Jiang Huaiyu's deep peach blossom eyes closed slightly as he slowly said, "I do know her; she is my sister."
"What? Then isn't she the eldest daughter of the Jiang family who was previously engaged to Cousin Yujing?"
Xie Wenying was astonished and dumbfounded. "As far as I know, that Jiang family's daughter has already married into the Marquis's mansion. Why does Cousin Yujing still keep her portrait? Isn't that a bit against the rules?"
Her gaze, sharp as an arrow, was fixed on Jiang Huaiyu's deep eyes, her tone revealing an irrepressible curiosity, "What secret is hidden between Cousin Yujing and her?"
A faint sadness involuntarily flashed in Jiang Huaiyu's eyes.
Xie Wenyin's emotions grew increasingly heated, her voice tinged with provocation: "By the way, why did the Jiang family suddenly change the candidates halfway through what was supposed to be a perfect marriage? Second cousin-in-law, don't you know anything about this?"
Jiang Huaiyu's eyes cooled slightly, her tone calm and firm, "The decision of marriage is made by the parents, and I have no right to interfere."
Xie Wenyin nodded gently, then sighed deeply, as if she were standing up for Jiang Huaiyu: "Second sister-in-law, your situation is indeed difficult. Although you are now a member of the Bai family, Cousin Yujing's heart is still set on your own sister. It's truly a cruel twist of fate."
"This state of mind must be an indescribable suffering, right?"
Jiang Huaiyu's face remained calm, showing no change in emotion. However, a faint mist seemed to have settled over her clear, dark eyes.
“I don’t know the details of those old stories. However, my sister and I have both started our own families, so there’s no need to bring up the past. I hope my cousin Wenyin will be kind with her words.”
Xie Wenyin pretended to slap her lips and said apologetically, "It was my fault for speaking carelessly and causing you pain."
Jiang Huaiyu pursed her lips, her tone gentle yet firm, "This portrait belongs to my husband, so I will keep it safe for him."
Xie Wenyin certainly couldn't hand over that portrait to her; once it fell into her hands, all the carefully woven lies would be exposed instantly.
She carefully pressed the portrait against her chest and murmured softly, "Second cousin-in-law has always been gentle, kind, and frugal, but there's no need for you to trouble yourself. I understand your feelings about this portrait. Why don't you let me keep it for you for now, and return it to your cousin Yujing later?"
Jiang Huaiyu did not refuse, but simply said, "Thank you, Cousin Wenyin."
She turned to leave, but suddenly heard Xie Wenyin whisper, her voice so soft it seemed only the wind could hear: "Second cousin-in-law, you have to admit, Cousin Yujing has never had any true feelings for you..."
It was the hottest time of the afternoon sun, unbearably hot, but Jiang Huaiyu felt a chill rise up her spine.
She didn't answer, but silently continued walking.
This was a fact she had long known, and she was thankful that she hadn't fallen too deeply into it too soon. Thinking back on the past two weeks she'd spent with Bai Yujing, Jiang Huaiyu's fingers unconsciously clenched.
If she hadn't been prepared beforehand, she probably wouldn't have been able to handle seeing this painting.
In the courtyard, Feng Yun was practicing calligraphy, while Hui Yi was busy with needlework. Both were immersed in their own worlds, quiet and focused. She tiptoed over and sat down silently.
Looking back at what had just happened, a strange feeling suddenly welled up in Jiang Huaiyu's heart.
From the moment she stepped into the Bai family home, Xie Wenyin's feelings for Bai Yujing were obvious.
This feeling is undoubtedly the root cause of her painstaking efforts to target Jiang Huaiyu and constantly embarrass her.
However, if she was equally infatuated with Bai Yujing, why was she able to remain so calm when looking at Jiang Shuqin's portrait?
Jiang Huaiyu didn't dwell on this too much and turned to the tedious task of checking the students' homework.
Time flies, and it was already evening in the blink of an eye.
After finishing her work, Jiang Huaiyu finally freed Feng Yun and Hui Yi so they could go play.
She suddenly remembered that the clothes she had changed out of yesterday had not been washed, so she took them out and prepared to wash them herself.
What's shameful is that she grew up in an environment where everything was done for her, and she never lifted a finger to do anything.
After arriving at the Bai family home, even though she didn't have to do other chores, she still had to wash her own clothes. However, she always seemed incapable of doing it well, often leaving her clothes in a terrible state.
She awkwardly wielded the mallet, trying her best to beat the clothes.
Just then, a hand reached out and snatched her club away.
"Washing clothes like this will only damage the fabric. I'd rather do it."
Madam Yang sighed, pulled Jiang Huaiyu aside, and personally took over the task of washing clothes.
Jiang Huaiyu stood quietly to the side, clear water droplets still dripping from her hands. A faint blush rose on her cheeks, and her voice was slightly shy: "Sister-in-law, how can this be?"
Yang waved her hand lightly and said with a smile, "Look at you, you'll probably spend the whole afternoon washing and still not see any results. Let me do it. I can easily finish it with just a few flicks of my wrist."
As she rubbed the clothes, she looked up, her eyes full of concern: "Sister-in-law, you should go and rest. You are already exhausted from teaching at the private school and taking care of my two children. Let me take care of these clothes."
Jiang Huaiyu smiled and expressed her gratitude: "Then I will respectfully accept your offer. Thank you, sister-in-law."
Before long, Yang had washed the clothes clean and hung them out to dry neatly.
Jiang Huaiyu couldn't help but praise, "Sister-in-law is truly skillful; I am ashamed of my own in comparison."
Yang wiped her hands, a hint of pride in her eyes: "Of course, I'm already very skilled at these things, unlike you who are new here and not yet familiar with these household chores."
Suddenly, Jiang Huaiyu grasped Yang's hand tightly and gently placed two pieces of silver in her palm.
Madam Yang was taken aback, her face full of surprise: "What are you doing? Sister-in-law, why are you giving me money?"
Jiang Huaiyu gently made a shushing gesture and said softly, "Sister-in-law, I know how hard you work day after day to manage all the affairs of the household. Please accept this money as a token of my appreciation."
Madam Yang opened her mouth, seemingly still unable to fully process the facts before her, "But the household income and expenditure are ultimately planned by Mother herself. If you give me this money, it will surely displease Mother."
Jiang Huaiyu waved his hand gently and said, "This money is not for household expenses, but is my personal savings that I am giving you. When you go shopping occasionally, you can buy some things that you like, as a reward for your hard work in washing your clothes."
Bai Qishi managed household affairs with extreme rigor, and was even more strict in controlling money. As a result, Yang Shi had almost no private savings.
Madam Yang had never expected her to be so generous, giving two taels of silver in one go. She was both surprised and overjoyed, and said in a low voice, "Sister-in-law, you are so generous!"
Jiang Huaiyu smiled, her eyes filled with warmth, "We're family, it's just our duty to do this."
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