"Just… just like that, she left?"
Jiang Qianshi stared with a peculiar expression at Jiang Liuli's retreating back as she disappeared through the door of the western wing.
She had clearly prepared herself to be scolded severely by Jiang Dani, or even beaten, yet this girl had simply turned and walked away?
Only those lightly spoken words, "don't regret it," pricked her heart like a fine needle, making her inexplicably flustered, though she couldn't pinpoint exactly what was wrong.
"Mother! No matter how strong she is or how well she fights, she can't escape the ancestral rules. If she dares to demand dividing the family, she'll be drowned in the village's scorn! So, daughter-in-law thinks she only brought up dividing the family because she believes we're afraid of her. But seeing how firm you are, mother, she knows it's hopeless! That's why she left!"
Jiang Tongbao's wife, Wang Shi, quickly approached Jiang Qianshi, her face plastered with an ingratiating smile as she soothingly patted her mother-in-law's chest.
Jiang Qianshi felt Wang Shi's words made sense and grew somewhat calmer.
She glanced sideways toward the western wing and snorted through her nostrils:
"She knows what's good for her! If she really dares to mention dividing the family again, I'll go sit under the old locust tree at the village entrance and let the whole village judge—see how this ungrateful wretch defies her elders! Forces them to divide the family!"
Jiang Laotou also pulled out his tobacco pouch from his bosom, slowly filling the pipe with tobacco leaves, his murky eyes half-squinted:
"Hmph, young people don't know their place. Do they really think being able to fight means they can overturn the heavens? Family matters aren't for a mere girl to decide."
Despite his words, he didn't curse Jiang Liuli as he usually would, merely puffing on his pipe, his gaze occasionally drifting toward the second branch's door.
"That's exactly right! The house they live in, the land they farm—which of it doesn't belong to father and mother? If they really want to tear face, father and mother can just tell them to pack up and get out! Let's see how they survive on nothing!"
Jiang Jinbao's wife, Wu Shi, chimed in as well.
"Mm! Eldest daughter-in-law… third daughter-in-law… when cooking, don't make portions for the second branch. A bunch of ungrateful wretches—a few meals of hunger will teach them what's good!"
Jiang Qianshi gnashed her teeth as she glared at the western wing.
Wu Shi and Wang Shi exchanged glances, both seeing schadenfreude in each other's eyes, and quickly responded in unison, "Yes! Mother is right!"
As soon as Jiang Liuli returned to her room, the second branch's family members crowded in after her, making the small room suddenly feel lively.
"Eldest Aunt, you're so amazing! You knocked someone down with one punch—even more impressive than Uncle Wei, the strongest in the village!" Jiang Zhuang, Jiang Yinbao's eldest grandson, clenched his small fists, his eyes sparkling as he spoke, mimicking Jiang Liuli's earlier stance with a swing of his arm, his earnest expression carrying a touch of adorable clumsiness.
"Learn… learn…" Xiao Qiang, Jiang Yinbao's second grandson, who had suffered brain damage from a high fever as a child, clapped his hands beside them, a foolish smile on his face as he mumbled in agreement, drool trickling from the corner of his mouth.
"Me too… I want to be like Eldest Aunt… awesome!" Three-year-old Jiang Tao rubbed her reddened eyes, clearly frightened earlier, but now her gaze at Jiang Liuli was filled with childlike adoration, her small, milky voice trembling slightly yet stubbornly determined.
Only Jiang Moshu, Liu Shi's five-year-old son, remained silent. Standing in the corner, his small hands tightly clutching the hem of his clothes, he observed Jiang Liuli with clear yet puzzled eyes, as if pondering whether this suddenly formidable aunt was the same person as before.
Looking at these four distinctive youngsters before her, Jiang Liuli felt her heart soften, a gentle smile spreading across her face:
"Learning to fight is possible, but first you need to build up your physical strength."
She reached out to pat Jiang Zhuang's head, then wiped Jiang Tao's tears, her voice softening:
"Otherwise, even a simple horse stance might strain your limbs. Someone's already cooking outside. Once the meal is ready, eat first, then obediently lie down to sleep. Tomorrow, Aunt will buy some nourishing treats to build up your health, alright?"
Upon hearing about tomorrow's treats, the children jumped for joy. They had overheard that their aunt had seized quite a bit of silver from their grandparents.
Perhaps tomorrow they would get to eat meat. Having never tasted meat in their lives, they wondered if it would really happen.
But even if they couldn't afford meat, it would be fine as long as they could eat their fill…
Only Jiang Moshu remained silent, his small brow still furrowed…
"Alright… go play now! Don't cause a ruckus here, you'll disturb your grandfather!" Jiang Liuli glanced at Jiang Yinbao on the kang and shooed the children away.
After the children had left, Zhao Shi sighed and said, "Ah! Today's incident was too extreme. Given your grandparents' temper, I'm afraid we might not get any food for our second branch—not just today, but tomorrow and the day after too!"
"Mother! We're the ones farming the land for the second branch. It's not up to them to decide whether we eat or not! From now on, listen to me regarding household matters. I promise to improve our second branch's livelihood…"
Jiang Liuli's voice was resolute and unwavering.
"I know you're capable, but you can't always resort to violence against elders. This time you struck your grandmother and uncles because they nearly killed you! The villagers understand the situation and won't consider you utterly wicked. But if you continue like this, your reputation will surely suffer, and you might never marry!"
Zhao Shi looked at Jiang Liuli with deep concern.
Her daughter was already unattractive—if her reputation worsened, marriage would become nearly impossible…
Jiang Liuli laughed, her laughter carrying a carefree tone: "Mother, as if having a good reputation would make me marriageable. With my appearance, what man would be willing to marry me? Rather than worrying about marriage, let's focus on improving our second branch's circumstances. Once we have money, even if I never marry, I can ensure you and Father live securely, and the children are well-fed and clothed. Living freely and joyfully for a lifetime is far better than marrying into a husband's family and enduring a lifetime of hardship…"
Seeing the radiant determination on her daughter's face, Zhao Shi suddenly felt a sense of relief.
Remembering her own decades of suffering in her marital family, she deeply wished to spare her daughter such a fate.
Her daughter now shone with vitality—this was good…
"Very well, I'll listen to you." Zhao Shi wiped the corner of her eye, her voice slightly choked. "As long as you live well, that's all I want."
Jiang Liuli grasped Zhao Shi's rough hands, which were covered with cracks and calluses—marks left by years of labor.
"Mother, with me here, not only will I live well, but our second branch of the family will thrive more and more!"
Zhao Shi nodded. Relying on her and her husband alone could no longer change the fate of the second branch.
Perhaps by listening to her daughter and taking a bold gamble, life would truly get better and better.
"Alright, from now on, I'll listen to you in everything!"
Just as they were speaking, Jiang Zhuang's angry voice echoed from the courtyard gate: "Why won't you give us food? The grain was grown by our second branch, and the firewood in the kitchen was chopped by my mother!"
This was followed by Wang Shi's sharp retort: "You little brat, if you keep yapping, I'll tear your mouth shut! The old lady said not to give you ungrateful wretches a single bite!"
Jiang Liuli's eyes darkened as she stood up and strode outside. After a moment's thought, Zhao Shi also rose and followed her out.