I became the Counterpart of the Winner in a Period Novel-Chapter 216 - 213: Mr. Jiang, Frail Like a Willow?
This unspoken word is more damaging than saying it!
If it were the original owner, she probably wouldn’t see the scheming in this rhetoric, but unfortunately, she is not.
Talking about kindness, salary, and favoritism.
Just short of saying she’s here to sponge off Mr. Jiang and cherry-pick the fattest sheep, ignoring lean ones like Xu Ya.
Of course, Jiang Zhenzhu is also accusing her of being ungrateful.
This is getting interesting.
"Your name is Jiang Zhenzhu, right? I heard your biological father’s surname is Xu, when are you going to change it? Carrying someone else’s surname might not be good, right? After all, we Chinese have always valued roots, but surely you wouldn’t disdain your roots and forget your ancestors, right?
Ah! Almost forgot, that’s who you are! My biological father sacrificed his life to save someone and died early, my biological mother raised the four of you alone, at least she raised you to eighteen, and every month ten yuan of my father’s pension went to you, you used his life to study!
But you come back and tell us the Third Branch of the Jiang Family in the countryside mistreated you? Were you not the one who begged the principal for the chance to study, which has nothing to do with the Third Branch? Taking the money my father exchanged with his life for your studies, you actually have the nerve to distort facts and smear his loved one?"
"You..." Jiang Zhenzhu was so anxious she tried several times to cover Jiang Mingyue’s mouth, but strangely, she couldn’t control her body, her head seemed to be restrained by something, and she was forced to stand still, listening to words that appeared calm but stabbed her heart.
Like Jiang Zhenzhu, Xu Ya also couldn’t move, even though she wanted to go up and slap Jiang Mingyue, to teach her a lesson, she was just standing there, as if some magic bound her and made her unable to act.
"What do you mean ’you’? Am I not speaking the truth? Have I wronged you? This isn’t a secret, anyone who asks around Qingshan Village would know.
Only people in the city, unaware of the real situation, would be fooled by your lies. What? Do you find it fun to deceive people like fools? Are you addicted to it?
Oh! The other three children from the Third Branch didn’t get an education, and you are shameless enough to enjoy it, does education cost that much? Even during holidays? Did you use the money to please someone? Or to compete with others? My mother feared you’d be looked down upon by others, so she made two new outfits for you every year, one for spring and summer, and one for winter.
Look at what they’re wearing! When I went back, my sister’s clothes were patch over patch, no different from a beggar. But look at you now?
Also, if you want to find your real mother, go ahead, but don’t lie that your adoptive family mistreated you. And you even stole the money meant for my big brother’s medical treatment before leaving. Did a dog eat your conscience? If not for the kind-hearted people who helped, my big brother would be a dirt mound in the graveyard now. You imply I’m ungrateful, but Xu Ya left a note for me, I can recite it by heart, ’Take care of yourself; the relationship between us mother and daughter ends here, let’s never meet in this life again!’
Not a word off, and I still have the note, ready for you to see anytime. Since Xu Ya doesn’t recognize me, I’m here to find those who do, is there an issue?"
Jiang Kangsheng and the others, who came out after hearing the commotion, had things in hand, watching the mother and daughter vigilantly, ready to attack if they dared harm Ming Yue.
But... things have been developing eerily.
Like Jiang Zhenzhu, who always used to act weak and cry, yet smiles tenderly when striking, but today, neither cries nor smiles, just blankly takes the cursing from Ming Yue, as if being scolded silly.
Jiang Kangsheng analyzed, it must be Ming Yue who changed her approach to dealing with her.
The old Ming Yue was easily broken, always eager to argue right or wrong against Jiang Zhenzhu’s nonsense.
But the current Ming Yue was more patient, managing to subdue her instead.
"Jiang Zhenzhu, remember to change your surname! You used to call me a fraud, now you’re an illegitimate child. Tsk tsk tsk! It’s embarrassing you’ve come to cause a scene here, given my dad’s patience. If it were up to me, your entire family of three would’ve been taken away a long time ago, adultery is a serious crime!
Ah! I nearly forgot to ask, Jiang Zhenzhu, weren’t you sentenced to Jing County Farm for a year? How many months has it been? Did you escape and come back? Sigh! No, were you released early? You’ve found a backer? Aren’t you afraid Xue Zongsheng will divorce you? Impressive, Jiang Zhenzhu."
These words carry deep implications, those who understand, understand.
Nothing else seemed necessary to say, Jiang Mingyue was ready to withdraw.
"Dad, Uncle Zhu, I have to go! You guys handle the rest, I’m leaving, no need to see me off."
Jiang Kangsheng came back to his senses in a second: "Where are you going? It’s so late, where are you heading? It’s not safe, come back here."
Jiang Mingyue explained to Jiang Kangsheng: "Dad, I told my cousin I’m staying at his place, number 42 Magpie Street is very close."
However, Jiang Kangsheng still wasn’t reassured, ignoring the mother and daughter in the yard, he directly pushed his bike to chase after her.
"Ming Yue, wait up." The little rascal doesn’t listen at all, Jiang Kangsheng recalls how obedient the girl used to be, adults told her not to go out at night, and she would listen and not run around, but look at her now, running around when it’s dark.
So as the heart of an old father, he completely filtered out Ming Yue’s fear of darkness and ghosts, thinking, why would someone disobedient during the day suddenly become obedient at night?
Jiang Mingyue didn’t expect Jiang Kangsheng to chase after her.
Miscalculation! She originally planned to go to Pear Blossom Lane to make some money, luckily she didn’t mention Pear Blossom Lane.
Being forced to change routes, Jiang Mingyue rode slower: "Dad, ride more slowly, don’t hurt yourself and cause another illness." Actually fearing that this feeble man would fall off the bike again.
Jiang Kangsheng felt comforted: his daughter still cares for him, it’s just her mouth, why isn’t it sweet-talking him like before?
"It’s just riding a bike, besides my health is great."
Jiang Mingyue stayed silent!
Either Uncle Zhu lied to her, or this man lied to her.
She initially wanted to leave some good medicine for colds and fevers, but then remembered her second brother, that one, despite the seemingly bad relationship with this father-son pair, would silently care. If he saw those medicines, things might get tricky.
"By the way, Dad, does Second Brother know where you live?"
Jiang Kangsheng: "..."
Mentioning the second, Jiang Kangsheng felt choked, ever since Ming Yue returned to the countryside, his relationship with the second became distant, not even coming home, later they moved out with his wife too, heard they’re squeezing in a tube building allocated by the hospital.
He knew, the second was blaming him for driving Ming Yue away, and consequently didn’t want to recognize him as a father.
Jiang Kangsheng was silent, and Jiang Mingyue wisely did not press the question, as the answer lay in the silence.
When they arrived at number 42 Magpie Street, Jiang Kangsheng was about to leave, Jiang Mingyue asked him to wait a bit, and then returned with a bag and handed it to him.
"The white bottle is for colds, you can take it during a cold and for prevention, the red bottle is for fever reduction. Don’t mix them up. Also, some cotton swabs, disinfectant cotton balls, gauze. But it’s best you don’t have to use them.
Remember, you’re a weak scholar, it’s not shameful to be unable to fight, the best strategy is to retreat.
Next time Xu Ya comes to trouble you, just stay away, consider, you’re a fragile figure, how could you be a match for her?"
Jiang Kangsheng: "..." Feeling touched was completely misplaced; is that how you use ’frail beauty’?
"Alright, go back, be careful on the road. Oh, maybe you should raise a dog for guard duty, preferably one with some smarts, that would pounce and bite wicked people like Xu Ya."
Jiang Kangsheng: "..." Suddenly visualized Xu Ya getting pounced, her artery bitten through. The body shivered.
