Mother Jiang was in so much pain that she could not help crying out. She kept shaking her head in denial while begging repeatedly, “It really wasn’t me. Please, stop hitting me.”
Father Jiang acted as if he had not heard her at all. He kicked her hard a few more times before finally stopping.
However, somehow word of Jiang Hua returning to her natal home to ask for money spread out, and very quickly, all of Dajiang Village knew about it.
The group of people who had never been optimistic about Jiang Hua became even more smug.
“See? I told you she came back to beg her parents for support. And people still said she was living such a good life. Some people just look bright and glamorous on the surface. Who knows, behind the scenes, they might be worse off than us.”
“Who knows? Isn’t her husband working at a research institute? Who would’ve thought he’d be so useless?”
“But I heard she came back asking for money because she wants to do business. I really don’t know what she’s thinking. Wasn’t one failed clothing shop enough of a lesson?”
“Whether she’s upset or not, I don’t know, but her parents are definitely being driven to death by anger.”
…
If even the unrelated villagers knew about it, Aunt Jiang’s family naturally knew as well.
They had originally thought Jiang Hua had married well, and Jiang Mei had been extremely jealous. But now that she learned Jiang Hua was living so miserably, a wave of pleasure and satisfaction surged in her heart.
“She really thought marrying Xu Chenghuai meant she’d fly up a branch and become a phoenix.” Jiang Mei spat disdainfully.
Aunt Jiang already disliked Jiang Hua, but seeing Jiang Mei’s current expression still annoyed her. “Why do you care so much about other people’s affairs? Worry more about yourself. Your father’s brother’s wife knows a young man. His family is in Pingcheng County. You’ll go meet him when the time comes.”
Jiang Mei’s expression immediately changed. “I’m not going.”
“You have to go,” Aunt Jiang said. “Jiang Hua is only two months younger than you, and she already has children. What about you? Because you still haven’t married, how much gossip has our family endured? Can you stop being so selfish?”
“How am I selfish?” Jiang Mei said, her eyes reddening. “Have you even looked at the kinds of people you’ve been introducing to me? And if it weren’t for Jiang Hua, would I have dragged things out until now? Don’t you think I care about my own reputation at all?”
Seeing this, Aunt Jiang felt distressed as well. Her expression softened, though there was still lingering anger. Back then, if Jiang Mei had not caused trouble herself, things would not have turned out this way.
She suppressed it and ultimately did not bring up old matters again. Every time it was mentioned, mother and daughter ended up arguing.
Aunt Jiang did not want to argue. She changed her tone and persuaded her earnestly. “Then just meet him. What could it hurt? What if he’s really a good person and happens to be suitable?”
When she softened, Jiang Mei’s expression improved somewhat, though she still could not resist picking at it. “If he’s really that good, how did he end up unmarried until now?”
Aunt Jiang shot her a glare. “What do you know? I heard he went north to support rural construction a few years ago, and then he took the college entrance exam. Back and forth like that, of course it delayed things.”
Jiang Mei paused. “A college graduate?”
“I heard he attended university, at least,” Aunt Jiang glanced at her. “If he weren’t decent, would I let you go meet him?”
Jiang Mei curled her lips. “That’s hard to say. I’ve seen plenty of crooked melons and misshapen dates these past few years.”
Aunt Jiang was immediately choked by her words. She glared at her irritably, forcibly suppressing the urge to curse.
Seeing that Jiang Mei’s attitude had loosened, at least it seemed she was willing to meet him, Aunt Jiang decided not to say more, lest that stubborn girl become angry out of embarrassment.
The clothes in the wooden basin had already been scrubbed clean. Aunt Jiang stirred the water with her hand, then grabbed the edge of the basin and poured it out forcefully.
Seeing this, Jiang Mei got up to fetch water. “Mom, didn’t Jiang Hua want to borrow money?”
Aunt Jiang lifted her eyes to glance at her, her tone casual. “What? You want to lend her money?”
Jiang Mei’s eyes flickered, but she did not answer.
Aunt Jiang froze, disbelief crossing her face. “Are you sick?”
No one knew better than her how much Jiang Mei hated Jiang Hua. If Jiang Hua was in trouble, Jiang Mei not mocking her would already be good enough. Actually taking money to help her?
“I’m obviously not sick.” Jiang Mei’s abacus clacked noisily in her mind as she spoke smugly. “I’m going to make Jiang Hua write me an IOU. If she can’t pay it back when the time comes, I’ll take that IOU and go find her, and make her lose all face in that compound.”
Aunt Jiang: …
“Why do you need to do this?” she said. “I think you should restrain yourself a bit. Jiang Hua may be useless, but she married a good man. If you still can’t find a partner, I’m counting on Xu Chenghuai to help introduce someone to you.”
Jiang Mei’s expression immediately changed. “Who cares about his help?”
Aunt Jiang glanced at her without saying anything.
But Jiang Mei was indeed extremely decisive. She said she would lend Jiang Hua money, and the very next day, she really brought money to Qinhai City, asking around until she found the Xu family.
When Jiang Hua opened the door and saw her, she froze for a moment. “Did you take the wrong turn?”
Jiang Mei had clearly come to watch a joke today. Hearing this, she was not angry at all. She merely rolled her eyes. “Am I not allowed to come to my younger sister’s house?”
“It’s hard to say it’s not allowed,” Jiang Hua said. She was already used to Jiang Mei’s attitude toward her. She stepped aside to make space. “As long as you don’t find it uncomfortable. Come in.”
Jiang Mei: …
She walked into the courtyard. Her expression looked calm on the surface, but out of the corner of her eye, she was frantically sizing everything up. The courtyard was neither too big nor too small. There was a two-story courtyard-style house, kept neat and clean. It was obvious that life here was not bad.
Jiang Mei suppressed the sourness in her heart. She casually found a chair in the main room and sat down, deliberately saying, “I don’t want plain boiled water. I want brown sugar water.”
Jiang Hua glanced at her, then truly went to take out a jar of brown sugar, carefully prepared it, and placed it in front of Jiang Mei. “Drink.”
Jiang Mei, however, could no longer stay calm. Do not be fooled by Jiang Hua’s timid and submissive appearance. In reality, every time Jiang Mei met Jiang Hua in the past, it was either a fight or an argument. When had there ever been a scene like this, where Jiang Mei pointed and Jiang Hua complied?
Could it be that Jiang Hua’s life had really become so difficult that after being bullied for so long, she no longer even dared to resist Jiang Mei?
Jiang Mei hated Jiang Hua, but she also could not stand seeing her bullied like a soft bun. “Weren’t you very proud when you married Xu Chenghuai back then? How did you end up living such a mess now? Where did your temper go? You really deserve to be bullied!”
The corner of Jiang Hua’s mouth twitched. “I’m not arguing with you, but that doesn’t mean I’ll tolerate you insulting me however you like.”
Jiang Mei curled her lips and sneered, her eyes sweeping over Jiang Hua with disgust. “I’m insulting you. What can you do about it?”
Jiang Hua smiled. Her almond-shaped eyes seemed to ripple with light, carrying a hint of inexplicable charm and allure. “Why don’t you try?”
Jiang Mei froze for a moment. Then the sourness in her heart instantly turned into jealousy. One reason she hated Jiang Hua was that Jiang Hua was pretty. Ever since they were young, Jiang Hua had always stolen her spotlight. As long as Jiang Mei stood next to Jiang Hua, people praised Jiang Hua, never her.
But thinking about how Jiang Hua would soon have to beg her, Jiang Mei’s mood improved again, and a smug look appeared on her face. “I heard you want to borrow money?”
Jiang Hua blinked, a little surprised. “Yes. Is that why you came today? To lend me money?”
The smugness on Jiang Mei’s face deepened. She looked at Jiang Hua arrogantly, her eyes full of disdain. “Lending it to you isn’t impossible.” She paused, the disdain in her eyes growing heavier. “Unless you beg me.”
Jiang Hua: …
It had to be said, most of the time, Jiang Mei was really unpleasant.
Jiang Hua’s face was expressionless as she went along with it smoothly. “Please, Cousin.”
Jiang Mei: ???
Her body tilted, and she almost lost her balance. She choked on the brown sugar water, coughing violently.
After finally stopping her coughing, Jiang Mei panted roughly. Her eyes were moist from irritation. When her gaze fell on Jiang Hua’s face, she felt no pleasure at all. Instead, she felt humiliated. Her face alternated between green and red.
Jiang Hua looked at her calmly. “Cousin, is this okay?”
Jiang Mei’s face was full of shock. Goosebumps rose all over her body, and her scalp tingled. She glared at Jiang Hua in embarrassment and anger. “You really have no shame.”
Jiang Hua paused, then smiled again. She looked at Jiang Mei as if recalling something, her eyes filled with pity. She said softly, “Wasn’t that what you said? When a person can’t even survive anymore, what does pride matter?”
Jiang Mei felt uncomfortable all over under her gaze and could not help shuddering. Her brows knitted tightly. “Is something wrong with your head? When did I ever say something like that?”
“I remembered it wrong,” Jiang Hua said with a smile. “You probably wouldn’t have the chance to say it anyway.”
The Jiang Mei before her had a rosy complexion, flamboyant and full of vitality. She was completely different from the woman in her memory, who lay on a hospital bed, skin and bones, covered in blisters, her eyes devoid of light and filled with deathly stillness.
Back then, Jiang Hua had been angry and heartbroken and asked her why she would do something so shameless.
Jiang Mei had tugged at the corner of her mouth and replied, “When a person can’t even survive anymore, what is pride worth?”
The sorrow in her eyes had been so heavy it seemed about to overflow.
Jiang Mei had no idea what was going on now. She only felt that Jiang Hua had lost her mind. Otherwise, why would she look at her with such sadness? Or perhaps she was just putting on an act to scare her.
Either way, Jiang Mei had to admit that Jiang Hua had won.
She pulled a stack of money out of her bag irritably. “Alright, this money is a loan to you. But I’m not lending it to you for free. You have to write me an IOU!”
Jiang Hua could not help freezing. That stack looked to be about five hundred yuan. How could Jiang Mei possibly come up with that much money?
She smiled gratefully. “Help me thank Uncle and Aunt.”
Jiang Mei waved her hand impatiently. “Hurry up and write the IOU. Don’t think about backing out.”
Jiang Hua accepted the money, took out a notebook, and said while writing, “Treat this money as your investment. If I make money, I’ll return your principal and split the profits with you. If I don’t make money, I can only return the principal.”
Jiang Mei did not believe for a second that Jiang Hua would make any money. She took the IOU and sneered. “Alright, stop talking big.”
With her goal achieved, Jiang Mei did not want to stay for even a minute longer. She turned around and was about to leave.
Jiang Hua had originally wanted to keep her for a meal, but thinking about the awkward relationship between her and Xu Chenghuai, she set that thought aside.
In truth, if not for the memories of her previous life, there would not have been such a peaceful interaction between her and Jiang Mei today.
In her previous life, after Jiang Mei married and moved to Qinhai City, there were several times when Jiang Hua ran into people gossiping about her. Perhaps unable to stand Jiang Hua’s timid refusal to fight back, Jiang Mei directly dragged her to confront those people face-to-face.
From that battle on, she became famous.
Many people, concerned about their reputation, no longer dared gossip about her behind her back.
Not only that. When Jiang Lan and Jiang He came to ask for money, Jiang Hua neither wanted to nor dared to refuse. It was Jiang Mei who chased Jiang Lan and Jiang He away for her.
Although Jiang Hua never said it aloud, she had always been grateful to Jiang Mei.
Later, when those things happened, Jiang Hua was filled with regret. If she had done something back then, perhaps Jiang Mei would not have met such an ending.
Jiang Hua personally walked Jiang Mei all the way to the gate of the compound, pulling herself out of those memories.
After thinking for a moment, she said seriously, “Don’t get married just for the sake of getting married.”