Jiang Da and Han Yunru exchanged a glance.
“Old Third, what’s going on?”
Jiang Teng replied, “You both know that Mom was recently sick. Though she’s out of the hospital now, she still needs a wheelchair and can’t be left alone.”
“Earlier, we had all agreed to chip in for a caretaker for Mom. However, Mom caught the last caretaker stealing from the house, and in the end, Second Sister-in-law had to step in to fire her. After that unpleasant episode, Mom doesn’t want a caretaker anymore. Who knows if the next one would turn out the same way?”
If they weren’t hiring a caretaker but still needed someone to look after her, then that would mean…
Jiang Teng continued, “Initially, Second Brother and I thought it would be best for our families to take turns caring for Mom. Since Little Qin is already married out and has her in-laws to look after, she wouldn’t be included. But Mom isn’t comfortable with that arrangement…”
Han Yunru frowned.
She didn’t object to the idea of the three families taking turns. It was a duty to care for their elderly mother. Previously, when their mother didn’t actively ask for help, neither she nor Jiang Da took on the responsibility, though they did cover part of her hospital expenses last time.
Now that the elderly lady was asking them directly, there was no way to refuse without appearing unfilial. Han Yunru understood this clearly and accepted it with ease.
But… from Jiang Teng’s tone, it seemed like their mother wanted more than that.
As expected—
Jiang Teng continued, “Mom feels guilty and regrets losing touch with Eldest Brother and Sister-in-law for over a decade. She now wants to make amends, so instead of rotating, she’s decided to stay permanently with you two. That way, she can make up for some of those lost years… That is, if Eldest Brother and Sister-in-law are okay with it?”
Han Yunru: “…”
Jiang Da: “?”
This clueless fool probably hasn’t caught on yet.
Jiang Teng said, “Of course, Second Brother and I will still fulfill our obligations. We’ll each contribute 1,500 yuan for Mom’s living expenses. But as for her daily care, it’ll have to trouble Sister-in-law a bit more.”
Jiang Fuyue’s brow furrowed.
Little Brother Jiang tugged at his sister’s sleeve and whispered, “Is Grandma going to live with us?”
Jiang Fuyue replied, “She wants to.”
As for whether it will actually happen… that depends on Jiang Da and Han Yunru.
Little Brother Jiang seemed to understand a little but still felt uneasy at the thought of Grandma moving in.
Han Yunru didn’t speak immediately, leaving the decision to Jiang Da, the head of the household.
But Jiang Da instinctively turned to his wife. Seeing her slightly indifferent profile, his heart sank.
Jiang Teng pressed, “Big Brother, say something. Do you agree or not?”
Did he dare disagree?
If he refused, he’d be labeled unfilial. But if he agreed…
“Mom, Yunru and I still have to run the store. We leave early and come home late every day, so we’re rarely at home…”
The implication was clear—they didn’t have the time to take care of her.
The old lady nodded as though she understood. “That is indeed a problem,” she said. Then her tone suddenly shifted, “But I’ve already thought it through. I’ll have Chun Ni from back home take care of me. I won’t be any trouble for you. Go ahead and focus on your careers.”
Jiang Da was dumbfounded.
Han Yunru lowered her gaze, her emotions unreadable.
The old lady, oblivious, smiled cheerfully and added, “You remember Chun Ni, right? She’s your eldest aunt’s niece. Technically, you should call her cousin. When you were little, she even played house with you and pretended to be your bride. Do you remember?”
Jiang Da felt his scalp tingle as he stared at Han Yunru, cold sweat forming on his back. But she didn’t even glance at him.
“Mom, that was so long ago. I’ve forgotten all about it!”
Jiang Fuyue sat back with her arms crossed, looking like she was thoroughly enjoying the show.
Little Brother Jiang, confused, asked, “Sister, why does Dad look so nervous?”
“Because—he’s in trouble.”
It was obvious to anyone with a brain: the old lady wanted to move into the villa and latch on.
All that talk about making up for the past and feeling guilty was just an excuse.
One moment, she didn’t want a caregiver, and the next, she wanted Chun Ni to take care of her.
If someone else was going to care for her, why not stay in her own home?
It was clear the old lady had planned this well in advance. Jiang Da had no choice but to agree.
As for Han Yunru, she was even less in a position to refuse.
“Alright then! It’s settled!” Jiang Teng said, his face lighting up. He quickly beckoned to Liu Shuting, “It’s getting late. Let’s head out now. Big Brother, Sister-in-law, we’re leaving Mom in your care!”
Jiang Qin put down the overstuffed bag she was holding. “Here are some clothes and her medication. The instructions are on the paper. I’ll head off too.”
Yang Jinqiu added, “Mom, just settle in with Big Brother and Sister-in-law. I’ll bring Cancan to visit you another day.”
Before long, the four of them left.
The matriarch sat in her wheelchair and gestured to Han Yunru. “Eldest daughter-in-law, come here and push me around to take a look. This place is quite spacious. Since I’ll be living here, I should get familiar with it…”
Han Yunru lowered her eyes and stepped forward.
She didn’t look at Jiang Da even once.
Jiang Teng looked at Jiang Da. “Eldest Brother, do you agree or not?”
Did he dare disagree? Saying no would be unfilial, but saying yes…
“Mom, Yunru and I have the shop to run. We’re out early and back late every day, so we’re hardly home…”
In other words, we don’t have time to take care of you!
The elderly lady nodded in understanding. “That’s certainly a problem,” she said. Then she quickly added, “But I’ve thought it over and decided to have Chun Ni from back home come to help take care of me. You two can focus on your work.”
Jiang Da was dumbfounded.
Han Yunru lowered her eyes, her expression unreadable.
The elderly lady, pretending not to notice, smiled and said, “Do you remember Chun Ni? She’s your aunt’s niece and used to play pretend weddings with you when you were kids.”
Jiang Da looked uncomfortable, glancing nervously at Han Yunru, who didn’t so much as give him a look.
“Mom, that was so long ago, I hardly remember it!”
Jiang Fuyue, sitting nearby, folded her arms, looking on with amusement.
Little Brother Jiang, a little puzzled, whispered, “Sis, why does Dad look so nervous?”
“Because… he’s got himself into a mess.”
It was obvious to everyone. Their mother just wanted to move into the villa and was determined to stay.
All that talk of guilt and wanting to make up for lost time was just an excuse. She didn’t want a caretaker yet insisted on bringing in Chun Ni.
If she had a caretaker, why not just stay at her own place?
She had clearly planned this all along, so Jiang Da had no choice but to agree. As for Han Yunru, she had even less say in the matter.
“Alright, it’s settled,” Jiang Teng said, smiling and motioning to Liu Shuting. “It’s getting late. We’ll head off now. Eldest Brother, Eldest Sister-in-law, we’re counting on you to take care of Mom!”
Jiang Qin set down the packed bag she was carrying, saying, “Here are some changes of clothes and her medicine. The instructions are written on a note. I’ll head home now too.”
Yang Jinqiu added, “Mom, you can stay with Eldest Brother and Sister-in-law in peace. I’ll bring Little Can over to see you sometime.”
Soon, the four of them left.
The elderly lady, still in her wheelchair, raised a hand to Han Yunru. “Eldest Daughter-in-law, come here and push me around. This place is spacious, and since I’ll be living here from now on, I’d like to get familiar with it…”
Han Yunru lowered her gaze and approached, not once looking at Jiang Da.
In truth, Jiang Da was just a figurehead. When it came to the decision about whether the old lady would stay, his opinion wasn’t needed at all. Jiang Teng sealed the matter with just a few sentences.
When a person is too simple-minded, it can be seen as “straightforward” and “honest” in a positive light—or as “weak” and “easily manipulated” in a negative one.
Did anyone truly ask for Jiang Da’s opinion?
Jiang Teng asked, but it wasn’t necessary for him to respond.
Han Yunru didn’t even bother asking, because she knew Jiang Da too well.
By the time the large dining room emptied, only Jiang Da and his two children, Jiang Fuyue and Little Brother Jiang, remained.
“Dad, I’m heading upstairs.”
“I’m going too,” Little Brother Jiang quickly followed.
Jiang Da opened his mouth slightly, watching his daughter and son leave, their backs fading from view. His expression was one of bewilderment—
Had he done something wrong?
That evening, the guest room downstairs was cleaned and prepared for the old lady to move in.
Han Yunru took care of everything, from cleaning the room to making the bed, organizing the luggage, assisting the matriarch with her bath, helping her change clothes, and even handing her a glass of water for her medication.
And yet, the old lady was still dissatisfied. “The water’s a bit cold.”
“I’ll get you another glass…”
“No need, I’ll make do this time. Just be more mindful next time.”
Han Yunru lowered her gaze and softly replied, “Okay.”
“And this quilt smells musty. Put it out on the balcony to air it out when the sun’s up tomorrow.”
“Alright.”
“The bedside lamp is too bright—it’s giving me a headache. Get a lower-watt bulb.”
“Okay.”
“For breakfast tomorrow, I want porridge—thin porridge. Hard foods are difficult to digest.”
Han Yunru agreed to everything.
“Oh, one more thing,” the old lady said, feigning casualness. “Where did you get the money to buy this villa? Was it from Chenxing’s livestreaming?”
Han Yunru responded vaguely without elaborating.
The old lady’s eyes turned cold, and she snorted. “What’s this? Hiding something? Afraid of people finding out?”
Han Yunru remained silent.
“Don’t tell me it’s money earned through dubious means?”
This was a probe, but Han Yunru didn’t take the bait.
The old lady grew angry. “Are you throwing a tantrum with me? Now that Jiang Da isn’t here, are you showing your true colors? Let me tell you, no matter how I’ve treated him before, I’m still his biological mother. Someone as honest and simple as him would never abandon me. You’d better know your place.”
Han Yunru asked calmly, “Did he give you the access card to the house?”
The old lady’s eyes gleamed with triumph. “Of course. My son still cares about me.”
Though she had suspected as much, Han Yunru still felt a pang of disappointment. Jiang Da hadn’t discussed it with her.
The last time the old lady had fallen ill, she’d stayed at their home for a couple of days before returning to the hospital. It must have been during that time that Jiang Da handed over the card.
Seeing Han Yunru’s dimmed expression, the old lady, like a victorious hen, was filled with smugness. Her sharp, narrow eyes gleamed with pride.
“From now on, this house will be under my rule. You’d best get used to that.”
Han Yunru chuckled softly—a laugh tinged with mockery. “You should get some rest.”
With that, she turned and left, making sure to close the door behind her.
The old lady was momentarily stunned. Even though she’d seemingly won, she still felt uneasy.
Upstairs, the master bedroom.
Han Yunru returned to the room, looking visibly exhausted. She grabbed her pajamas and headed straight to the bathroom.
When she came out, Jiang Da was sitting at the edge of the bed. Hearing the door, he jumped up and offered her an ingratiating smile.
“Wife…”
Han Yunru glanced at him, only briefly, before walking to the dressing table to dry her hair.
Jiang Da approached, took the towel from her hands, and said, “You’ve had a long day. Let me do it.”
Han Yunru didn’t resist.
After her hair was dry, the couple laid down in bed. Han Yunru turned onto her side, facing away from him.
Jiang Da felt stifled. In the darkness, he asked, “Wife, are you angry?”
Han Yunru replied, “No.”
“Then why won’t you talk to me?”
“Tired.”
“…Oh. Then get some rest.”
“Mm.”
Han Yunru soon fell asleep.
As for when Jiang Da managed to fall asleep, only he would know.
