What those women thought in their hearts—Jiang Yao did not care in the slightest.
As she had said, this marriage was something the Pei family urgently needed, and it was the Pei family who had come forward to propose. It was not as if she, Jiang Yao, had desperately clung to them and begged to marry in. Why, then, should she lower herself and act submissively?
She had been raised on food, not on swallowing grievances.
When she was eight years old, after her mother passed away, her father’s concubine began to grow restless. She schemed openly and secretly, gathering support, obstructing her, and making life difficult for her at every turn.
But Jiang Yao did not go crying to her father.
Instead, she wrote letters to her three maternal uncles. During that time, she either went to neighbors’ houses to eat and drink for free, or dressed in shabby clothes and ran to her father’s office, sitting there and crying loudly.
Whenever anyone asked, she would sob and say her mother had died, that her father’s concubine refused to feed or clothe her, and was trying to drive her out of the house to beg.
At eight years old, Jiang Yao had already been delicate and beautiful like a carved jade doll. Once she cried, it immediately stirred sympathy, and everyone began criticizing her father.
Within days, rumors spread throughout Jinling that the Jiang family’s concubine had mistreated the legitimate daughter. Even her father’s superior officer had warned him about it.
In the end, that concubine was sent off to a country estate, and the servants involved were beaten and expelled from the household.
Her three uncles rushed over overnight. Seeing that the matter had already been “resolved,” they still beat her father up once anyway.
After that incident, no one in the household ever dared to slight her again.
After leaving Madam Luo’s residence hall, Xue Jiao caught up from behind.
“Please wait, Sister-in-law,” she called.
Seeing that she had something to say, Jiang Yao slowed her steps.
Xue Jiao smiled apologetically. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t help you earlier and couldn’t speak up for you. Fuqu and Mingrong have always been like that. You’ll understand later. There’s no need to be angry with them.”
Her husband, the Second Young Master Pei, was born of a concubine. Although he had been raised under Madam Luo, there was still a layer of distance, so her words carried less weight.
Misunderstanding her intent, Jiang Yao shook her head.
“You’re overthinking it. I wasn’t angry. And I won’t let them affect my mood—it’s not worth it.”
On the contrary, she was in a rather good mood.
Xue Jiao studied her carefully and, seeing that she was not being polite, smiled softly. “That’s good.”
As they walked, she added, “I was just worried you’d feel upset in silence. Actually, they’re not bad people. They’re just like that. They don’t mean to target you. Once you understand them, you’ll know we’re all family in the end.”
Jiang Yao thought for a moment and asked, “Then Sister Xue Jiao, do you know why they treat me like that? Especially Pei Mingrong—I don’t even know her.”
Madam Luo’s attitude could be explained by the usual dislike mothers-in-law had for daughters-in-law. But what about Pei Mingrong? She had no grievances with her.
Could it be a disease of the mind?
Xue Jiao hesitated before answering.
“This isn’t really a secret. You should know that both Mother and Third Sister-in-law come from the Luo family. As for Eldest Brother’s former wife—she passed away many years ago.”
Jiang Yao nodded. Since she was a second wife, there had naturally been a first wife, from the Feng family.
Xue Jiao continued, “After the late first wife passed away, Mother wanted Eldest Brother to marry her niece as his new wife. Mingrong is very close with that cousin.”
In an instant, Jiang Yao understood.
So Pei Mingrong was simply standing up for her cousin, believing that Jiang Yao had taken her place.
“As for Third Sister-in-law,” Xue Jiao added, “although she also has the surname Luo, she is actually only a distant relative of the Luo family.”
So she simply followed whatever attitude Madam Luo held.
Having obtained the answers she wanted, Jiang Yao thanked her generously. “Thank you for telling me this.”
She could tell that Xue Jiao was intentionally trying to build goodwill with her. Since her attitude was not unpleasant, she accepted it.
Xue Jiao quietly let out a breath of relief. It seemed this new sister-in-law was not only bold and unyielding, but also quite easy to get along with.
As they walked, they began talking about Xue Jiao’s pregnancy.
“How many months are you now?” Jiang Yao asked curiously.
Xue Jiao gently touched her belly. “Five months. I hope it’s a boy.”
A faint shadow crossed her eyes. “I already have two daughters. I just hope this one is a son so I don’t have to keep trying.”
She gave a bitter smile.
“Good!” Jiang Yao clapped her hands. “Then I wish you a boy!”
Her tone was bright and sincere, carrying no comforting clichés, yet strangely convincing—so much so that one almost believed she truly meant it.
Xue Jiao smiled more deeply. “Thank you. When I first saw you, I wanted to ask—you really have such beautiful skin. How do you maintain it?”
Unlike her, whose complexion had become increasingly sallow.
Jiang Yao thought for a moment and said, “If you want fair skin, you need good vitality. To have good vitality, you just need to eat well, sleep well, and think less. Let others carry the burden of the world. Put yourself first.”
“You should eat more, eat better, treat yourself better. When your mood is good, your complexion will naturally improve.”
If it were someone else, she might have offered whitening remedies or facial creams. But Xue Jiao clearly was not suitable for that. With her worries and pregnancy, peace of mind mattered most.
Xue Jiao froze slightly.
She had heard countless times that she should “put the child in her belly first,” but this was the first time someone told her to put herself first.
Yet for some reason, it made her chest warm and her eyes sting.
After walking for about fifteen minutes, they reached a fork in the road and saw Pei Zheng sitting in a pavilion with his back to them, a teapot placed on the stone table.
“Looks like Eldest Brother is waiting for you. Go on,” Xue Jiao said teasingly.
Jiang Yao curved her lips. “Then I’ll go.”
She walked toward the pavilion.
As she approached, Pei Zheng noticed her immediately. He turned slightly, watching her walk toward him.
“Are you waiting for me?” she asked.
Standing a few steps away, she looked graceful and poised. Her eyes shimmered like a pool of spring water, and the breeze brushed across her face, making her even more striking.
Pei Zheng set down his teacup and rose calmly, walking toward her.
“I was just taking a walk,” he said evenly. “Let’s go. I’ll take you back.”
He glanced at the teapot on the table, already cold and untouched, then added nothing more.
“Take a shorter route,” Jiang Yao said with a faint smile. “The scenic path we came by is too far. I’m tired.”
She lightly tapped the ground with her toe, brows faintly furrowed.
“There is one, but it’s slippery and not easy to walk,” Pei Zheng replied.
“Then just hold my hand,” she said matter-of-factly, extending her hand toward him.
A faint fragrance drifted toward him.
Staring at the fair, jade-like hand, Pei Zheng stiffened slightly. “Nonsense. In broad daylight—”
Before he could finish, she interrupted impatiently, already knowing his answer.
“If you won’t, then forget it. Zi Shan, Lü Fei, let’s go!”
She withdrew her hand and turned to leave without hesitation.
But before she had taken more than a few steps, her sleeve was suddenly grasped.
She turned back.
Pei Zheng avoided her gaze, his expression stern. “Fine. I’ll allow it this time. Don’t do this again. Understand?”
“Oh.”
Jiang Yao listened with one ear and let it out the other.