Old Madam Jiang instructed Aunt Shen, who had been by her side for many years, to pass on a message for Jiang Jiaran to come see her.
First Madam was surprised but did not dare to stop it. The old madam had been confused for a long time, with only occasional moments of clarity. Was it really a coincidence that she improved just as Jiang Jiaran arrived?
After hearing from Aunt Shen that the old madam was in good spirits at the moment, First Madam felt uneasy and decided to come along to check on her mother.
Jiang Jiaran followed Aunt Shen into the courtyard and immediately saw Old Madam Jiang sitting outside, holding a teacup and drinking.
“Old Madam, Jiaran has come to see you,” Aunt Shen said softly as she approached.
Before Jiang Jiaran could speak, First Madam stepped forward and looked her over.
“Mother, are you feeling better today?”
Old Madam Jiang did not raise her eyes. Instead, she slammed the teacup heavily onto the stone table. The porcelain struck stone with a sharp sound, and a few drops of tea splashed out.
“I am not better just because it suits your wishes?”
First Madam’s face darkened. She forced a stiff smile.
“What are you saying, Mother? How could that be?”
Old Madam Jiang’s face remained sour.
“You would not? You all hid it from me and forced Jiaran to marry such a person. Are you trying to drive me to my death?”
Being scolded so directly without any regard for family dignity, First Madam’s expression turned ugly. Still, she could only deny it and say the old madam was overthinking and that they were only concerned for her health.
Old Madam Jiang let out a cold snort and impatiently waved her off.
“Then why are you still here? Do I need you watching while I talk to my granddaughter?”
First Madam felt a surge of anger but could only turn and leave. As she stepped out of the courtyard, she cursed under her breath that the old woman was truly ill.
The Jiang family was not without heirs. The second and third branches also had sons and daughters. She had never shown such affection toward Jiang Minxian, yet she spoiled this adopted girl instead.
In her view, the old madam had been unwell for more than a decade, just like the old master had been back then. And it was not only her decision anyway, her son had also agreed.
After First Madam left, Jiang Jiaran was about to comment that the old madam still had quite a strong presence, when she suddenly shrank her neck and blinked at Aunt Shen.
“Was that good? That is how it should be, right? I remembered what you told me.”
That speech was so long and difficult to remember, and she even had to get angry. It was truly troublesome.
Aunt Shen gently held her hand to comfort her.
“Yes, Old Madam, you did very well.”
Old Madam Jiang smiled at the praise. She grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds from the plate on the table and began cracking them carefully. She no longer looked at Jiang Jiaran or paid attention to anyone else.
The sudden change in behavior left Jiang Jiaran slightly stunned. She looked at Aunt Shen in confusion.
Aunt Shen sighed.
Only then did she explain.
Jiang Jiaran understood. The old madam’s illness was still not well. At times like this, she did not recognize people or remember anything.
The scolding and angry words from earlier had all been taught by Aunt Shen.
“In truth, it was not really me who taught her. It was the old madam teaching herself,” Aunt Shen said. Seeing sunflower seed shells falling onto the old madam’s lap, she reached out and brushed them away.
The old madam now had longer and longer periods of forgetfulness. Even Aunt Shen did not know when she might briefly become lucid. When she forgot everything, she was like a child.
When Jiang Jiaran got married, the news had been deliberately hidden from the old madam’s courtyard. Aunt Shen only found out later. When she told the old madam, she was still confused and had no reaction.
But the next day, while resting, she suddenly became clear for a while and even remembered what Aunt Shen had said. She was both heartbroken and self reproaching, and she threw a huge tantrum, nearly fainting from anger. The family had to intervene, calling doctors and comforting her.
But it was not sincere care. After all, illness meant she would cause trouble, and that was considered normal.
Jiang Jiaran sat beside the old madam and helped her pick up the falling shells. Only then did the old madam glance at her. After a moment, she smiled and placed the cracked shells into Jiang Jiaran’s hand.
Jiang Jiaran smiled slightly in return.
The original owner had grown up with Old Master Jiang and Old Madam Jiang. Just a single memory brought back countless details.
Aunt Shen said, “The old madam also knew she would forget things, so she instructed me that if you ever returned, she must see you. She even made me remember those words, saying that if First Madam and First Master tried to stop it again, I should teach her those lines so she could scold them herself.”
Jiang Jiaran could not help but laugh.
“Truly impressive.”
Aunt Shen also smiled.
Yes, the old madam had always been formidable. If only she could remember more lines, she would be even more formidable when scolding people.
It was just that she was old now, and ill.
“It is a pity you came. Now the old madam is not lucid again,” Aunt Shen sighed. Then she asked, “How are things in the Ying residence? Have you been treated unfairly? The old madam is very worried about you.”
“I am fine,” Jiang Jiaran replied. “Do not worry too much. The old madam is also fine.”
Even if a body was nearing its end, there would be signs that could be detected. Although the eye could not see it, the system could sense it. She had been sitting beside the old madam for so long, and the system showed almost nothing unusual. That meant the old madam’s body was still strong. She was simply not clear minded.
She checked the system. It contained a wide range of entries, including medicines for relieving and treating dementia. The cost of conversion for each option was different, but all of them were high. It seemed she could not afford any of them in the short term.
She said, “If the old madam becomes clear again, tell her not to be angry. Even if being forced into illness and treated this way is frustrating, it is not worth harming her own body.”
Aunt Shen looked at her with slightly teary eyes.
“You truly understand how difficult it is for the old madam.”
Both the old master and old madam had been strong and controlling people, always worrying over the Jiang household. Even at an advanced age, they were still unwilling to let go of control. But the various masters and madams of the family were unwilling.
Now that the old master had passed and the old madam was ill, the others finally had the chance to take over. Naturally, they did not want her interfering again.
To the outside world, it appeared as filial care. But in truth, the old madam was simply being sidelined under the name of health.
“By the way, there is something you likely do not know yet,” Aunt Shen said. “The Second Miss actually ran away from her marriage.”
On the surface, it was said she had fallen ill and was sent to a countryside estate for recovery. In reality, she had fled the marriage and disappeared. The family was still secretly searching for her.
For an unmarried young lady, this was not something pleasant to be known publicly. It would damage both her reputation and the Jiang family’s name, so it had been concealed.
Jiang Jiaran pretended to be surprised, though of course she already knew.
After all, this was explained in the later storyline when the female lead returned to the capital.
Still, she thought that if she had to deal with First Madam’s attitude every day, it might even be better to stay in the small side courtyard of the Ying residence. As long as she did not provoke Ying Zhaolou, everything was manageable.
This time she had come mainly to check on the old madam. Seeing that she was still in stable condition, she did not stay long.
Aunt Shen escorted her out and asked how she had returned and why. Hearing that she had come out of concern for the old madam, she felt both comforted and heartbroken.
Jiang Jiaran also asked about her gold chain, but Aunt Shen did not know anything about it.
Since it was distinctive in design, she had only taken interest in it, nothing more.
If it could not be found, then so be it.
Aunt Shen personally escorted her out of the residence under the old madam’s instruction. Jiang Jiaran did not refuse and called Yu’er, who was waiting outside, to follow. This was to avoid First Madam trying to “send” her back.
Just as they were about to leave the residence, someone returning from outside happened to collide with her.
The person paused when he saw her, then immediately grinned with obvious mockery.
“Oh? My newly married Third Sister, married to a cripple, why are you here? Did you run back crying in secret?”
Jiang Jiaran was silent.
The arrogance was far too obvious, not even trying to hide it.
Jiang Qin, the young master of the First Branch, was born after First Madam brought her into the family. He had always resented having to call her sister. He had been mischievous since childhood and once called her a bastard in private, only to be punished by Old Master Jiang when it was heard. From then on, he held a grudge against her.
Jiang Jiaran said nothing for a moment.
Jiang Qin thought she was embarrassed and felt a surge of satisfaction. Just as he was about to continue, she suddenly looked up and stared straight at him.
A strange chill rose on his back.
Jiang Jiaran was not looking at him, but at the system interface.
As Jiang Qin approached, the system value began to rise rapidly.
A thick, decaying energy was being absorbed from him.
After a moment of silence, Jiang Jiaran suddenly raised her hand and crooked her finger at him, a faint smile appearing at the corner of her lips.
A cold, unreadable smile.
“You will die very soon,” she said, word by word.
Ying residence.
Second Madam ordered someone to summon Jiang Jiaran. However, the servant who went returned saying she could not be found.
“No one in the courtyard?” Second Madam frowned. She had already prepared herself to teach the new bride the rules of the Ying residence. Where could she have gone?
After leaving the Jiang family, Jiang Jiaran had returned to the Ying residence through a side gate with Yu’er. She even brought Sister-in-law Luo a roasted duck from a nearby restaurant and asked her to keep it secret.
She glanced at the sky and thought, as expected, she would miss meal time. Good thing she had been prepared.
When she returned to the side courtyard, a servant was already waiting, saying that Second Madam wanted to see her.
Jiang Jiaran raised a brow slightly.
Today really was lively.
Following the servant, she studied this nominal mother-in-law and asked, “Madam is looking for me?”
In her understanding, calling her “Mother” would probably make her even more displeased.
Second Madam had already been waiting for some time after hearing she could not be found. Her expression was not pleasant as she picked through a few handkerchiefs and only gave a light “mm” in response.
Jiang Jiaran saw that she intended to keep her waiting and casually found a seat to sit down.
Second Madam’s expression darkened.
“Did I tell you to sit?”
Jiang Jiaran looked genuinely confused.
“You just nodded. I thought that meant I could sit. Or has there been nothing else to discuss? If not, I will leave first.”
Second Madam pressed her temples. The Jiang family really was full of difficult people. She must be too tired lately to be tricked by such smooth talking.
She stopped dwelling on it and instead asked about Ying Xueshuang.
Jiang Jiaran smiled.
“Madam must be very busy, so you likely do not know how the kitchen has mistreated my meals.”
Second Madam truly did not know, but she could guess what had happened. Still, status differences existed, so that alone was not an excuse.
“Also, Madam has misunderstood,” Jiang Jiaran said lightly, resting her arm on the table. “It was not me. It was my husband who asked Lier to do it.”
Second Madam froze.
“That is impossible.”
“Madam can ask and verify it yourself.”
Jiang Jiaran spoke without the slightest guilt.
Ying Zhaolou had indeed intervened in her meals, though it was entirely because of Lier. Since his name carried such weight, she would borrow it a little.
No one would dare confront Ying Zhaolou over it anyway.
Second Madam’s expression shifted slightly as she considered it. This was not something she could easily verify, and she began to believe it by seven or eight parts.
“What did you say to him?”
Ying Zhaolou had never even shown himself at the marriage. Why would he care about a wife forced upon him? Second Madam suspected Jiang Jiaran had done something.
“I did not say anything. It was my husband who spoke. He was a little angry, saying you all did not take him seriously,” Jiang Jiaran said, rubbing her ear slightly.
The more she said “husband,” the smoother it sounded.
Second Madam frowned, thinking.
Just then she asked where Jiang Jiaran had been earlier.
Since she had returned through a side route, no servants would have seen her.
“I was talking with my husband next door,” Jiang Jiaran replied.
Second Madam’s expression turned complicated.
“With… him?”
“We are husband and wife. Is it strange to talk with my husband?”
Jiang Jiaran added innocently.
The lie was becoming far too fluent.
She almost believed it herself.
And she could not even blame it.
After all, the name Ying Zhaolou really was very useful.