After Jiang Hua left with Father Jiang and Mother Jiang, the two shop assistants finally spoke the words they had been holding back.
“I really didn’t expect Boss Jiang’s parents to be like that. She’s so easygoing and always smiling, but her parents look very hard to get along with.”
“And they don’t even look alike. After they said they were her parents, I looked closely at their features. Boss Jiang doesn’t resemble them at all.”
“Now that you mention it, you’re right. But it’s actually a good thing she doesn’t look like them. Boss Jiang is so good-looking.”
“…”
As early summer passed, the temperature rose day by day.
On the short walk from Alley End back home, fine beads of sweat seeped out at Jiang Hua’s temples. A faint blush spread across her cheeks, making her skin look even fairer and more delicate.
Even Mother Jiang could not help taking a few extra glances at her.
Among the three children in the family, Jiang Lan and Jiang He both took after her. Their skin tone leaned toward wheat color, and after a bit of sun exposure, they would turn dark, almost unpleasant to look at. Father Jiang’s complexion was not much better either, with small freckles and acne marks on his face.
Only Jiang Hua did not resemble anyone. That face and that skin, anyone who saw her could not help but feel envious.
Mother Jiang took the brown sugar water Jiang Hua handed over and asked directly, “Eldest Girl, I saw that your shop is doing quite well. You even hired two workers?”
As soon as she finished speaking, Father Jiang also looked over, his gaze landing on Jiang Hua’s face.
Jiang Hua brushed aside the damp hair at her forehead, her expression unchanged. “The business is alright. At least I’m not losing money. As for making money, there isn’t much profit.”
She had always been honest and did not hide anything from her parents. Hearing this, Father Jiang and Mother Jiang did not doubt her words at all. Their brows immediately furrowed.
“So you really thought doing business was easy?” Father Jiang raised his eyebrows, his tone unpleasant. “We told you long ago not to sell your machinery factory job. Now look, you didn’t gain anything good from it.”
Mother Jiang looked at Jiang Hua with worry written all over her face. “Your father and I came this time mainly because we were worried about you. Now that we see how things are, we’re even more worried. Eldest Girl, this really won’t do if it continues like this.”
Father Jiang immediately said irritably, “What’s the use of saying all that? She’s grown up now. Do you think she’ll listen to you?”
“What nonsense are you talking about? Eldest Girl has always been obedient since she was young.” Mother Jiang glared at him.
The two of them started arguing again, and Jiang Hua pinched the space between her brows with a headache.
She stretched both hands forward, making a stopping gesture. “Stop arguing. If you have something to say, just say it directly.”
Father Jiang and Mother Jiang immediately fell silent. They looked at each other. Father Jiang remained quiet and tapped the table with his fingers.
Mother Jiang glanced at him, then looked at Jiang Hua with concern. “What your father and I mean is this. You might as well stop hiring workers. Your younger sister and younger brother will be on summer break soon. When that time comes, let them come help you.”
Jiang Hua froze, surprise plainly written on her face. Before the thoughts in her mind could surface, Father Jiang’s voice sounded again.
“Money doesn’t come from the wind. Instead of giving it to outsiders, you might as well give it to your younger siblings.”
Jiang Hua: …
Mother Jiang continued, “Exactly. You don’t even need to pay them more. Whatever wages you give others, give them the same. If they’re busy with school and can’t fully help you here, then just give them half.”
Jiang Hua: ………
She stared blankly at Father Jiang and Mother Jiang, her heart filled with indescribable complexity. It took a long while before she barely managed to process what they had said.
It would be a lie to say she was not disappointed or upset. Jiang Hua tugged at the corner of her lips. “Have you thought about what happens after Second Sister and Younger Brother go back to school? How am I supposed to manage everything alone?”
Father Jiang said indifferently, “How much work could there be? You just work a bit harder yourself.”
Mother Jiang also said, “That’s right. Just endure it a little. It’s better than giving money to outsiders. Don’t worry, your mother will also come help.”
Jiang Hua’s gaze settled on their faces. She stared at them for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled.
Her tone was light. “You’re right.”
Father Jiang’s expression immediately softened, and joy appeared on Mother Jiang’s face.
Jiang Hua no longer looked at them. “Since I can do it all myself, why hire anyone at all? We’re all family anyway. Talking about money hurts feelings. When Second Sister and Younger Brother go on break, they can come help. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of their food and lodging.”
Father Jiang and Mother Jiang’s expressions instantly stiffened.
Father Jiang slammed the cup onto the table with a bang and stood up abruptly, pointing at Jiang Hua.
“You—”
He had barely spoken a single word when a sudden force came from the front. He instinctively stopped speaking and staggered backward, barely managing to steady himself by grabbing the table beside him.
Looking closely, Yunkai had appeared out of nowhere. He was now standing in front of Jiang Hua, glaring angrily at Father Jiang, his small face tightly drawn.
“You’re not allowed to bully our mom!”
A little girl’s milky yet furious voice suddenly rang out.
Only then did the three adults notice that Yunshu had appeared beside Jiang Hua at some point. The little girl puffed up her cheeks and glared angrily at Father Jiang.
The three adults, who had been momentarily stunned, finally reacted. Father Jiang was so angry that his brows nearly stood on end, while Mother Jiang frowned deeply.
“You little bastard, you’ve really gone too far!” Father Jiang roared, his voice thunderous, reaching out to grab Yunkai. “Let me teach you a lesson!”
Fortunately, Jiang Hua knew him well. She reacted quickly and snatched Yunkai away, pulling him behind her to shield him.
Father Jiang’s palm swung down, the rush of wind making Jiang Hua break into a cold sweat afterward. “Dad, what are you doing? Yunkai is still just a child. He doesn’t understand anything.”
Seeing her protect the supposed culprit only made Father Jiang angrier. “So I’m teaching him. What’s wrong with that?”
Mother Jiang also spoke up. “That’s right. He’s so young and already dares to act against his elders. If we don’t teach him, he won’t know how to respect his elders.”
Hearing this, the two children’s almond-shaped eyes, identical to Jiang Hua’s, widened even further, filled with anger.
Jiang Hua glanced at them, then looked back at her parents. “You already worried yourselves sick raising my younger siblings and me. If I let you help teach my children too, how unfilial would that be of me? Don’t worry. I’ll talk to their father. Their father knows how to teach them.”
Her words sounded pleasant and proper, but how could Father Jiang and Mother Jiang not understand that she was saying they were meddling? For a moment, both of them were so angry that they could not speak.
After a long pause, Father Jiang suddenly let out a cold laugh. “Good, very good. Your wings have really hardened. And here your mother was still speaking up for you.”
Mother Jiang looked deeply disappointed, her eyes slightly reddened, as if holding back tears. “Eldest Girl, how did you become like this?”
Jiang Hua looked at them, her gaze clear and emotionless, her tone calm. “Is this bad? Or do you prefer the me who had no opinions of her own? The one who would only cry when something happened, timid and shrinking back, not daring to retort when someone raised their voice?”
Father Jiang and Mother Jiang were stunned by the question. Their eyes instinctively shifted away, not daring to look at Jiang Hua.
Jiang Hua suddenly smiled. At this point, what was there not to understand?
“Forget it,” she said softly, then raised her eyes to look at them. “Are you staying for lunch? Dad, you can also talk with Xu Chenghuai about the children’s education.”
That last sentence was said deliberately.
Father Jiang’s face instantly darkened.
Mother Jiang’s expression also finally turned cold.
“If we eat a meal at your place, I’m afraid we won’t be able to digest it,” she said. She first swept her gaze over the two children, then tugged at Father Jiang and looked back at Jiang Hua. “Take care of yourself. Come on, let’s go.”
Jiang Hua immediately tried to keep them. “Since you’re already here, why not eat before leaving?”
It was only for show.
How could Father Jiang and Mother Jiang not hear it? They grew even angrier and quickened their steps. If they did not leave now, they were afraid they would start cursing Jiang Hua loudly in the compound.
That would be embarrassing for them, and more importantly, they did not want to completely fall out with Xu Chenghuai.
Jiang Hua only watched them leave.
Yunkai stared just as intently. As soon as they stepped out of the courtyard gate, he went over, closed the door, stood on his tiptoes, and latched it from the inside.
Seeing this, Jiang Hua’s mouth twitched slightly, but she did not stop him.
Yunshu clenched her small fists, looked up at Jiang Hua, her cheeks puffed in anger. “Mommy, don’t let those two fierce people come to our house again.”
Yunkai also frowned at Jiang Hua, speaking disdainfully. “They’re usually only fierce toward us. Now that someone else was fierce to them, they didn’t even dare say anything.”
Jiang Hua: …
She explained, “Those are my parents, your maternal grandfather and maternal grandmother.”
“I don’t care who they are. Bullying people is wrong,” Yunkai refused to listen.
Yunshu nodded in agreement.
Jiang Hua was momentarily speechless. “Alright, I know. I won’t let anyone bully us again.”
Only then did the two children let it go.
Jiang Hua then asked, “When did you come back? Why didn’t you make a sound?”
Yunshu said, “My brother and I thought you were talking, so we didn’t want to interrupt.”
Who knew they would see her being bullied? Yunkai shot her a disdainful glance.
Jiang Hua’s mouth twitched again.
She lightly patted the two children. “Alright, thank you. Otherwise, I really would have suffered a loss today.”
Father Jiang and Mother Jiang were only a brief interlude and did not affect Jiang Hua’s life. Alley End continued operating steadily and gradually got on the right track, and she became more and more adept at managing it.
However, at this moment, there was finally progress in Director Chen’s case.
Ma Yuanhang was released.
As soon as this news came out, it caused an immediate stir in the compound, because Director Chen still had not returned.
“That can’t be right. Xu Chenghuai is back, and now Ma Yuanhang is back too. How is it that Director Chen’s case still isn’t cleared up?”
“If you ask me, there really might be something to it. Otherwise, why is it only Director Chen whose case hasn’t been resolved?”
“I agree. I think the same. There may be changes coming at the research institute.”
“…”
It had to be said that their speculation was not without reason. Two days later, an even bigger piece of news broke.
Director Chen committed suicide out of fear of punishment.
When this news came out, everyone in the compound was utterly shocked.
Jiang Hua learned about it earlier than the others. She tossed and turned for most of the night, unable to sleep.
Everything had seemed so suspicious. Both she and Xu Chenghuai had intervened, yet the course of events still turned out the same as in her previous life.
Another turnover.
In the darkness, a sigh suddenly sounded. She was startled and turned toward the sound. In the moonlight, the man’s gaze was clearly visible. He, like her, had not fallen asleep.
“Let’s do something that consumes physical strength,” Xu Chenghuai said softly.
Jiang Hua froze. By the time she reacted, the man had already turned over and pressed her beneath him, looking down at her from above.
That well-defined hand had slipped beneath the hem of her clothes at some point.