Life is long, and some people will never change.

The things I did twenty years ago, I'm still doing now, only that person has gotten older.

But life is full of variables, and some people, as they walk along, don't know which river fate will take them to.

As for Ah Jiang, he had already reached the shore.

She was the domineering matriarch, the matriarch of the household, whose children were successful and who was riding high on her own success. Why would she care about the life or death of a stepdaughter?

The more miserable the other party is, the better, so that it can highlight one's own wisdom, intelligence, and foresight.

"You rebellious daughter, you beast!"

Master Jiang was enraged by that condescending gaze, as if looking at an ant.

He's been the subject of gossip and criticism for most of his life, but now he's doing well, content, and doesn't care what others say.

But it was only in front of this daughter that he could not maintain his dignity as the patriarch.

This daughter is the real mistress of the house; I will always be inferior to her and the rest of the Bai family.

Even if all his children had the surname Bai, it wouldn't change his inner inferiority complex.

He was a son-in-law who rose to power through women, yet he didn't treat his wife and daughter well.

He had an affair and kept a mistress while his wife was alive.

His wife died, and he wanted to give his biological daughter away as a concubine.

Doesn't he realize how despicable and shameless he is?

He knew that he had felt guilty and wanted to treat his daughter better to make amends.

But seeing her intelligent and insightful eyes, he realized that nothing he did would make a difference.

This only made him hate A-Jiang even more, hating her for not giving him a chance, and also worrying that she really had the blood of the Bai family and would become famous in the future.

So, in the darkness of his heart, he hoped that Ajahn would live a miserable life, that she would achieve nothing, that she would be tormented by fate, and that she would be destitute and crawling on the ground begging him for a shred of pity.

That's the only way to satisfy his inner desires.

A person always clearly and plainly sees himself doing the most outrageous things.

He could see his own depravity, allowing himself to indulge in it. He would occasionally reflect on his actions, but he always felt that he had found the right path and would continue down it.

Isn't that strange?

Isn't that pitiful?

Sure enough, the girl opposite him still had that arrogant and disdainful look in her eyes.

Jiang Songming released his magical artifact, a vibrant green bamboo.

This bamboo is about the thickness of an index finger, three feet and three inches long, and it exudes a green aura.

"I didn't discipline you properly when you were young, which has led to your disrespectful behavior as an adult. Today, I'm going to teach you a lesson!"

With a swift movement, he reached Ah Jiang in two steps, raising his bamboo pole to strike her down.

The door was pushed open at that moment, and two people walked in one after the other on the steps.

They were the same young man and woman I had just seen at the clothing shop.

Master Jiang was so angry that he wanted to teach Ah Jiang a lesson as soon as he saw her, regardless of the occasion.

Now, to outsiders, it seems impossible to swing that bamboo pole any further.

A-Jiang was a little disappointed; her spirit beast was already restless, but had no opportunity to unleash its power.

Jiang Songming quickly adjusted his mindset upon seeing the two people who entered.

"Yun Dong, Lian'er, why are you back so quickly?"

A-Jiang's gaze first fell on the girl called "Lian'er". If she remembered correctly, Zhang's daughter was named Bai Furong, so it was normal for her to have the nickname Lian'er.

Looking closely, one can still vaguely sense the arrogant and aloof feeling of that girl from back then.

It's a strange feeling; even if someone pretends to be weak and pitiful, you can still vaguely sense their ambition and arrogance.

[She's not quite there yet, after all, she's just a girl in her early twenties.]