Jiang Chuyao couldn’t help but laugh. She wasn’t stupid finally, someone had noticed the main point!
“That’s because you have to go through my old man. After all, he arranged the marriage. Whether it’s you and me, or you and him, no one would have any objections.” Back then, this marriage had been a case of “my way or the highway.”
Jiang Chuyao herself hadn’t wanted it, but at the time, she had been naïve and obedient!
She wanted to make her parents happy, to worry for them!
And even more, she worried about her older sister with her fragile health!
That’s how they had gotten the repeated chance to bully her.
But now, the wall had a curtain there wasn’t even a door anymore!
“Nonsense!” Jiang Nanshan’s face turned dark upon hearing his youngest daughter speak.
This daughter really seemed to be coming to collect debts. Everything she said was ill-timed, and it infuriated him!
“Uncle Jiang, what’s going on here? How can one daughter be engaged to two families?” Tan Jingyun thought that, since the engagement had been broken, he had the right to demand an explanation!
Seeing his question and Shen Hexuan’s puzzled look, Jiang Nanshan realized there was no way to avoid it.
“Jiang Nanshan, get in here!” At that moment, a shout from the old man could be heard.
In the end, he could only sigh deeply. “Fine, everyone come in!” Since it had come to this, it had to be resolved.
Especially the old couple, who now seemed like they wanted to devour him alive just to vent their frustration.
Hearing they were allowed in, Jiang Chuying was overjoyed and helped her mother inside.
Her impatience further annoyed Grandma Jiang.
Soon, everyone had entered and taken their seats.
Jiang Chuying deliberately chose a seat next to Tan Jingyun. Even he could see her little intentions at a glance but now wasn’t the time to dwell on that.
“Talk! If you can’t explain this, today I’ll settle things once and for all!” The reason he hadn’t just started hitting people was simply to understand the truth first.
Jiang Nanshan knew he’d get beaten anyway.
He reluctantly explained the events in a simplified way the eldest daughter had been engaged to Shen Hexuan because, at the time, the youngest had gone missing.
Not wanting to ruin the relationship with the Shen family, he had substituted the eldest daughter.
As for the Tan family engagement, the youngest daughter had been found, and they just wanted to arrange a good marriage for her.
On the surface, it seemed like a benevolent father’s heart.
But what he actually intended well, heaven knows, he knows, Jiang Chuyao knows!
“If it weren’t for Chuyao going missing, Yingying would have been the one engaged to the Tan family,” Jiang Nanshan said matter-of-factly.
Jiang Chuying immediately looked at Tan Jingyun with a coquettish gaze, which he found a little unbearable.
“Uncle Jiang, that’s not accurate. If Chuyao hadn’t gone missing, her engagement with the Shen family would still be valid, and Jiang Chuying wouldn’t have entered the Jiang household.
So naturally, there would have been no engagement with our Tan family.” Tan Jingyun was clear-headed enough to immediately point out the problem.
Indeed, it made sense.
Jiang Chuying, who had been somewhat pleased, immediately looked wronged and teary-eyed, as if Tan Jingyun were a heartless villain!
This was more than Tan Jingyun could handle.
“Yang Peiqin, go get the items. Let’s settle one thing at a time!” Grandma Jiang noticed Tan Jingyun’s discomfort.
Moreover, the upcoming scene wasn’t suitable for outsiders.
Reluctantly, Yang Peiqin fetched the items. Tan Jingyun verified them, then stood to take his leave.
Jiang Nanshan had intended to see him off, but Jiang Chuyao pulled Shen Hexuan along to send him out. Grandpa Jiang naturally agreed young people just needed to speak openly.
Jiang Chuying had also intended to go, but Grandma Jiang kept her behind.
“Back then, you said you couldn’t bear that Chuyao was lost and worried that in old age she would have no one to care for her, so you adopted Chuying.
Your mother and I agreed.” Grandpa Jiang reminisced, and Jiang Nanshan felt a chill run down his spine.
Some things, if not exposed, can be faked. Once exposed, though, there’s no saving face.
“Dad, let’s not bring up the past. The children are grown now!” Jiang Nanshan hoped that for the sake of his granddaughter, this could be lightly mentioned and then dropped.
“Afraid now?” Grandpa Jiang didn’t stop just because Jiang Nanshan asked.
“Dad!” Jiang Nanshan was genuinely afraid. Once revealed, the family couldn’t maintain even a facade of peace.
“Mom, I feel dizzy. Maybe it’s time for my medicine. Let’s go back to the hospital.” Jiang Chuying, suddenly short of breath and pale, spoke up.
Seeing this, Jiang’s mother quickly bid farewell to the elders and helped her eldest daughter out.
After they left, Jiang Nanshan wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve.
“If I had known it would come to this, why bother at the start!” Grandpa Jiang muttered angrily.
“What riddle are you two playing?” Grandma Jiang asked in confusion.
“Mom, it’s nothing…”
“Yes, indeed it’s nothing. Jiang Chuying is her illegitimate daughter!” Grandpa Jiang decided he’d kept the secret long enough. From now on, he would reveal it.
“What?” Grandma Jiang had truly been unaware. “You old fool, how did you know? How long did you hide it from me?”
“I only learned when Chuyao was found…” He drifted into memories. If not for needing a stable home for his granddaughter, he wouldn’t have shown such leniency.
But the truth proved that even with living parents, what’s unattainable remains so.
Some people are blind and foolish from birth like his son and daughter-in-law!
“Dad, let’s not bring up the past. The Jiang family is thriving that’s a good thing!” Jiang Nanshan tried to smooth things over.
“Hmph, I think you’re just trying to flatter me…” Grandma Jiang snorted.
“Mom, in any case, Yingying is your biological child. Treat her well in the future. A motherless child is already pitiful enough!” Jiang Nanshan tried to appeal to her sympathy.
“Motherless? She already has two mothers. If she ends up with two fathers too, she’ll truly be rich! Unlike our Chuyao, who’s pitiful only a grandfather and grandmother to care for her!” Grandpa Jiang knew more about Jiang Nanshan’s private affairs than he let on.
With that, Grandpa Jiang’s words left Jiang Nanshan frustrated but powerless.