As Jiang Fuyue stepped into the entrance hall upon arriving home, she found her way blocked by piles of bags and packages emitting a distinct sweaty odor.
She instinctively frowned.
Voices floated from the living room, with one woman’s high-pitched voice standing out. Loud and relentless like a machine gun, her chatter filled the air, becoming rather grating.
Navigating around the clutter, Jiang Fuyue changed her shoes and walked toward the living room.
“… Aunt Fen, is this really your house? It’s so beautiful! I’ve never seen such a luxurious place before. What’s it called… a ‘vill’ or something?”
The old lady smiled. “Yes, a villa.”
“So that character is pronounced ‘la! I always thought it was ‘ye’! No wonder Auntie keeps going on about how you’re living the good life in the city—decked out in gold and silver, enjoying yourself to the fullest!”
The “Auntie” she referred to was the sister-in-law of the old lady, Jiang Da’s eldest aunt.
The old lady immediately felt a surge of pride. The face she didn’t earn in front of her sister-in-law when she was younger was now regained in spades. She felt triumphant and vindicated.
“Eldest sister-in-law just likes to exaggerate. How could I possibly be decked out in gold and silver? It’s just that the kids are all grown up and filial now, so life is a little better than before.”
“Aunt Fen! You live in a villa, and you call that just ‘a little’ better?” The woman’s tone was exaggerated, her gestures wildly dramatic, making her appear rather comical.
The old lady smiled reservedly, “What’s the big deal? Once you’re used to living in a villa, you’ll find it’s really no different from any other house—just a bit bigger, with a couple more floors. Honestly, I’m too lazy to clean it. If you ask me, the old tile-roofed houses back home are still the most comfortable—warm in winter, cool in summer.”
“You’ve got such a nice house, and you’re still reminiscing about tile-roofed houses?!” The woman looked utterly flabbergasted.
The old lady sighed, “When you get older, you become nostalgic.”
“…” What kind of logic is this?
“Oh, Chun Ni, you’re here to help look after me, but don’t treat yourself like an outsider. Settle in and feel at home.”
Chun Ni’s eyes glistened with emotion. “Aunt Fen, you’re so good to me… By the way, where’s Brother Jiang? Is he home? I haven’t seen him in years. How about I cook dinner tonight and whip up some hometown dishes for you all to try my cooking?”
“Don’t worry about him. He’s always out early and back late—very busy.”
“No problem, no problem. Brother Jiang has important things to do. I’ll see him sooner or later! No wonder Auntie always says you’re better at raising kids—every one of your Jiang boys is so successful.”
The old lady was flattered and found Chun Ni increasingly pleasing to the eye.
Suddenly, her gaze fell on Jiang Chenxing, who was sitting on the sofa watching TV. She frowned, her expression turning stern. “How old are you now? Still watching cartoons? Why don’t you watch something more educational?”
Her lecture fit perfectly with Chun Ni’s earlier praise about her ability to raise children.
Little Brother Jiang blinked: “?” What did I do?
“Oh my, is this Brother Jiang’s son?” Chun Ni pretended to have just noticed the child, feigning surprise. “What a cute little boy! Aunt Fen, don’t be too harsh on him—he’s still young.”
The old lady replied firmly, “A jade must be polished to be a gem.”
See? She was the quintessential matriarch who knew how to guide her descendants.
Chun Ni: “…”
Little Brother Jiang: “?” Still confused.
The old lady cleared her throat. “Why are you just sitting there? Greet your relative. This is your Aunt.”
Jiang Chenxing, being a polite child, obediently called out, “Aunt.”
“Oh, what a well-mannered boy!”
The old lady lifted her chin slightly, her tone calm but smug. “He’s alright.”
“…”
“Go pour your Aunt a glass of water.”
Chun Ni quickly waved her hands, “Oh, no need, no need.”
The old lady insisted, “It’s fine. You sit. Kids should learn manners—it won’t hurt them.”
“Well…”
“Sit, sit.”
Looking rather awkward, Chun Ni took a seat, glancing around in awe at the house, which looked like something she’d only ever seen on TV.
Jiang Chengxing was just heading to the kitchen to get a glass when suddenly—
“Big Sis! You’re back!”
This loud call made the old lady freeze, and Chun Ni instinctively looked over—
She saw a girl, stunningly beautiful, standing not far away, leaning against the wall with an ambiguous smile, as if she’d been there a while, observing quietly.
Feeling a bit flustered, Chun Ni stood up, not knowing why she felt compelled to do so.
“Aunt Fen, this is…”
The old lady quickly recovered, though her eyes flickered, appearing somewhat guilty. “Oh, this is my eldest son’s daughter.”
“So, it’s Yue Yue—” Chun Ni tried to put on a friendly smile, but she was met with a pair of cold eyes, deep and dark, with a faint gleam.
The instant their gazes met, an intangible pressure fell upon Chun Ni, leaving her breathless.
Jiang Chengxing had already run over and was holding his sister’s hand, looking dependent.
Jiang Fuyue patted his head, then looked at the woman. “Aunt is here—thank you for making the trip.”
Her voice was clear and cool, with a hint of bone-chilling coldness.
Chun Ni shivered.
“N-no trouble at all…” she stammered.
“If there’s nothing else, we’ll head upstairs.”
Without waiting for a response, she took her younger brother and left.
The old lady’s smile stiffened.
Feeling awkward, Chun Ni looked at the old lady. “Aunt Fen, I…”
“Just ignore her. She’s always like that!”
Then Chun Ni’s face shifted slightly.
Awkwardly, she looked behind the old lady, “Yue… Yueyue…”
Unnoticed, Jiang Fuyue had returned and was standing at the staircase, her gaze calm. “Grandma, just a reminder: the wind is strong. Speak less to avoid getting a chill.”
The old lady didn’t dare to look back, frozen like a statue.
Chun Ni glanced around in confusion: Wind? Where’s the wind? It’s warm inside.
Upstairs, Jiang Fuyue sent Jiang Chengxing to his room to do his homework.
“Sis, Sis, I love the gift you got me.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
“Should I still pour water for Aunt next time?” he blinked up at her.
Jiang Fuyue asked in return, “What do you think?”
He pondered for a moment. “If Aunt is a good person, then yes, because it’s polite; but if she’s not, then no.”
“Mm.” Jiang Fuyue nodded.
“Alright, I’ll go do my homework. There are still so many math problems to finish, and I have a live broadcast tonight…” He muttered to himself as he walked away, counting on his fingers.
Jiang Fuyue also went to her room, and as she closed the door, her eyes grew cold.
Order Jiang Chengxing around?
Ha, who does she think she is?
…..
That evening, when Jiang Da and Han Yunru returned, they were momentarily puzzled by the extra person in the living room with the old lady.
And the pile of stuff by the door reeked even more than it had in the afternoon. Even Jiang Da, who was quite a rugged man, wrinkled his nose.
“Mom, who’s…?”
The old lady didn’t lift an eyelid. “Your cousin, Chun Ni. Have you forgotten?”
Chun Ni’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Jiang Da, blushing slightly. “Cousin…”
Her delicate voice was like nails on a chalkboard.
Han Yunru frowned.
Next second, Chun Ni’s eyes met hers, and she froze.
She’d only seen photos of Han Yunru—ones of her in a wedding dress, slightly faded from age. Chun Ni thought she looked mildly pretty, but photos often make people look better than they really are.
Yet at this moment, Chun Ni felt a slap to her face.
Han Yunru was ten times more beautiful than her wedding photo, even after twenty years. She was radiant, stunning in a way that left one transfixed.
Imagine what a beauty she must have been in her youth.
“Si-sister-in-law…” Chun Ni forced a smile.
“Chun Ni, is it?” Han Yunru’s voice was soft, her smile serene, her eyes sparkling with warmth.
“…Yes, that’s me.” Her heart felt tight, though she wasn’t sure why.
“When did you get here? Have you eaten?”
“This afternoon. I already ate. Have you two eaten yet? I made some hometown dishes. Aunt Fen said they were delicious. Would you like to try some? I can reheat them for you.”
Han Yunru waved her hand. “No need, we’ve eaten. Is that your stuff by the door?”
“Uh?” Chun Ni was taken aback.
“Those bags by the door.”
Her cheeks flushed.
Those were her clothes from the train. Wanting to look presentable, she’d changed before arriving but had forgotten to pick up her things in the excitement.
There was also some homemade pickled cabbage. The mix of body odor and sour cabbage must have created a particular aroma.
“Oh! I’ll clean it up right away.”
The old lady frowned and said, “A guest in the house shouldn’t have to clean up. Let the eldest daughter-in-law do it.”
With one sentence, she made Han Yunru’s role crystal clear.
Chun Ni panicked, “No, no, I can’t let that happen. It’s my stuff—I’ll clean it up myself…”
But the old lady cut her off firmly, “I said don’t worry about it. In this house, what I say goes!”
Jiang Da frowned. He felt bad for his wife. “Mom, Ah Ru has been busy all day and is already exhausted…”
“Cleaning up a few bags takes a lot of effort? If she’s too tired to even do that, then what can she manage?”
Jiang Da wanted to argue, but Han Yunru interjected, “It’s fine, I’ll handle it.”
Jiang Da felt even guiltier. He couldn’t stand up to his mother but hated seeing his wife wronged. “I’ll do it,” he said, then turned and walked off to take care of it.
Chun Ni quickly ran ahead of him. There was no way she could let Brother Jiang clean up for her—that would expose how messy she was!
When Aunt Fen was siding with her earlier, bossing around Han Yunru, Chun Ni had felt a bit smug. But now, she was panicking.
“Brother Jiang! No need to trouble yourself! I’ll do it myself! Really, I’ve got this—please don’t bother!”
Having an extra person in the house, especially someone the old lady herself had designated as a “guest,” naturally required accommodating them.
The guest room needed to be tidied up, the bedding replaced, and new toothbrushes, towels, and other essentials prepared—all of which fell on Han Yunru’s shoulders.
By the time she finished, it was nearly midnight.
Chun Ni, having waited impatiently, yawned and asked, “Sister-in-law, why did it take you so long? I want to sleep. I have to get up early tomorrow to take Aunt Fen for a walk…”
Han Yunru replied, “Almost done. You can go take a shower first.”
“No need. I’ve already washed my face and feet.”
Han Yunru paused in her movements. “It’s summer. It’s best to take a quick shower—it’ll be more comfortable.”
Chun Ni frowned. “Are you saying I’m unhygienic?”
“That’s not what I meant…”
“When I’m back home, I only take a bath once a week. The rest of the time, I just wash my face and feet. I’m trying to save water for you! I heard that water in the city is super expensive—hundreds or even thousands of yuan.”
“There’s no need to save…”
“What? We shouldn’t waste it either. Besides, I’m fine this way. If I showered too often, I’d feel like I was scrubbing off a whole layer of skin. Back home, they say over-washing makes your skin too thin, and that makes you prone to illness. This way, I stay healthy.”
She spoke loudly, saliva flying as she gestured.
Han Yunru stepped back slightly, avoiding close proximity. After finishing up the bedding, she simply said, “Alright,” and left without pressing further.
Chun Ni stood at the guest room door, watching Han Yunru’s slender, slightly hunched figure disappear up the stairs. Her movements seemed weak and frail—hardly healthy—but Brother Jiang seemed to like her very much…
She even disdained her for not showering.
Was she that smelly?
She had clearly washed her face and feet already.
…
Han Yunru climbed the stairs, her steps heavy with fatigue. At the top, she found Jiang Fuyue waiting for her, standing by the staircase as if she’d been keeping watch.
“Yueyue? Why aren’t you asleep yet?”
“You’re still busy downstairs. How could I sleep?”
Han Yunru froze for a moment and glanced at the master bedroom where Jiang Da was. The door was slightly ajar, and light leaked out, but it didn’t feel as warm as usual.
The woman chuckled, “You, ah, are more considerate than some people.”
Jiang Fuyue raised an eyebrow and mimicked her tone, “Some people still need a wake-up call—they’re not fully awake yet.”
The two exchanged a knowing glance, sharing an unspoken understanding.
Jiang Fuyue had a feeling her beautiful mother was playing a much bigger game…
