The next morning, Jiang Fuyue woke up to find that Jiang Da, who typically would have left for his shop by now, was still at home.
“Dad.” Jiang Fuyue walked over and greeted him.
Jiang Da sat silently on the sofa, responding with a muted grunt without looking up.
Something felt off.
At that moment, Han Yunru wheeled the elderly lady out of her room, dressed her in a fresh outfit from head to toe. As for the soiled clothes, she insisted Han Yunru hand-wash every piece.
Since Chun Ni left, Han Yunru had stayed home to care for the old lady and hadn’t been able to help at the store, leaving Jiang Da and Aunt Liu to manage it all.
The old lady straightened her sleeves, then noticed a tiny wrinkle near the cuff and frowned. “Did you iron this?”
Han Yunru was taken aback. “I just ironed it this morning.”
She pointed out the wrinkle to Han Yunru. “Pay more attention next time.”
“…Okay.”
They headed into the living room, where Han Yunru looked surprised to see Jiang Da still there. “Why haven’t you gone to the shop?”
“It’s closed today,” he replied. “I have other things to take care of.”
Han Yunru looked puzzled. What business could he possibly have?
Jiang Da’s tone was more assertive than usual; he’d made a decision without consulting her, which was out of character.
“Oh,” she murmured without pressing further.
Jiang Da stood up, took over pushing the wheelchair, and said, “Let me. Let’s eat breakfast before it gets cold.”
The group made their way to the dining room.
Unbeknownst to anyone else, Jiang Da had, with just a few words, arranged everything perfectly.
Han Yunru and the old lady may not have noticed, but Jiang Fuyue saw it all clearly and raised an eyebrow.
Her father had finally shown some backbone this time…
Breakfast was prepared by Jiang Da: a pot of mixed-grain porridge and freshly made pancakes, the same for everyone.
The old lady frowned the moment she saw the pancakes. No matter how delicious something was, eating it every day was unbearable.
She turned and shot a glare at Han Yunru. “Didn’t I say last night I wanted noodles? What is this you’ve made?”
Han Yunru looked puzzled. She had spent the entire morning in the old lady’s room tending to her—helping her change clothes, make the bed, put on shoes and socks, hand her a toothbrush, and wring out towels. She had been busy until just now and hadn’t had any time to make breakfast.
The old lady clearly knew Jiang Da was the one who cooked, yet she still vented her anger on Han Yunru. Perhaps she was also taking this opportunity to remind Jiang Da who was in charge.
Normally, Jiang Da would have dutifully gone to the kitchen to make noodles for her, but today, he acted as if he didn’t understand her complaint. He stayed seated and started serving porridge to everyone instead.
Whether it was deliberate or not, the first bowl was placed in front of the old lady.
“Mom, eat up. If it’s not enough, I’ll get you more.”
The old lady froze, unsure whether Jiang Da genuinely didn’t understand her complaint or was playing dumb.
Ignoring her confused and suspicious gaze, Jiang Da served the second bowl and placed it in front of Han Yunru. In a low voice, he said, “It has your favorite dried berries in it.”
Han Yunru frowned. Jiang Da was acting very strange today.
The third bowl naturally went to their daughter.
Before Jiang Da could hand it over, Jiang Fuyue took it with a smile. “Thanks, Dad.”
Of everyone present, she seemed the most unaffected, even carefree—managing to smile at a time like this.
Jiang Da’s lips twitched slightly, his tone faintly meaningful. “Hope Dad’s cooking didn’t let you down.”
Jiang Fuyue raised an eyebrow and hid a thoughtful look behind a sip of porridge.
The last bowl was for Jiang Da himself.
He didn’t say anything else, focusing instead on eating. He alternated between spoonfuls of porridge and bites of pancakes.
The large dining room fell into an eerie silence, and the tense atmosphere spread like an invisible fog.
The old lady endured for a while, but the coarse, bland oatmeal porridge scratched her throat as she swallowed, and the dried berries in it were cloyingly sweet.
Finally, with a loud slam, she slapped her chopsticks onto the table. “I don’t want porridge. Eldest Daughter-in-law, go make me a bowl of noodles!”
Han Yunru set her spoon down and made to get up.
Suddenly— “Ah-Ru, don’t bother.”
It was Jiang Da who spoke. He added, “Sit down.”
Han Yunru, utterly bewildered, sat back in her chair and looked at him in confusion.
At the same time, the old lady’s expression also turned perplexed. “Eldest, what’s the meaning of this?”
“Mom,” Jiang Da said calmly, “I think if there’s already porridge, there’s no need to cook noodles. Making something new is both troublesome and time-consuming.”
This was the first time Jiang Da had openly refused one of the old lady’s requests since she moved in.
And it was over a mere bowl of noodles?
Han Yunru blinked, stunned.
It wasn’t her imagination—Jiang Da was indeed acting very differently today.
Meanwhile, a faint smirk appeared in Jiang Fuyue’s eyes, as if she were enjoying the drama. She even took another sip of porridge.
Mmm… delicious.
The old lady’s face was a picture of stunned disbelief, her lips quivering. “Eldest, you, what did you say?”
Jiang Da looked her straight in the eye. “I think the porridge is fine. It won’t hurt you to eat it just this once.”
“You!” The old lady now understood. He was tired of her demands and ready to rebel.
Her small, sharp eyes flashed with a cold smile. “Oh, very good, Eldest. I’m not even allowed a bowl of noodles in your house anymore, is that it?”
Jiang Da frowned but, unlike before, didn’t try to explain.
He called her “Mom” calmly and then dropped a bombshell that left everyone at the table speechless.
“I think it would be better for you to go back to your own home.”
A deathly silence hung in the air for five full seconds.
Han Yunru had sensed something might be coming, but she hadn’t expected Jiang Da to be so blunt, without any pretense.
Jiang Fuyue’s eyes sparkled with excitement. Who says a kind-hearted person is easy to push around?
The truth is, they just haven’t reached their breaking point yet.
But cross that line, and even the gentlest will reach their limit, as Jiang Da just had.
The old lady was entirely floored, too stunned to respond at first.
“….You—you’re kicking me out?!” Shock and fury flooded her narrowed eyes, anger blazing with resentment.
People say no parent doesn’t love their child.
But love has degrees and depth.
In a large family with multiple children and limited resources, even a parent’s attention and affection can be limited. If these finite things are unevenly distributed, resentment and dissatisfaction inevitably arise.
Jiang Da had always been the overlooked one, but he never harbored hatred.
Even after being cast out ten years ago, when his mother ignored him and his siblings stayed distant, he never blamed anyone.
Because he believed that hate was too heavy to bear, something that shouldn’t exist between kin.
But now, in the old lady’s eyes, there was genuine resentment, like it was carved into her bones, surfacing only after today’s provocation.
His mother hated him—
A bitter ache crept into Jiang Da’s heart, but that was all.
The imagined pain and despair weren’t there.
In fact, it didn’t even compare to the turmoil he felt when he saw Han Yunru humiliated.
Perhaps deep down, he had always been prepared for this day, which is why he could face it so calmly.
“I’m not kicking you out. I just think, given the circumstances, it’d be better for you to stay at your own place.”
“I’ll pay for a caretaker, someone to handle your day-to-day needs. I’ll still cover your living expenses, the same amount as Old Second and Old Third.”
“Not possible!” The old lady, her mind clouded with rage, snapped back. “So, this is all because you want me gone! What did this wretched woman tell you? Made you turn against your own mother?!”
She pointed at Han Yunru, unleashing a torrent of curses. “I knew it! She’s a curse, a disaster, luring you into this. First, she drove you from the family, and now she’s making you kick me out!”
“Enough!” Jiang Da’s eyes reddened, and he roared, “Ah Ru has treated you with nothing but kindness, enduring all your insults. How dare you slander her? If you had an ounce of care for me, you wouldn’t treat my wife this way!”
“Mom! Ah Ru is my life. By tormenting her, you’re practically killing me!”
His shout made the old lady stagger in disbelief. “You…this foolish man! Han Yunru is your life, and what am I to you? I’m the one who gave you life!”
Jiang Da shook his head. “You gave me life, and I am grateful, which is why I’ve tried to meet your demands. But that’s not a free pass to mistreat Ah Ru.”
“So, between your mother and your wife, you’re choosing her?!” The old lady snarled, fury contorting her face. “You must be mad!”
Jiang Da took a deep breath, then looked her directly in the eye. “I don’t want to choose.”
The old lady’s expression softened slightly.
Then, in the next moment—
“But if you force me to, I’ll choose Ah Ru.” His voice was steady, his gaze unwavering.
This man was truly naive.
He had chosen the dumbest, least clever response.
But at that moment, Han Yunru’s tears fell like rain.
She knew that, in this game of chess, she had ultimately won.