Jiang Ruyun looked at her mother with some difficulty. She had heard her mother and Ruyi say a lot of bad things about her cousin these past few days. As for her second uncle's children, Jiang Ruyun was neither as close as her eldest brother nor as annoyed as her mother and Ruyi. Ruyu was very sensible and obedient since she was a child because her second uncle and aunt had passed away early. Her grandmother was indeed better to her second uncle's children than to her own, but she could understand that.
With her second uncle and aunt gone, her grandmother naturally favored them more, especially since they were all grown up. Her mother had complained about the cramped house when she was little, saying that her grandmother was biased. She said that her second uncle had received a large sum of compensation from the government for his sacrifice, as well as government support payments for her and her cousins. She also said that her second aunt had been implicated in the police's arrest of spies, and the police had paid her a sum of money in compensation.
Jiang Ruyun had always disagreed with her mother's tendency to covet other people's things. That was because she was already grown up and capable of distinguishing right from wrong when her second uncle and aunt passed away. However, her younger sister Ruyi had been brainwashed by her mother, otherwise she wouldn't have caused such a scene. It was really outrageous.
Jiang Ruyun, disregarding her mother's anger, took out a packet of brown sugar and ten eggs from the house. Ignoring her mother's frantic winks, she apologized to Jiang Ruyu: "Ruyu, your older sister apologizes on behalf of Ruyi. I haven't been able to visit you these past few days because I've been at work. Please don't mind. Take these and nourish yourself. Your face is so pale; you must be suffering from poor health. Sigh, we siblings grew up together. This time, Ruyi has had a hard time. But she's going to the countryside soon, so don't blame her. With her personality, she'll have a tough time there."
Jiang Ruyu is such a perceptive person. Although her eldest cousin's words were all criticizing Jiang Ruyi, she was actually implying that her sister had already been punished, and if she were to hold a grudge, it would be petty of her to do so.
Jiang Ruyu lowered her head, her eyes flashing with mockery and chill. Is this what growing up feels like? The sisters who used to play so well together as children have all gone their separate ways now that they're grown up.
She raised her head, put on a smile, and looked at her cousin, saying, "Big sister, what are you saying? Do you think I'm such a petty person? I stopped caring a long time ago. Ask Grandma, I haven't said anything nasty these past few days. On the contrary, it's Ruyi who keeps saying unpleasant things in the house every day."
Jiang Ruyu looked at her cousin with a hint of sarcasm: "I survived with my head split open. That's just my luck. I won't ask the person who caused the accident to apologize to me. From now on, we'll go our separate ways. After all, I want to live a few more years. After all, I still have to take care of Grandma in her old age, and I still have to see Jiang Hui and Jiang Lin get married and have children. Of course, eldest sister, we sisters and brothers will still act the same way. We can't let one bad apple spoil the whole bunch, right? Haha, I'll cook lunch. Come to my house for lunch, eldest sister."
Jiang Ruyun was quite embarrassed by Jiang Ruyu's words, and Wang Shuhua's anger flared up again. Jiang Ruyi, who was inside the house, also heard it. She ran out barefoot in anger and pointed at Jiang Ruyu, cursing, "You bitch, who are you calling a rat? You think you can openly curse people now that I'm going to the countryside?"
Jiang Ruyu sneered, "You've got a good face, haven't you? If you don't want to go to the countryside with a pig's head, you'd better not mess with me. I've been giving you enough face. Grandma, go back. Listening to dogs barking is giving you a headache."
Grandma Jiang sighed deeply and went back to her room without saying a word. Jiang Ruyi and Wang Shuhua were furious. Jiang Ruyun looked at her younger sister's ferocious expression and frowned, saying, "Ruyi, look at yourself now. Who can you blame for going to the countryside? Didn't you bring this on yourself? Mom? Ruyi is not young anymore. If you continue to affect her like this, she will suffer. I know what you're thinking. Dad and my older brother Jiang Jun know. Do you think Grandma and Ruyu and her siblings know? Aren't you living a good life now? I'm going back. You should think about it carefully."
Jiang Ruyi screamed and cried out, "You're not my older sister! I hate you!"
Wang Shuhua dragged Jiang Ruyi into the house, her eyes wide: "You're leaving in just two days, can't you behave yourself and stop causing trouble? Don't you think your mother's life is troublesome enough?"
Jiang Ruyi looked at her mother in disbelief: "Mom? Are you still my mom? Why did I go to the countryside? Wasn't it all because of you?"
"Is it you who tells me every day how my grandma is biased? Is it you who said that my grandma has been doing that job for several years and it's now hers?"
"Just because I'm your mother doesn't mean Jiang Ruyu can benefit alone. Even when Jiang Ruyu was bleeding from her head, it was you who dragged me into it. Now that I'm going to the countryside, you're going to look down on me, right? Fine, I've seen through your true colors. You don't care about me, and I don't care about you anymore. Whether I live or die after I go to the countryside is none of your business."
Jiang Ruyi was more disappointed than heartbroken. She ran back to a tiny partitioned room in her parents' house, a space barely wide enough to fit a one-meter-wide bed, and broke down in tears, clutching the blanket.
Wang Shuhua rolled her eyes in anger. The argument between her and her daughter was clearly heard by Old Lady Jiang and Jiang Ruyu next door. Old Lady Jiang looked displeased, but Jiang Ruyu laughed.
"Grandma, haven't you seen through it all these years? Wang Shuhua is a hypocrite, a two-faced person. Jiang Ruyi's current state is all thanks to her. Grandma, let me make this clear first: from now on, Wang Shuhua and Jiang Ruyi are strangers to me, with no affection whatsoever. Of course, I will still treat Uncle and the others as usual. I hope you can understand me."
"Don't worry, I'm not senile yet. You can do whatever you want. Children and grandchildren have their own lives, and I can't control that much anymore." Even though she was heartbroken, Grandma Jiang knew that her children and grandchildren were grown up and beyond her control, and that interfering too much would only make them disliked.
On the third day, Jiang Ruyi was to take the train to Heilongjiang Province early in the morning. Jiang Jianguo, Wang Shuhua, and Jiang Kai all got up early. Jiang Ruyi was wearing a newly made dress, new leather shoes, and carrying a small bag. She looked at her parents and older brother, each carrying a large bag, and turned her head away with a bit of disdain.
At least she knew it was for her and didn't say anything thoughtless. Grandma Jiang knew that her little granddaughter was leaving today, and even though she was still angry with her, she got up early in the morning to boil a few eggs.
She walked out of the kitchen with the packed eggs and saw her eldest son's family carrying large and small bags. Her little granddaughter was dressed like a young lady from the old society, standing there. You would have thought they were a young lady from the old society and her family's farmhand.
She handed the things to Jiang Ruyi, and looked at her pampered granddaughter earnestly, saying, "Ruyi, you're in the countryside now, not at home. You need to be more careful about everything, don't stand out, and don't meddle in other people's business. You need to change your temper, or you'll suffer the consequences, you know?"
Jiang Ruyi looked at the warm egg in her hand, and then at her grandmother whose face was already full of wrinkles. She was already full of confusion about the future. Her grandmother hadn't scolded her because of Jiang Ruyu, and she had said such caring words to her. She didn't want to bow her head and admit her mistake, so she stubbornly refused to admit defeat.
Grandma Jiang glanced at her with disappointment, and sighed, "Let her be."
As the eldest son's family walked out of the courtyard, Grandma Jiang looked at the moon still hanging in the west and her granddaughter's tall figure. She wondered what her headstrong granddaughter would be like the next time she saw her. A tear slid down the corner of the old lady's dry, wrinkled eyes.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com