45: Chapter 28: Visiting the Jiang Family 45: Chapter 28: Visiting the Jiang Family Jiang Xiaoi might have been obtuse at tis, but occasionally she was particularly sensitive, as she was now.
She chatted on about various fun and interesting things without ntioning a word about Lin Xiaoguai’s near miscarriage.
When lunchti ca around, Shen Chi also returned and when he heard that Lin Xiaoguai wanted to visit Jiang Xiaoi’s house, he wished to accompany her.
However, Lin Xiaoguai stopped him and simply gave him the address of Jiang Xiaoi’s house, asking him to co pick her up before dinner.
“Xiao Guai, I had no idea you could cook so deliciously, even better than my dad,” Jiang Xiaoi said, arm in arm with Lin Xiaoguai as they got off the passenger bus.
Jiang Xiaoi’s dad had been a head chef at a restaurant in the county town in his youth until a special period forced him to retreat to the countryside to lay low.
Naturally, his culinary skills were not lacking, and locals would always want him to cook for their weddings and funerals.
“If you like it, co over more often.
I’ll definitely cook for you,” Lin Xiaoguai said with a slight smile.
“No need,” Jiang Xiaoi shook her head, “With great-grandma and great-grandpa above you now, it would be hard for you if I ca over frequently.”
She was always a girl who understood others’ feelings.
The journey from town to Dajiang Village wasn’t far, and the two of them chatted and laughed, arriving before they knew it.
Aunt Jiang was feeding chickens and imdiately smiled upon spotting her daughter and Lin Xiaoguai returning via the small path: “You’re back.”
Then, turning to Lin Xiaoguai, she said, “Xiao Guai, it has been quite a while since you’ve visited.”
Aunt Jiang, like Jiang Xiaoi, was very plump but much fairer, and her smile resembled that of a Maitreya Buddha—extrely warm and approachable.
Jiang Xiaoi had likely inherited much of her disposition from her.
“Aunt Jiang, hello.
Xiao i told Uncle Jiang was ill.
I ca to see how he was doing,” Lin Xiaoguai offered a large yellow croaker she had been carrying, “This is just a small token of my concern.
Please, don’t disdain it.”
“People are what matter most, why did you buy anything?” Mrs.
Jiang hesitated, knowing full well how expensive yellow croaker was.
“Ah, Mom, just take it if Xiao Guai gave it to you,” Jiang Xiaoi interjected, unable to watch any longer.
Mrs.
Jiang gave her a playful slap, “You cheeky girl!”
“That’s how it is.
Xiao Guai and I have been friends for over a decade,” Jiang Xiaoi said, not pleased.
After so persuasion, Mrs.
Jiang finally accepted the gift.
“Sit down, Xiao Guai.
I’ll go pick so peaches for you,” Mrs.
Jiang led them into the house.
“Oh, Xiao Guai, you’re here.” Just as she was about to sit, Mr.
Jiang ca shuffling out from a room with a palm-leaf fan in his hand.
“Uncle Jiang, hello,” Lin Xiaoguai sized him up.
He still had his towering and burly stature covered in fat, dark, and robust like a gangster.
Xiaoi’s appearance resembled his, but upon closer inspection, one could see that his complexion was sowhat poor, with a faint sweat on his forehead.
“Why have you co out?
Sit down and rest,” Mrs.
Jiang quickly pushed Mr.
Jiang back down onto a chair.
“Didn’t I hear you talking and ca out to have a look?
It’s too stuffy in the room; I was feeling claustrophobic,” Mr.
Jiang said as he fanned himself, his voice lacking the resonant quality Lin Xiaoguai rembered, clearly not in good health.
“What illness has Uncle fallen ill with?” Lin Xiaoguai asked with concern.
“Just an old problem.
A headache, nausea, and an inability to sleep—will get better after taking a couple of doses of dicine,” Mr.
Jiang dismissed with a wave of his hand.
That’s how it is in the countryside, they prefer not to take dicine if possible, avoid the hospital if they can, and spend money only when necessary, even the affluent Jiang family was no exception.
Lin Xiaoguai frowned slightly.
Generally, overweight people are prone to high blood pressure and heart disease, and Uncle Jiang’s symptoms seed like they might be related to high blood pressure.
Therefore, she suggested, “Looking at Uncle’s condition, it seems quite like high blood pressure.
It would be better to have it checked out at the hospital.”
The Jiang family had one trait in common: they were straightforward and candid, so she didn’t beat around the bush.
“It’s nothing.
High blood pressure isn’t fatal,” Mr.
Jiang said nonchalantly.
“You shouldn’t take it lightly, Uncle Jiang.
Many cases of cerebral hemorrhage and strokes are caused by high blood pressure,” Lin Xiaoguai spoke softly, “Even if Uncle doesn’t consider it for himself, he should think of Xiao i.
She’s not yet married or had children.”
“Is that really the case?” Before Mr.
Jiang could respond, Mrs.
Jiang asked anxiously.
She was quite convinced in her heart, for Xiao Guai was a Capital University graduate, and her words would certainly carry weight.
Lin Xiaoguai nodded, “A blood pressure check at the hospital doesn’t cost much, and if diagnosed, it’s always better to take dicine prescribed by the doctor rather than those ineffective folk redies.” She had heard from Xiao i that her dad had always been taking those kinds of traditional dicines.
“Alright, we’ll make a trip to the hospital,” Mr.
Jiang was persuaded by Lin Xiaoguai’s words, and thinking about the annoying family issues of the past few days, he felt his blood pressure rising.
“Xiao Guai, do you want to co with to pick peaches?” Jiang Xiaoi asked.
“No, you go ahead, I’m a bit tired,” Lin Xiaoguai responded.
Jiang Xiaoi looked a bit disappointed but still went off reluctantly.
It wasn’t until Jiang Xiaoi had left that Lin Xiaoguai turned to Mr.
Jiang and Mrs.
Jiang, hesitating before speaking, “Uncle Jiang, Aunt Jiang, Xiao i told about Luo Aidang, and there’s sothing I think I should tell you.”
Mr.
Jiang and Mrs.
Jiang exchanged glances, wondering why Xiao Guai, who was pregnant and had almost lost the baby previously, would co to visit out of the blue—clearly, there was an ulterior motive.
Thinking she deliberately sent Xiao i away to talk to them, the couple felt an ominous premonition.
“Uncle Jiang, Aunt Jiang, what I’m about to say may be hard to accept, but please don’t get angry.
If sothing happens to you, then nobody will plan for Xiao i’s future like you do,” Lin Xiaoguai started by giving them a warning.
The couple, feeling uneasy, nevertheless took in what Lin Xiaoguai had to say, bracing themselves for the worst.
Lin Xiaoguai looked at them, slowly saying, “A few days ago, I saw Luo Aidang in the town.
He was holding hands with a woman and going to the cinema.” She wasn’t lying; she had indeed seen it, but she’d never had much of a mory for Luo Aidang.
After so many years, naturally, she couldn’t recognize him at first glance.
It wasn’t until Xiao i ntioned him today, and she rembered how in her past life he had swindled the Jiang family’s money and vanished, that she made the connection—around that ti, a girl from the village had gone missing.
She made the connection because she had once overheard this bit of gossip—that girl might have been abducted by Luo Aidang, I saw them more than once, one after the other, getting off the bus from town.
“You an…” Mr.
Jiang’s chest heaved violently, Mrs.
Jiang, ignoring her shock and anger, rushed forward to soothe him.
Mr.
Jiang pushed her away, fixing Lin Xiaoguai with a stare, “Xiao Guai, is everything you’re saying true?”
Lin Xiaoguai nodded seriously, “Absolutely true.”
“Why didn’t you tell Xiao i but told us?” Mr.
Jiang asked softly after a long while, appearing to have regained his breath.
“Xiao i always refuses to think badly of people.
I was afraid she would go directly to Luo Aidang,” Lin Xiaoguai stated candidly.
“You’re right,” Mr.
Jiang muttered, covering his mouth, “My foolish girl, what am I to do…”
“Of course, we should expose what Luo Aidang has done and break off his engagent to Xiao i,” Lin Xiaoguai exclaid in alarm, hearing that Uncle Jiang seed to be inclined to smooth things over.
Although ti had changed her in many ways, Lin Xiaoguai’s core remained intact.
She still had the integrity of an intellectual, and her veins pulsed with the blood of soone daring to love and hate.
“Even though it’s Aidang’s fault, a good woman shouldn’t marry twice…” Mrs.
Jiang said with difficulty etched on her face.
Lin Xiaoguai couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
She could excuse Aunt Jiang but, Uncle Jiang, normally so decisive, why was he hesitating now?
“Xiao i has always been a bit naïve.
With soone like Luo Aidang, as long as you are around, things are fine since you control the money and he wouldn’t dare harm her.
But what about when you’re gone?
Can Xiao i manage the money then?
Not only might she be swindled out of her wealth, but she could even lose her life!”
“I know Xiao i isn’t pretty, but her nature is so good, and anyone who spends ti with her will grow to like her.
There are so many n in this world; surely, there’s one who can recognize her true worth.
Even if such a man doesn’t appear, it’s better not to marry at all than to jump into such a fire pit.
Xiao i is repeating a school year, right?
I can tutor her with her studies so she can get into university.
If one year isn’t enough, she can study for two years, or three, as long as she doesn’t exceed twenty-five; there’s plenty of ti.
Then, she won’t need to rely on a man to support herself.”
Mr.
Jiang awkwardly avoided Lin Xiaoguai’s gaze, his heart full of bitterness.
What could he do?
He loved his daughter deeply but was also aware that young n wouldn’t fancy her.
He had good intentions initially: the Luo Family was poor but respectable people, and he had a good relationship with the Luo couple—they would surely treat his daughter well.
To be selfish, when the Luo couple died unexpectedly, there was a part of him that was pleased.
He thought of taking Aidang in as a son, not as a live-in son-in-law, but just to bring him up properly.
In return for the upbringing, he expected Aidang to be good to his daughter, but who could have imagined…
Years ago, he hadn’t missed the signs of Aidang’s crooked nature; whenever they showed favoritism towards their daughter, the boy, while not voicing any complaints, clearly showed his discontent.
Xiao i never forgot to share things with him, yet he always acted as if he were being insulted.
The boy only rembered their favoritism but failed to see their kindness towards him.
Mrs.
Jiang was moved by Lin Xiaoguai’s words; their affection for her had always been strong, not just because she was pretty and smart, but because she never looked down on their daughter for her looks and genuinely believed she was a good girl.
Whether Lin Xiaoguai’s offer to help with studies was serious or not, she was grateful in her heart.
“Xiao Guai, you’ve always been close to Xiao i, and now you’re married yourself.
Aunt Jiang won’t keep secrets from you.
Xiao i’s issue isn’t just her looks,” Mrs.
Jiang broke down in tears, “Both of us have fertility issues, which is why we had her so late in life.
The doctors said that our condition is hereditary.
Xiao i has our physique, and she has even more body hair…
I’m afraid…”
“I’ve thought about helping Xiao i lose weight, but even drinking water makes her gain weight, I’m really at my wit’s end.”
Reviews
All reviews (0)