Only someone as brainless as Jiang Yanyan could say something like that.
Ning Xi couldn’t be bothered to respond. She simply closed her eyes and pretended to nap, gripping Jiang Chengbei’s arm with one hand to keep her balance, half of her body leaning against him.
It was just too crowded.
There was no space to keep any distance even if she wanted to.
This time, Jiang Chengbei didn’t say anything about “watching appearances.” With one hand carrying several large bags and the other gripping the handrail, he firmly enclosed Ning Xi within his protective space, not letting anyone get even half a step close to her.
Seeing this, Jiang Yanyan clicked her tongue.
Once she married Qiao An, she’d cling to him every day too.
More than an hour later, the bus arrived at the village where the Jiang family lived.
It was almost dark by then. Seeing all three return together, Tian Guilan finally felt relieved and scolded Jiang Yanyan with mock annoyance.
“You girl once you go out, you’re gone all day. I thought you’d been trafficked.”
Jiang Yanyan snorted proudly.
“How could that be? I’m so smart if anything, I’d be the one selling the traffickers.”
Ning Xi: That’s because you haven’t met real traffickers.
Zhang Hongmei overheard a bit of the conversation. Her eyes were fixed on the boxes in Jiang Chengbei’s hands. Her heart felt even more sour than if she’d eaten a lemon. If she wasn’t mistaken, those boxes contained leather shoes.
High-end goods from the supply department store.
She’d gone to look at them several times before but never had the heart to buy a pair.
Who would’ve thought Jiang Chengbei would be so generous, buying two pairs at once.
How much money must that have cost!
And whose money was it? Hers!
Feeling unbalanced, she couldn’t help complaining to Jiang Chengdong after returning to the room, blaming him for being useless for not buying her leather shoes when they married. As she talked, she turned the subject to bride price.
“No matter what, Ning Xi’s bride price can’t be higher than mine!”
She’d been repeating this line every day lately.
Jiang Chengdong’s ears were about to grow calluses. He replied, “How much bride price Chengbei gives is his own business. Stop meddling.”
Over the years, Jiang Chengbei had sent money home every month. The exact amount was unclear, but it had all ended up being spent on the extended family. As a younger brother, Jiang Chengbei had already done better than him, the eldest.
He was good enough.
Did they really need to point fingers at how he spent his own money?
“Hongmei, I know you want a better life. After a while I’ll go work at the kiln factory in the neighboring village. Once I earn some money, I’ll buy you leather shoes. Don’t keep comparing yourself to Ning Xi. People are different. Chengbei likes her his bride price definitely won’t be small.”
Jiang Chengdong tried to give Zhang Hongmei a heads-up.
So she wouldn’t feel such a big psychological gap later.
But in Zhang Hongmei’s ears, it sounded like he was saying she was inferior—no match for Ning Xi.
She immediately exploded, springing to her feet.
“No! We’re both daughters-in-law of the Jiang family why can’t I compare? I’m not after money, I want fairness. We haven’t split the household yet. Every penny in this family belongs to the common pool. Chengbei can’t get special treatment!”
Over the years, Jiang Chengbei had definitely saved up quite a lot of money.
She’d been coveting it for a long time.
Since the family hadn’t split, why should Jiang Chengbei keep all his money to himself? This was the perfect opportunity to force it out and divide it up. Her natal family wanted to build a new house this money would solve everything.
“I’m going to ask Chengbei right now!”
Before Jiang Chengdong could stop her, Zhang Hongmei ran out.
“Chengbei, come out. Your sister-in-law has something to ask you.”
The old house had no soundproofing. Everyone in the Jiang family had heard Zhang Hongmei shouting earlier.
Tian Guilan was the first to come out.
“Eldest daughter-in-law, what are you trying to do?”
Zhang Hongmei was still a bit afraid of her mother-in-law and instinctively shrank her neck. But the thought of money helping her parents’ family build a new house gave her courage again.
She stiffened her neck.
“Mom, I just want to ask how much bride price Chengbei plans to give Ning Xi.”
“What does that have to do with you?”
“How does it not? I’m part of this family too I have the right to know.”
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were about to start arguing when Jiang Chengbei came out of his room, his expression darkening.
“Eldest Sister-in-law, how much bride price I give Ning Xi truly has nothing to do with you. The money is mine. You have no right to interfere.”
All these years, aside from sending ten yuan home each month, he had saved the rest of his allowance.
Naturally, that money would be entrusted to Ning Xi.
“Do I need to report to others how much money I give my own wife?”
Zhang Hongmei choked on her words, anger flaring even more.
Judging by this, Jiang Chengbei intended to hand all his savings to Ning Xi.
She panicked instantly. Her head heated up, and she shouted, “No!”
“The family hasn’t split yet. Your money isn’t just yours. If it’s spent, it should be spent by everyone together. You don’t have the right to keep it all. Since we’re talking openly today, Chengbei, tell the family the truth how much money do you really have?”
That was no different from open robbery.
Even listening from inside made Ning Xi furious.
She walked to Jiang Chengbei’s side and met Zhang Hongmei’s gaze.
“My fiancé risked his life to earn that money, and you think he doesn’t have the right to spend it himself? Meanwhile, you an eldest sister-in-law with skin thicker than a city wall are already eyeing it. Zhang Hongmei, would it kill you to have some shame? Your face is so thick you could plow two mu of land with it. I could spit on you and you’d use it as face cream. You really think being shameless is a skill?”
Ning Xi’s life principle was simple: If no one provokes me, I won’t provoke them.
But if someone came looking for trouble, she would take everyone down equally.
Zhang Hongmei was furious after being cursed like that.
Wasn’t Ning Xi supposed to be a pampered city girl? How could her mouth be so sharp?!
Still, she wasn’t willing to give up.
If being shameless could get her money, she was willing to become the city wall itself.
Seeing his wife making such a scene, Jiang Chengdong felt utterly humiliated.
Usually, when Zhang Hongmei made trouble in the room, he could endure it it was his own wife. But now she was being more and more unreasonable. If he let her continue, he wouldn’t be able to face his second brother at all.
“Shut up and go back!”
Jiang Chengdong darkened his face and went to pull Zhang Hongmei.
She refused.
“Let go of me! What’s wrong with me taking back my own money? Jiang Chengdong, you’re useless! I must’ve been blind to marry you. If you don’t help me today, you’re not a real man—”
Slap.
Unable to endure it any longer, Jiang Chengdong struck her across the face.
All of Zhang Hongmei’s remaining curses were cut off by that slap. She covered her face in disbelief.
“You hit me? Jiang Chengdong, you hit me?”
In seven years of marriage, she’d often thrown tantrums.
No matter how bad things got, Jiang Chengdong had never laid a finger on her. Yet today, in front of the entire family, he actually hit her?
“Ah I can’t live anymore!”
“Your whole family is ganging up to bully me! Divorce I’m not living with you anymore!”
Throwing out those words, Zhang Hongmei packed up her things and left. As she went, she didn’t forget to yank Jiang Xiaoyu along with her, frightening the child into loud sobs. Jiang Chengdong, worried for his daughter, chased after them and grabbed the child’s arm.
But Zhang Hongmei pulled even harder.
Afraid of hurting the child, he could only let go.