Chapter 16: Waiting for Jiang Mi to Return to Her Parents’ Home Alone

Jiang Shui Village was lively early in the morning, all because the two cousins from the Jiang family, who married on the same day, were both returning home for the customary visit.

The Jiang family patriarch held a banquet at the old residence, inviting all relatives and acquaintances. Jiang Caiyuan, who married into the neighboring village, arrived with her new husband Chen Shaojun, who had prepared his tricycle and brought gifts for the visit, accompanied by their two sons.

Even though Aunt Jiang Second didn’t fully approve of this marriage, her daughter was married now, and today was the return visit. She was determined not to let anyone, especially those from the third branch of the family, mock them.

As soon as Chen Shaojun’s vehicle arrived, she went out to greet them. At first glance, she immediately noticed the half slab of pork taking up half the tricycle.

“Oh my goodness!”

Seeing the envious whispers from those nearby, Aunt Jiang’s back straightened with pride. Although the Chen family’s conditions weren’t as good as the Wen family in the city, they were genuinely capable of bringing tangible benefits. The Chen family had slaughtered a pig—meat was a rarity these days—and they brought half a mountain’s worth of pork as a gift for their return visit.

Aunt Jiang beamed and looked at her son-in-law: “Shaojun, why bring so much pork back? How can we possibly finish all this at home?”

Jiang Caiyuan stepped down and said to her mother, “Shaojun is thoughtful. Mom, just kindly accept our filial gift.”

Behind her, two boys about seven or eight years old climbed down. They were simply dressed, with thick eyebrows and bright eyes, resembling Chen Shaojun. They looked quite decent.

Aunt Jiang gave a forced smile and pulled out a handful of candies from her pocket, offering them to the boys: “Here, children, have some candy.”

The two Chen children didn’t reach out; they just stared at Aunt Jiang. Chen Shaojun walked over and patted their heads. “What are you standing there for? Call her ‘grandma.’”

“She’s not our grandma…” muttered the younger boy.

The older boy was also unconvinced. Both children were reluctant to come today, forcibly dragged out of bed by Chen Shaojun.

Seeing this, Chen Shaojun could only chuckle and say, “Mom, don’t take it personally. The kids haven’t been taught before. Once Caiyuan gets familiar with them, it’ll be fine.”

Jiang Caiyuan twisted her lips with some displeasure. Since marrying into the Chen family, these two children had yet to call her a word, and their hostile looks made her feel as if she had taken away their father.

She had tried to convince herself that since they weren’t familiar yet, patience was necessary. She recalled how, in her previous life, the two children had grown to be devoted to Jiang Mu, which helped her endure and not take it too personally.

But Aunt Jiang didn’t know this. Her expression instantly soured; it seemed her daughter had only married in to become a stepmother to these boys.

The surrounding glances also shifted from envy to hushed discussion: “Being a stepmother is tough. They’re already so old; how could she ever get close to them?”

“Exactly. There’s no easy life for a stepmother. She just married in, but there’s going to be hard times ahead—unless she quickly gets pregnant with a son.”

Aunt Jiang glared, “What nonsense are you all saying? What are you staring at? Stop working?”

It wasn’t even their son-in-law’s return visit, yet everyone was here acting so animatedly.

After shooing the neighbors away, Aunt Jiang hurried everyone inside, unwilling to be made a laughingstock any longer.

Chen’s son-in-law naturally followed Uncle Jiang Second to meet the patriarch first. Aunt Jiang glanced at the two boys and pulled Jiang Caiyuan aside to ask, “How is the Chen family treating you?”

Jiang Caiyuan thought for a moment. Aside from the pungent pig odor and the somewhat dilapidated house, the rest was fine. It was still early in their marriage; Chen Shaojun was warm toward her, even preparing foot baths. Comparing this to her previous life when Wen Zongfu never even stepped into her family home, leaving her a widow right after marriage, her heart felt a sweet warmth. Chen Shaojun was indeed a caring man.

She relayed this to her mother. Aunt Jiang nodded approvingly: “That’s good. A man doesn’t have to be wealthy, but it’s most important that he cares for you and takes responsibility.”

“You just need to keep the man happy and quickly get pregnant yourself—then your position will be secure. Those two kids... they don’t pose a threat,” Aunt Jiang said, casting a glance at the two impolite boys.

Jiang Caiyuan nodded knowingly and casually asked, “Mom, has Jiang Mu come back yet?”

She was waiting to see Jiang Mu’s embarrassment. In her previous life, Wen Zongfu’s return visit was nowhere to be found, and Jiang Mu had returned on her own, enduring much ridicule.

People said, “So what if she married into the city? Her husband’s family looked down on her own family and didn’t even show up for the return visit.”

Compared to Jiang Mu’s entire family returning together, her own experience had been humiliating.

So Jiang Caiyuan was eagerly awaiting the scene of Jiang Mu returning home alone!