasheng is the second son of the Jiang family, and his wife, Kong Chunhua—what a perfectly matched pair! Our Second Brother belongs to the eldest branch. Elder Uncle Jiang had three children in total, but sadly, he passed away early, so all three children were adopted into the second branch. However! Elder Brother Jiang originally died while trying to save Jiang Dasheng! That black-hearted couple should never have treated Elder Brother Jiang and our Second Brother this way!”
At that moment, Yuan Yao felt completely confused; it took her a long while to sort out the relationships within the Jiang family.
“So you mean Jiang Song’an’s father died saving his second uncle? Then the three sons of Elder Uncle Jiang were raised by the second branch, yet during that year’s famine, the second branch of the Jiang family abandoned Jiang Song’an on the snowy mountain?”
Tie Zhu nodded with tears in his eyes: “That year, Jiang the Second nearly drowned; it was our eldest uncle who saved him. But Uncle exhausted himself and was swept away by the current. Not long after, Auntie passed away too. Back then, Second Brother was only about ten, and Eldest Brother Jiang merely thirteen. Yet when Eldest Brother turned sixteen, Jiang the Second, trying to evade conscription, actually pushed his own sixteen-year-old elder brother forward in his place! What a despicable creature! Ever since then, Second Brother has been living under that heartless couple from the second branch, together with Xiaonian.”
“Who is Xiaonian?”
“He is Second Brother’s younger sibling, the youngest of all. When our eldest uncle met his fate, Xiaonian was only three years old, seven years younger than Second Brother. A little over a year later, famine struck. That couple, fleeing disaster, must have regarded Second Brother as nothing but a burden! Not only did they refuse to spend money on his medical treatment, they simply abandoned him outright! Fortunately, Second Brother survived against all odds. Alas…”
Yuan Yao was truly shaken. She had always believed her own life miserable enough, yet never imagined Jiang Song’an’s childhood could be so much more tragic than hers. Although Yuan Yao felt grievously wronged, at least before turning fifteen she had never suffered hunger or freezing cold. But Jiang Song’an lost both parents at merely ten years old, falling into the hands of such heartless second uncle and aunt; going without enough food must have been a frequent occurrence for him.
But no matter how unreasonable they were, they should not have abandoned the ailing Jiang Song’an in the freezing snow!
What difference was there between that and sending him to his death!
Yuan Yao trembled all over with anger. “And then what? After that hunter saved him, what happened?”
Tie Zhu sighed. “Back then, every household was struggling. Even though many people sympathized with Second Brother, they were powerless to help. You could say Second Brother was blessed with great fortune; in such circumstances, he recovered on his own without even seeing a doctor. But once he recovered, he still faced the problem of putting food on the table. Barely ten years old, he began scrambling for survival in the mountains. Later, when the famine eased somewhat, people took pity on him. You could say Second Brother was raised on meals donated by a hundred different families… However! Second Brother is truly capable. From the mountains to the village, then to the town, and now he’s even working in the county seat. We all admire him!”
“Sister-in-law… you will live well with Second Brother, won’t you…?”
Yuan Yao remained silent for so long that Tie Zhu began to feel a little afraid, before she suddenly smiled and said, “Your second brother has never told me any of these things.”
“That’s because he was afraid!”
“Afraid of what?”
Tie Zhu scratched his head. “I… I don’t know what Second Brother was afraid of either; it’s just a feeling! Anyway, Second Brother definitely likes you! Sister-in-law, you have no idea—before this, Second Brother secretly watched you many times. When you were living at the Wang family’s home, you had to pass by Xiaocao Bridge every time, right? Second Brother often squatted there for a very, very long time.”
Yuan Yao was completely unaware of this; her eyes widened. “There’s such a thing?”
Tiezhu nodded with a smile. “Don’t let on that I told you, sister-in-law… otherwise my brother will surely skin me alive.”
Yuan Yao gave a bitter laugh. “Alright, I understand, but I certainly don’t have the mood to ask about this right now.”
What she had learned today had struck her too deeply; it might take her a long time to digest it all.
..
It was nearly midnight. Yuan Yao and Jiang Song’an lay on that small bed; she knew he wasn’t asleep.
Neither could she sleep.
After holding back for a while, Yuan Yao finally broke the silence: “Let’s head back tomorrow. We’ll skip the sightseeing this time, but we need to buy some things for your place. Is that alright?”
Only after a long pause did Jiang Song’an respond with a soft “Mm.”
Yuan Yao rolled over. Since no one was asleep anyway, she decided to talk about what lay ahead. The bed was so small that the moment she moved, Jiang Song’an stiffened entirely. Only when Yuan Yao took the initiative to wrap her arms around his waist did he gradually relax.
“Just tell me properly—what exactly are you thinking?” Yuan Yao asked.
In the darkness, Jiang Song’an’s voice came low and deep: “Find Xiaonian. I won’t have any dealings with them.”
“All these years, have you been looking for Xiaonian?”
“They’ve been asking around,” Jiang Song’an said quietly.
“When they abandoned me back then, I agreed on one condition: they had to swear before heaven and earth that they would raise Xiaonian until he came of age. Otherwise, even as a ghost, I would never let them go.”
Yuan Yao wanted to say that oaths from such people were hardly trustworthy, since they clearly feared no divine retribution, but fearing it might upset Jiang Song’an, she held her tongue. Instead, she spoke gently, “Did you ask the village head before setting out? Do you know where they are?”
“I only know they might have settled in Heli Village. Today grain is being distributed in the county town; they’re sure to have come.”
Holitun lies right between Shenmu Town and the county seat. Jiang Song’an’s speculation was well-founded. At the same time, Yuan Yao also guessed that once that couple returned, they would surely go around asking about Jiang Song’an. Whether in Qingshan County or Shenmu Town, Jiang Song’an was quite a notable figure; it was only a matter of time before they tracked down his family.
No wonder he had brought her to the county seat.
Although Yuan Yao thought Jiang Song’an’s behavior rather foolish, she could completely understand it. Hadn’t she herself initially been unwilling to let anyone know about her past?
In the end, she and Jiang Song’an were simply two souls sharing the same sorrow.
“Go back tomorrow. Even if your second aunt and second uncle come knocking, you’re already married. What’s the matter? Do you think two households should merge into one? That makes no sense. Besides, just say I don’t agree. She isn’t my second aunt; I’m not afraid of her.”
Yuan Yao’s words finally brought a smile to Jiang Song’an’s face.
“I won’t. Once I find Xiaonian, I’ll bring her back. I won’t call them ‘Second Aunt’ or ‘Second Uncle.’ I just…”
“Just what?”
I was just afraid that once you knew, you wouldn’t want to stay with me anymore.
Jiang Song’an didn’t voice these words; instead, he turned over and pulled Yuan Yao into his arms, asking another question: “If I bring Xiaonian back, would you mind?”
Yuan Yao lifted her head and looked at him strangely for a moment.
Jiang Song’an: “What’s wrong?”
Yuan Yao: “Why would you even ask that? I brought three younger sisters with me, and you never said a word. How old is your younger brother this year? Seven years younger than you? That makes him thirteen? He’s even younger than A-Shuang; how could I possibly mind?”
Jiang Song’an finally let out a sigh of relief, as if a knot in his heart had completely unraveled.
“Good.”
He gently pressed a kiss to Yuan Yao’s forehead: “Sleep now; we’ll head home tomorrow.”
–
Early the next morning, after breakfast, the two went straight to the fabric shop. They purchased a new set of bedding, including mattresses, quilts, and pillows. Then they had fresh cloth tailored for Jiang Song’an. Ready-made clothes were too expensive, so Yuan Yao planned to make them herself. Jiang Song’an let her measure and fuss over him to her heart’s content, his eyes and face brimming with tenderness and smiles.
By the hour of Si, the couple prepared to return to Shenmu Town.
During this trip to the county seat, Yuan Yao had hardly done any sightseeing. On the way back, she teasingly chided Jiang Song’an: “It’s all your fault! We didn’t discover a single business opportunity this time; we just spent money.”
Jiang Song’an offered an apologetic smile. “My fault. Tomorrow, I’ll definitely bring you back for a proper tour.”
Yuan Yao glanced at him several times. She certainly wasn’t truly blaming Jiang Song’an; she simply wanted to confirm that he wasn’t harboring any worries at the moment. Only upon hearing his laughter did Yuan Yao finally feel reassured.
By the hour of Shen, the ox cart came to a steady halt right at the entrance of the Jiang family’s small courtyard. No sooner had it stopped than Yuan Li’s excited voice rang out: “Eldest Sister and Brother-in-law are back!!!”
The moment her words fell, all three sisters rushed out!
Aunt Dou and Grandma Liu had come as well.
As Yuan Yao stepped down from the cart, the three sisters swarmed around her: “Eldest Sister!”
Yuan Yao stroked their heads. “Did you behave well while I was away?”
“We did! If you don’t believe us, ask Grandma Liu!”
Grandma Liu approached from behind with a smile. “All three children have been very well-behaved; you needn’t worry.”
“Thank you, Grandma.”
After speaking, Grandma Liu seemed hesitant to say more. Finally, she glanced at Jiang Song’an. “Xiao An, come here. Grandma has a few words for you.”
Jiang Song’an had just finished tethering the ox cart when he noticed Grandma Liu’s sudden change of expression. Yuan Yao, sensing something amiss, asked directly, “Grandma, has anyone come by?”
After her question, it was Grandma Liu and Aunt Dou’s turn to stare in surprise.
“So Yaoniang already knows?” Aunt Dou asked.
Yuan Yao: “What matter are you referring to? Second Uncle Song’an?”
Aunt Dou’s expression changed; she looked at Jiang Song’an, who nodded and said, “Grandma, please speak directly.”
Grandma Liu was also surprised, but before she could speak, Yuan Li interjected, “I know! Yesterday afternoon, two very strange people came to our house! They said they were looking for Brother-in-law! But Grandma chased them away!”
Jiang Song’an’s face changed color. Grandma Liu sighed, “It was them! Even after all these years, I can still recognize them!”
Jiang Song’an parted his lips, his gaze immediately seeking out Yuan Yao. Smiling, she said, “Let them come if they will. What else can they do? Break in and rob us? Come on, let’s go home.”
Seeing Yuan Yao’s reaction, Grandma Liu was also somewhat surprised. Jiang Song’an gave Yuan Yao a deep look before adding, “Let them come then. Even if they hadn’t sought me out, I would have gone to find Xiaonian sooner or later anyway. Grandma, have you seen Xiaonian?”
“I have! He’s skin and bones, like a monkey! They say he just went to the county town to collect grain—what a troublemaker! He’s currently in Heli Village, asking around for news of you. Since we’re speaking plainly now, I’ll just say it outright: Song’an, you should have changed your name back then! Now that those shameless creatures have tracked you down, there’s no way these days will remain peaceful!”
Jiang Song’an hadn’t yet spoken when Yuan Yao said, “Why change his name? He is Jiang Song’an. If they don’t come looking for Jiang Song’an, I’ll seek them out myself to settle accounts! The ones who should fear changing their names are them!”
Granny Liu widened her eyes: “You…”
“I’m sorry, Grandma. I wasn’t angry at you; I just couldn’t let it go.” Yuan Yao realized her tone had been too harsh and quickly apologized.
To her surprise, Grandma Liu laughed. “Good! I think this daughter-in-law of yours is quite formidable. I’d like to see how she deals with that couple.”
Yuan Yao glanced somewhat embarrassedly at Jiang Song’an, who also smiled. “Then we’ll head inside first, Grandma.”
“Mm, go ahead! Call us if you need anything!”
The kindness of the neighbors warmed Yuan Yao’s heart. After entering the courtyard, she smiled brightly and said, “You truly have a wonderful way with people. If it weren’t for you, Grandma A and Aunt Dou would never have treated me so kindly before.”
Jiang Song’an set down his things, walked over to her, and gazed deeply into her eyes. Gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, he replied, “That’s only because they didn’t know you yet. Spend a little more time with anyone, and there’s no one who wouldn’t come to like you.”
For some reason, under Jiang Song’an’s gaze, Yuan Yao suddenly found her cheeks flushing. She looked away awkwardly, murmuring a soft “Mm,” then added, “Let’s put away the things we bought.”
Jiang Song’an curved his lips into a smile. “Alright.”
–
In the afternoon, life in the Jiang family courtyard proceeded as usual. Yuan Yao steamed some corn buns, simmered a pot of mixed mushroom and vermicelli soup, and sliced a plate of century eggs to serve cold for dinner. As dusk approached, someone suddenly arrived with a message summoning Jiang Song’an to see the village head. Jiang Song’an hesitated at first, but Yuan Yao smiled and said, “Go ahead. You’ll be back by hai hour (9-11 PM) at the latest. I’ll wait for you.”
Jiang Song’an finally nodded. “All right, stay home and keep the door securely locked.”
“Hmm, you don’t need to worry.”
After Jiang Song’an left, Yuan Yao told the three sisters to go back to their rooms and sleep. Then she walked into the kitchen, placed all of today’s steamed corn buns into the steamer basket, and glanced at the cured meat hanging beneath the roof beam. After a moment’s hesitation, she moved it up to the attic to continue air-drying. After all, the attic was not only well-ventilated but also had good light; there was no need to keep the meat under the roof beam where it could easily attract attention.
Just as she finished these tasks, a knock sounded at the main gate.
Yuan Yao’s heart skipped a beat; suddenly, she felt that they had arrived.
She smoothed her clothes and walked over at a leisurely pace. The knocking outside grew increasingly urgent, yet she remained completely unhurried, strolling slowly to the side before asking, “Who are you looking for?”
The knocking outside paused, followed by a woman’s voice.
“Is this Sister An’s wife? It’s me, your second aunt!”
This was the first time Yuan Yao had heard Kong Shi speak, and she immediately memorized that sharp female voice.
Yuan Yao replied, “Second Aunt? Jiang Song’an doesn’t have a second aunt.”
Upon hearing these words, Kong Chunhua immediately grew anxious: “That’s because A’An didn’t tell you! I truly am your second aunt! We came from Longzhou! We came looking for you yesterday but you weren’t home; quickly open the door and let us in!”
Yuan Yao remained unhurried: “I truly do not know you. Before Song’an left, he told me not to open the door for just anyone. Even if you are my second aunt, I’m afraid you’ll have to wait.”
“Where has A’An gone?!”
“I don’t know either, nor am I certain whether he will return today. You may wait as long as you like.”
“…You, you young girl, I really am your second aunt! And your second uncle! And your three younger brothers! It’s freezing to death out here! We’ve searched for you in several places and even went to the county town to get grain! In such cold weather, how could you leave us standing at the door? Really…”
Yuan Yao remained indifferent: “I don’t know you people. As a weak woman alone, shouldn’t I be cautious?”
Lady Kong retorted: “…Then tell us, what would it take for you to believe us?!”
Yuan Yao lifted the corners of her lips. “Then… pass the household register through the crack in the door so I can see it? If there’s one for Jiang Song’an, I’ll acknowledge you.”
Silence fell from outside.
Yuan Yao’s expression gradually grew cold.
That day, she had also learned something from Tie Zhu: Jiang Song’an had been abandoned alone in the wilderness back then, and Kong Shi had even taken his household register with her when she left. All these years, no one knew whether she had used Jiang Song’an’s identity for anything. The household register Jiang Song’an possessed now, just like those of Xiao Qi and the others, was a replacement issued by the village head. This very fact had resulted in Jiang Song’an receiving no land allocation because of this matter.
Thinking of this, Yuan Yao’s gaze grew even colder. Kong Shi was not without cunning; after a moment of silence, she relented, “Fine, fine, I’ll wait here!” The words were gritted through clenched teeth, yet Yuan Yao merely sneered coldly, letting her do as she pleased.
It was only a matter of time before they came knocking, but gaining entry would not be so easy.
Yuan Yao entered the room and briefly recounted the incident to her three younger sisters. Now that all three had matured, they naturally understood the gravity and urgency of the situation. As Yuan Shuang listened, her eyes widened in outrage: “They… they are going too far!”
Yuan Yao replied, “So, against such unreasonable people, we must stand united against them, agreed?”
The three sisters nodded in unison: “Yes!”
No sooner had Yuan Yao finished speaking than a wailing voice erupted from outside: “Ah An! Little An!”
Yuan Yao immediately turned and hurried out, flinging open the main gate.
By now, night had fallen, and many households next door had already gone to sleep, yet Kong Shi paid no heed. She threw herself forward, grabbing Jiang Song’an by the hem of his robe and refusing to let go, crying incessantly, “Ah An, I’ve finally found you!! I’m your Second Aunt! Do you still remember your Second Aunt??”
Jiang Song’an’s expression remained calm as he cast a cold glance at them.
Only now did Yuan Yao clearly see that there were five people in total: besides Kong Shi, there was a man who looked honest and simple-minded—this must be Jiang Song’an’s second uncle, Jiang Dasheng. There were also three boys; two of them were slightly taller, likely the children of Jiang Song’an’s second uncle’s household, while the third was so thin and frail he resembled firewood, gazing tearfully at Jiang Song’an with an expression poised between crying and holding back tears. This one must be Jiang Nian.
The child was frighteningly emaciated; one glance made it easy to guess what kind of life he had endured before. Thinking that Jiang Song’an might have suffered similarly in his own childhood, Yuan Yao felt a surge of anger rising within her.
Jiang Song’an stood motionless without responding, leaving Yuan Yao no choice but to step forward. Smiling, she approached them. “Oh my, so it really is Second Aunt! I just thought you might be some bad people—look at me…”
Kong Shi and Jiang Dasheng stopped crying at that moment and turned to look at Yuan Yao. The instant they saw her clearly, they were stunned; they had hardly expected Yuan Yao to be so beautiful. Standing before them, she looked nothing like a farmer’s wife, whereas Kong Shi, with her disheveled hair and dirty face, appeared truly unfit for polite company.
“This… this is…”
“My name is Yuan Yao, Song’an’s wife. You may just call me Yao Niang.”
The moment Kong Shi realized that it was this young girl who had just turned her away from the door, her expression instantly changed.
“So it’s Sister An’s wife! I told you I was your Second Aunt, but you wouldn’t believe me. It’s truly… in such freezing weather, you left us shivering outside the door. Just look at how frozen your three younger brothers have become!”
Jiang Song’an frowned, about to speak, but Yuan Yao cut him off again: “It’s my fault entirely. Earlier, another woman came looking for us, claiming to be our Second Aunt as well—what a coincidence! Jiang Song’an chased her away, calling her a fraud. Alas, that’s why I mistakenly thought…”
Upon hearing this, Kong Shi’s face grew somewhat uneasy, yet she immediately replied, “We truly are! Right, Ah An?”
Jiang Song’an gently pulled his sleeve free from Kong Shi’s grasp, then turned his gaze to Jiang Nian. The little boy, seeing his brother looking at him, burst into tears and snot, lunging forward with a cry: “Second Brother!!!”
A complex expression flickered in Jiang Song’an’s eyes as he drew the child into his embrace, scanning him thoroughly from head to toe. Kong Shi, feeling rather awkward, exchanged a glance with Jiang Dasheng. Jiang Dasheng looked at his two sons, grinned broadly, and said, “Speak up! Why stand there frozen? This is your cousin; just call him Second Brother like Little Nian does!”
“Second Brother…”
“Xiao An, these are your two cousins, Jiang Fu and Jiang Gui. You must have seen Jiang Fu when he was born; Jiang Gui came later.”
Yuan Yao glanced at the other two. By age, Jiang Fu and Jiang Gui should have been younger than Jiang Nian, yet both were surprisingly taller.
Yuan Yao could no longer force a smile. She simply stepped closer to Jiang Nian and Jiang Song’an, whispering, “Let’s take the child inside first.”
Jiang Song’an nodded and led Jiang Nian inward. Mistress Kong immediately signaled Jiang Dasheng with her eyes and hurried to follow, but Jiang Song’an suddenly spoke in a grave tone, “I’m only bringing Xiao Nian back; there’s no extra room in the house.”
Mistress Kong was utterly shocked! She hastily pleaded, “Ah An, how can you say such things… It’s already so late tonight; where do you expect us to go? Your second uncle has been ill these past few years and cannot endure hardship. We’ve traveled everywhere these last few days just looking for you.”
As she spoke, Jiang Dasheng immediately began coughing at the opportune moment. Yuan Yao glanced at Jiang Song’an and asked, “So you’ve been here for several days; where have you been staying?”
“Holitun! But what kind of place is Holitun? A cow shed! Those people are utterly unreasonable! No matter what, we are locals, yet they made us stay in a cow shed!” Kong Shi exclaimed loudly.
While making a fuss, she also cast her gaze toward the courtyard. Yuan Yao naturally noticed her look and smiled lightly: “But our home… truly has no space left. Even if you wish to stay, the only place available might be the storage room.”
This was the truth. With so many children in the household, how large could Jiang Song’an’s house possibly be, even after settling down in Shenmu Town? The storage room was dirty, cluttered, and tiny. Yet Kong Shi, having already visited earlier that day, returned again at this hour, clearly determined to move in permanently. If Yuan Yao refused them entry, it would only invite relentless harassment. Better, then, to let them inside and see—just like Pan Shi had done before—what exactly this household possessed.
Kong Shi’s expression turned sour, but at least she was allowed through the main gate. She glanced at Jiang Song’an, seeming to realize nothing could be changed, then gritted her teeth: “Very well!”
A storage room it would be—still better than an ox shed!
Yuan Yao smiled faintly. “Very well, come in.”
Jiang Song’an, his face grim with anger, led Xiaonian inside first. The moment Pan Shi stepped through the door, her eyes darted around restlessly, never pausing. Yuan Yao, however, felt no unease at being scrutinized; truth be told, apart from some meat, there was truly little else to see. After all, she and Jiang Song’an were only just beginning to build their lives from nothing.
Yuan Yao led Kong Shi to the storage room. As soon as the door opened, thick dust greeted them. Yuan Yao stepped aside, then fetched a broom and a cloth. “Second Aunt, this is all we have. I’m afraid you’ll need to clean it yourself.”
Kong Shi’s eyes widened, but before she could react, Yuan Yao had already turned and left. As for Jiang Nian, he had already been taken back to the room by Jiang Song’an. Standing nearby, Jiang Fu and Jiang Gui asked, “Mother, are we staying here too?”
Yuan Yao still felt a pang of reluctance toward the child, yet she did not turn back; instead, she clenched her teeth and went inside.
As soon as the door closed, Kong Shi’s voice, laced with frustration, rang out: “If not here, then where?! This is better than a cow shed! Be content! Who asked us to live under someone else’s roof!”
“Then why can Jiang Nian go inside?” Jiang Fu retorted indignantly.
Kong Shi sneered coldly: “Stay if you want, leave if you don’t–just get lost! Are you his own brother?”
Of course, she uttered this last part in a hushed tone, yet Yuan Yao still heard it. Too weary to concern herself with that family, Yuan Yao secured her own room only to find Jiang Nian standing beside Jiang Song’an, sobbing uncontrollably and wiping away tears. The child had clearly endured much hardship; he seemed eager to speak, but choked by sobs, could not form complete sentences.
Yuan Yao sighed, walked over, and whispered, “How about taking Nian Nian for a bath first? Tonight, Nian Nian will sleep with you, and I’ll make do with A Shuang.”
Jiang Song’an looked at her with complex eyes, then nodded. “I’ll take him.”
Yuan Yao said, “There’s hot water in the bathing room; I heated it up earlier, so you can go straight there. However, we don’t have any clothes for a little boy. Do you have any old ones he can wear for now? I’ll alter them tomorrow.”
Jiang Song’an replied, “In the cabinet; you arrange it.”
Yuan Yao nodded and went to look for her.
By rights, it was already past dinnertime, but she didn’t know whether Jiang Nian was hungry; he likely was. Even if the Kong family had eaten, the children might not have had their fill. Yuan Yao very much wanted to go to the kitchen to cook a bowl of noodles for him, but that would draw too much attention. Just as she hesitated, Yuan Shuang appeared from nowhere, calling out, “Older Sister, Older Sister…”
Yuan Yao walked to the window: “Why have you come?”
“I thought little brother Xiaonian must be hungry, so I brought some pastries. These are the ones brother-in-law brought back before that I hadn’t finished… Sister, please take them quickly…”
Yuan Yao smiled and whispered, “All right, I understand. Go back now; I’ll come find you shortly.”
“Okay,” Yuan Shuang replied, then hurried back to her own room.
Before closing the window, Yuan Yao glanced toward the storage room, where a clamor of clanging noises echoed from within; she paid it no further mind and shut the window.
Jiang Song’an soon emerged with Jiang Nian. Only now did the once-dirty little urchin appear somewhat refined, dressed in Jiang Song’an’s old clothes that hung loosely on his small frame. Catching sight of Yuan Yao, he timidly called out, “Second Sister-in-Law…”
Yuan Yao smiled warmly as she approached, asking kindly, “You’re Nian Nian, aren’t you? Good child, this is some pastry your Sister A-Shuang brought especially for you. Go ahead and eat it.”
On the table lay a package of jujube paste and yam cakes. Upon hearing the word “pastry,” Jiang Nian’s eyes widened, sparkling with incredulous delight.
“Can… can I eat this?”
Yuan Yao smiled and said, “Of course you can. Go ahead and eat.”
Jiang Nian walked to the table, swallowing mouthfuls of saliva before carefully picking up the pastry and taking a big bite.
“Eat slowly. There’s water beside you; don’t choke.”
Yuan Yao reminded him, and Jiang Nian nodded repeatedly, unable to utter a single word.
At that moment, Jiang Song’an stepped before Yuan Yao, gazing deeply into her eyes. “Thank you, Yaoyao.”
Yuan Yao poked his chest lightly. “That’s enough. It’s getting late. Take Nian-Nian to bed early. I’ll head over to A-Shuang’s place for now; we can discuss anything else tomorrow.”
Jiang Song’an seemed reluctant to let Yuan Yao leave, yet under the current circumstances, there was truly no alternative. He grasped her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, clearly unwilling to part. “Until tomorrow, then,” he said. “We’ll show them out first thing and figure out how to arrange a room for Xiao Nian.”
Yuan Yao smiled. “Let’s use the storage room then. I’ve already thought it through; actually, that room is quite usable. Someone gave it a quick cleaning today, and later I’ll tidy it up properly. You can reinforce the doors and windows and build a bed.”
“Alright, I’ll do as you say.”
Yuan Yao said, “Well, I’m heading over now. You two brothers haven’t seen each other in years; keep him company and chat for a while.”
“Mm.” Jiang Song’an still felt reluctant to let her go, but Yuan Yao had to leave. At that moment, the storage room area had quieted down. As Yuan Yao stepped out, she glanced over but didn’t intervene, proceeding directly to Yuan Shuang’s room instead.
–
In the storage room of the Jiang family courtyard, Lady Kong had merely swept the floor before laying out bedding right there on the ground. The two boys, Jiang Fu and Jiang Gui, exhausted after a long day, fell asleep immediately, leaving Lady Kong and Jiang Dasheng to sit together gossiping.
Lady Kong sighed, “I knew it. This second son has grown bold now. Did you see his expression today? I hardly felt like his aunt; I might as well have been a beggar.”
Jiang Dasheng also worried, “I’m not blind.”
“Leaving aside whether they’d take us in, just look at the wife he married—what a formidable character! She smiled sweetly at you, yet made us sleep on the floor! They immediately brought Jiang Nian inside. I refuse to believe there isn’t a single empty room in this house!”
“Enough.” Jiang Dasheng cut her off.
“That matter from back then… I suspect Xiao An still holds a grudge over it.”
Kong Shi’s eyes widened in shock: “What do you mean? He actually thinks he can disown us? No such luck! Back when he was so gravely ill, he himself agreed to the arrangement—he would take Jiang Nian and leave us behind. Just look at our circumstances then! I was already caring for Fuge’er, carrying another child in my womb, and still expected to raise Jiang Nian on top of that! How could we possibly survive?! At that time, his illness seemed fatal; even if he had stayed, death would have been inevitable!”
Jiang Dasheng quickly gestured with his hands, urging her to lower her voice: “Keep it down…”
Kong Shi clenched her teeth in frustration: “Still, if I had known earlier that he possessed such resilience and capability, I would have changed my decision back then. But regardless, he did eat our food when he was young, and so did Jiang Nian! You raised Jiang Nian for seven years! Surely that counts as a debt of nurturing grace?! Based on this alone, Jiang Song’an cannot simply abandon us!”
Jiang Dasheng thought for a moment and said, “What you say makes sense, but this wife of his…”
Lady Kong sneered, “She’s nothing but a girl of ten or so; do you think I can’t handle her? Haven’t we already heard that your nephew is now quite capable? He has bought a house in town, taken a wife, and is working in the county seat. Getting a job for us should be no trouble at all, nor would it be difficult for him to build us a house! What matters most right now is to go see the village head first and settle the matter of dividing the land and fields!”
Jiang Dasheng replied, “I know! We’ll go tomorrow. We originally owned land and a house in Naiguo Village; there’s no reason they shouldn’t allocate some to us.”
Lady Kong shook her head, “You fool! What do we need Naiguo Village for now? What we want is a homestead plot in Shenmu Town! There are fields outside Shenmu Town as well!”
Jiang Dasheng widened his eyes, “Will that really work?”
“Why not? How many mu of land did our family have before? I can take less! But we must settle in Shenmu Town! Now that your nephew is here, if you don’t stay close, do you think he’ll care about you in the future?!”
Jiang Dasheng pondered for a moment: “What you say does make sense… Then tomorrow we’ll go see the village head again! But even if we’re allotted land to build a house, we still need some place to stay until then, don’t we?”
Kong Shi pursed her lips. Jiang Dasheng shook his head: “I find it frustrating; Song’an’s wife will definitely not agree.”
Kong Shi smiled, “Your legs are your own. Now that we’ve all entered the house, don’t think it’ll be so easy to make us leave…”
Jiang Dasheng cast a meaningful glance at his wife, his long-held tension finally easing. The two lay down and fell asleep not long after.
–
Early the next morning.
Yuan Shuang and Jiang Song’an opened the door simultaneously; they exchanged a glance, then both stepped toward each other.
“Where is Nian Nian?”
“Still asleep.”
Yuan Yao whispered, “I’ll go make breakfast.”
Jiang Song’an glanced at the storage room, his tone still sharp: “Get them out first.”
Yuan Yao smiled. “It’s easy to invite a god in but hard to send one away. If you simply chase your second aunt out, people will find something to gossip about, regardless of whether they know what happened back then. Don’t worry; I have a plan.”
Yuan Yao leaned close to Jiang Song’an’s ear and whispered a few words. At that moment, Jiang Song’an realized that Yao Yao, who had seemed at a loss when Pan Shi visited earlier, now appeared as though she were an entirely different person. He curled his lips into a smile: “I’ll do whatever you say.”
Yuan Yao pressed her lips together in a smile. “So cooperative? Then go quickly; I daresay you won’t want to see them in a moment.”
“Yaoyao,” Jiang Song’an said, looking at her earnestly once more. “Thank you.”
“Why are you always so polite with me…”
Yuan Yao chided him gently. The words had barely left her lips when the door on the other side opened. Jiang Song’an glanced back, then departed without further delay.
When Lady Kong emerged, Jiang Fu and Jiang Gui were both dragged up by her; trailing behind their mother, they cried out, “Mother, we’re so hungry…”
Lady Kong shot the two children a sharp glance, then turned to Yuan Yao with an apologetic smile. “The little ones don’t know any better; please don’t take offense, niece-in-law.”
Yuan Yao smiled gently. “It’s nothing.”
She turned and went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. At the same time, Yuan Shuang, Yuan Qi, and Yuan Li also woke up. When the three young girls appeared in the courtyard, both Kong Shi and Jiang Fu and Jiang Gui widened their eyes in surprise. Yuan Shuang politely greeted them, while Yuan Li merely snorted, pulling Yuan Qi along as she ran straight to the kitchen.
Kong Shi was so shocked that she remained speechless for a long while. What… what… what is going on?! The Jiang family has three more daughters?!
Yuan Yao noticed all her astonishment and smiled as she said, “Does Second Aunt not know? They are all my younger sisters.”
The expression on Kong Shi’s face at that moment was truly something to behold.
“You’re taking care of three younger sisters…”
Yuan Yao nodded. “Yes, that’s right.”
After regaining her composure, Kong Shi pursed her lips and exclaimed, “Oh my, oh my, poor An must have had it so hard…”
The sarcasm in those words was so obvious that even Yuan Shuang could detect it; she had initially intended to remain polite, but now she couldn’t help rolling her eyes.
Yuan Yao, however, remained unfazed and smiled faintly. “Yes, Song’an knew about this situation before marrying me. So yes, our home is indeed a bit crowded. Even the storage room where Second Aunt slept yesterday will be needed, as my distant cousin will be arriving soon. We gave notice well in advance.”
Upon hearing these words, Mrs. Kong understood immediately.
This was clearly a dismissal.
“Your cousin? Good heavens, how is it that you’ve taken over this entire courtyard? When we, the Jiang family, come to stay, are we now not even worthy of a storage room?”
Yuan Yao replied, “Second Aunt, you speak unfairly. My cousin is still so young. You and Second Uncle originally hail from Heli Village, where you own both house and land. Isn’t the village head distributing housing assignments today? How could we possibly let you continue living in such an unsuitable place?”
Lady Kong let out a cold laugh; she had finally seen through this new daughter-in-law, who wore a smiling face on the surface while harboring one scheme after another in her heart.
Just as Kong was about to retort with a few more sharp words, the knocking suddenly ceased. “Cousin!”
Yuan Yao immediately wiped her hands and smiled. “That’s my cousin; he’s here now.”
She hurried over to open the gate. The moment the courtyard door swung open, Tiezhu and his wife squeezed in together, beaming. “Cousin! Long time no see!”
Yuan Yao hadn’t expected Tiezhu to bring his wife along. She was startled for an instant, but only an instant; she recovered immediately. “Oh, sister-in-law! It truly has been too long!”
Tie Zhu had only been married for a short while; his wife, Li Yingying, was from Pipa Village. This was Yuan Yao’s first time meeting her. The couple entered the Jiang family’s small courtyard with their bundles, showing no hesitation, as if stepping into their own home. As soon as they arrived, they smiled and asked, “Cousin, where shall we stay?”
Kong Shi and Jiang Dasheng stood in the courtyard, nearly furious, glaring at them. They positioned themselves right in front of the storage room door, blocking anyone from entering. Yuan Yao, slightly embarrassed, said, “Weren’t you originally arranged to stay over there? Ah, I’ve been so busy I haven’t had time to tidy it up yet. Besides, yesterday Jiang Song’an’s second aunt and others stayed there overnight. I didn’t know you…”
Tie Zhu waved his hand casually. “No problem! Ah, coming to cousin’s house is already troublesome enough. We’ll clean it ourselves!”
As he spoke, Tie Zhu and Li Yingying headed toward the storage room. Jiang Dasheng initially tried to block them, but how could he match Tie Zhu’s strength? He was shoved aside in an instant, nearly stumbling to the ground. Stepping inside, Tie Zhu looked around and laughed, “Cousin! It’s already been cleaned! Quite nice! But there are two worn-out quilts here, utterly filthy! I suppose you don’t need them anymore, so I’ll just throw them out!”
With that, she kicked away Kong Shi and Jiang Dasheng’s bedding. Kong Shi was about to explode: “Hey, hey, hey! What do you think you’re doing? Who gave you permission to touch our things?!”
Yuan Yao noticed that Kong’s local accent surged forth whenever she was angry, revealing just how furious she truly was.
Li Yingying feigned surprise: “Oh, Auntie, this is yours? It looked so tattered that I mistook it for a beggar’s. My apologies…”
Kong Shi was so furious her chest heaved; if they hadn’t fled here as refugees, how could they possibly be using such wretched things!
“Who are you calling a beggar?!” Kong Shi couldn’t help but point at Li Yingying and demand.
The moment she raised her hand, Tie Zhu stepped protectively in front of his wife with an air of dominance: “Hey, what’s wrong with you? My wife wasn’t talking about you! Why are you pointing fingers like that? You’re supposed to be an elder, yet you don’t act like one at all. Come on, dear, let’s go put these things away!”
Li Yingying nodded and immediately turned to enter the room. With so many items they had brought, the small storage space was quickly filled up.
“We got here first!” Kong Shi still tried to snatch the place.
Hearing this, Li Yingying burst out laughing: “Auntie, this is my cousin’s home; it was promised to us long ago. Besides, we don’t stay here for free—we know well that one must pay when troubling others. Setting aside the rule of ‘first come, first served,’ do you even pay rent for living here? Oh dear, don’t tell me you’re truly staying without paying—what difference is there between that and being a beggar?”
“You… you…”
Even though Kong Shi had long been shameless, she had never before suffered such humiliation. Instantly furious, she snatched up her bundle, shot Yuan Yao a glare, and snapped, “Let’s go! We’ll find the village head to allocate housing!”
Lady Kong turned and walked away without another word, but upon hearing this, Jiang Fu and Jiang Gui burst into loud wails; they had been staring at the steamed buns in the pot the entire time!
Now we won’t get to eat them!
..
After Kong Shi and Jiang Dasheng left, Li Yingying burst out laughing: “I thought she was so formidable, yet she can’t even handle a little anger. And she still tries to act like a scoundrel!”
These words struck a chord with Yuan Yao, who offered a faint smile. “Perhaps she simply grew accustomed to the good life we once had; she surely cannot endure such humble circumstances now. But that makes things easier: one who has nothing to lose fears nothing. As long as someone still cares about their reputation, they have a weakness.”
Somehow, she suddenly thought of Lady Pan.
That would truly be shameless, but fortunately, she is also incredibly foolish.
Tie Zhu also said, “They’ve gone to find the village head; there’s still some commotion. But my brother has already spoken to them on your behalf. Sister-in-law, your move was truly brilliant.”
Yuan Yao replied, “It’s nothing much. I’m grateful for your help these past few days. I’m afraid you’ll have to endure staying here a while longer, but rest assured, I won’t make you stay in this room. I’ll tidy up Xiao Qi and Xiao Li’s rooms for you.”
“No need, no need!” Tie Zhu immediately responded. “This place is perfectly fine! My brother said we should clear it out for Xiaonian anyway. We’re here to help! A little cleaning and furnishing will do just fine—the house is actually quite spacious.”
Yuan Yao smiled. “Very well then, let’s eat first!”
After the Kong family departed, Jiang Nian, who had been hiding by the doorway, finally stepped out. He appeared exceedingly timid. Seeing this, Yuan Yao immediately walked over, took him by the hand, and led him to the dining table. “Xiao Nian, this is your home now. There’s no need to be so reserved in your own home, understand?”
At that moment, Yuan Shuang, Yuan Qi, and Yuan Li all rushed over together. “Yes! Please sit down and have a meal with us!”
Yuan Shuang added, “I heard from my elder sister that you are thirteen this year, which makes you younger than me. From now on, I’ll call you Little Brother Nian! These are Yuan Qi and Yuan Li; they are both younger than you, so just call them ‘little sisters’!”
“Brother Xiaonian!”
Yuan Qi and Yuan Li shouted loudly.
It was the first time Jiang Nian had been surrounded by girls, and he was overwhelmed with nervousness. He glanced several times at his new home and his new family before slowly nodding after a long pause.
“Second Sister, Third Sister, Fourth Sister.”
Yuan Shuang smiled, pulled Jiang Nian down to sit, and without further ado stuffed a large white steamed bun into his hands. “Here! Eat up!”
–
After leaving the Jiang family’s small courtyard, Kong Shi and Jiang Dasheng were furious, cursing all the way as they walked.
She had originally intended to put on a show for Yuan Yao, but now she couldn’t even be bothered to pretend anymore and began scolding openly right on the road. However, her words weren’t quite as vicious as Pan Shi had claimed; she merely complained that Yuan Yao was too cunning, that marrying such a sharp-tongued woman would sooner or later drain the Jiang family dry.
Jiang Dasheng remained silent throughout their journey, but Jiang Fu and Jiang Gui kept crying, wailing that they were hungry. Annoyed by their tears, Kong Shi finally took out a piece of dried flatbread from their bundle, only for Jiang Fu to protest: “Just now, our cousin-in-law was steaming buns! I want to eat steamed buns!”
“Mother! Why didn’t you wait until after eating to leave!! My steamed bun… my steamed bun…!”
Lady Kong: “…”
She was so angered by that girl that she nearly forgot about this matter.
Alas!
Although we found someone yesterday and even stayed the night, it seems we gained nothing at all!