CHAPTER 17: CHAPTER 14: THE SWALLOW RETURNS 14

When the whole family returned, the stir-fried pork liver with scallions was ready, smelling incredibly delicious. Then, they brought out a pot of bone soup with wild vegetables, and the whole family happily started eating.

Jiang Jianjun: "Thanks to little sister, I finally know that pork liver can taste this good."

Jiang Jian Country: "Little sister is really clever and skillful. Next time I see pork liver, I’ll buy some too. Do you know? Pork belly costs 0.8 yuan per jin and requires meat tickets, but pork liver is only 0.1 yuan per jin and doesn’t require tickets. The key thing is it’s so delicious, it’s unbelievably cost-effective."

Jiang Zhenmei: It’s all thanks to little sister. I already knew. But she’s not stupid now; she’s busy eating because only fools would waste time talking.

Mrs. Jiang couldn’t resist praising her youngest daughter: "Without your fourth sister’s skills, you’d all have to eat dirt."

Jiang Jian Country pouted: His mom, really, what’s that got to do with eating dirt.

When they finished eating, Jiang Mingyue took the bowl of pork liver she had saved earlier along with the bowl on top of it to Granny Shi.

Thought she wouldn’t see anyone again this time, unexpected as a ghost her voice came: "Remembered me only now, do you want me to starve?"

Jiang Mingyue looked up and saw the old lady sitting by the cabinet, just in the shadows, easily overlooked if not noticed.

"Oh, you’re here. Come eat while it’s hot."

The old lady, seeing the little girl not responding, was a bit displeased.

"Why didn’t you send me any at noon?"

"I woke up and it was already late afternoon, how could I send it then?"

The old lady puckered her lips in dissatisfaction: "Where’s my flashlight and kerosene lamp?"

"Oh! I forgot, I’ll bring them to you later."

"I want them now."

"Alright, alright, I’ll go get them for you now."

Jiang Mingyue always felt that this old lady seemed cold but had a childish heart that needed coaxing.

For some reason, she felt quite congenial with this old lady.

Perhaps it was because of the time she lent a bag of flour without asking for a meal in return.

In this era, who would dare lend so much flour to a poor family that couldn’t repay it?

Solely based on this, Jiang Mingyue wanted to be good to the old lady.

She quickly returned, and it was already dark. The kerosene lamp was lit before she came back.

"The oil is almost gone. Do you have any kerosene? I’ll fill it up for you."

"Under the cabinet."

"By the way, how much is this kerosene, I..." Jiang Mingyue was thinking kerosene was expensive in this era, and so were flashlight batteries; even with money, they were hard to buy, so proper compensation was in order.

Before finishing, she was interrupted.

"Money, money, money. Little girl, do you think of anything besides money? How vulgar!"

Jiang Mingyue: "..." I’m just a vulgar person!

"Don’t mention money in front of me anymore. I’ll get angry."

"But I can’t just take advantage of you for nothing."

"How are you taking advantage of me? I’m very satisfied with these meals. From now on, you’re in charge of my meals."

Does that mean she also needs to prepare rice for her?

Jiang Mingyue: "We have no rice."

"I eat what you eat."

Alright then.

"By the way, my brother and them plan to use the game they caught last night to offset the flour I borrowed from you, to see if you agree. Actually, I can repay the flour, but it’ll take a while longer."

The old lady rolled her eyes: "I say, girl, don’t you listen when people talk? I just said, don’t mention money to me."

"Granny, I clearly mentioned flour."

The old lady glared at Jiang Mingyue: "Aren’t you going to take care of my meals? That flour doesn’t need to be repaid; consider it my investment. Also, in the future, whatever you take from me, don’t count the money."

Jiang Mingyue felt as though the old lady was clinging to her, but she dared not say it.

Jiang Mingyue returned home, only to find uninvited guests had arrived.

A woman was accompanying an old lady, and that old lady was pointing at Mrs. Jiang’s nose, scolding: "Shen Fanghua, you rotten luck-star who ruins husbands, if it weren’t for you, my son wouldn’t have died and been buried so early.

My son is gone, and there’s no one to be filial to me, I can’t eat well or dress warmly, and you don’t even help out. You eat meat on the sly, you heartless beast."

Seeing the old lady’s finger about to poke Mrs. Jiang’s eye, Jiang Mingyue quickly stepped forward, shielding Mrs. Jiang and grabbed the old lady’s offensive finger.

"Who? Whose wild child are you? Do you know who I am? Let go, let go of me right now."

"Granny, do you want me to report that you have an old-fashioned mindset, still putting on airs like an old landlord?"

The old lady’s face changed, she didn’t even have time to pursue who she was meticulously.

"You, you don’t spout nonsense, when did I ever do that? Little girl, one must have a conscience."

Jiang Mingyue exerted more force twisting the old lady’s fingers: "Conscience? Do you have it? My dad died saving people. He’s a hero, but for ten years, you’ve always used this to suppress my mom. Don’t you realize my mom is also a victim? No, you know, but you just want to bully my mom, to oppress my mom.

Whenever there’s a chance, you trample on us because you don’t like my mom; because you don’t like my dad. You even intended for your family’s niece to marry my dad back then to achieve control over him. But alas, my dad didn’t listen to you, and you’ve hated him for decades, thus extending the hate to my mom. Isn’t that right?"

The old lady stared at Jiang Mingyue in horror: "You, how do you know?"

"Seems like I was right."

"Granny, don’t take everyone for fools. Your little devious plans are all written on your face, anyone with a bit of sense knows. Over these years, my mom didn’t hold grudges with you, it’s not because she’s afraid, but because she considered you are my dad’s biological mother. Otherwise, what do you count for?"

"You, you... you are the fake wild child who stole my Jiang Zhenzhu’s city identity?"

Jiang Mingyue laughed.

Finally, something matches with the book.

For instance, this old lady, as described in the book, favors Jiang Zhenzhu. It’s true because Jiang Zhenzhu is a white lotus.

Usually pretending to be an innocent white lotus, but secretly acting as the old lady’s spy, secretly telling her everything about the other four people in the third room.

That’s why she got the old lady’s favor.

Also, this is why the old lady supported Jiang Zhenzhu to study.

"Steal? Granny, please watch your words. How could an infant like me have stolen anything? Besides, aren’t I your real granddaughter? Yet it’s clear you treat Jiang Zhenzhu as a real granddaughter. Maybe because for years Jiang Zhenzhu helped you monitor my mom and my siblings, acting as your spy?"

"You, you..." The old lady retreated as if she’d seen a ghost.

"Seems like I hit the nail on the head again. Granny, I suspect my dad isn’t your biological son, otherwise, why do you show no regard for him at all, even extending to my siblings never catching your eye."

"Nonsense, the third son is, of course, my biological son."

"Don’t rush, take it slow, lest you run out of breath, it would be bad to say goodbye to this world."

"You, you... You fiend! Fiend!"