But…
Jiang Ye was contemplating what excuse to use. Previously, she had ended things with Gu Che in a way that felt like falling off a cliff, even humiliating him at the entrance of the military compound.
She let out a light sigh.
Forget it!
She would first return to the Jiang family and make Wen Ci fall from grace.
When the two of them arrived at the Jiang household, Su Guilan and Jiang Zhenjun were leisurely eating breakfast in the living room. Seeing Jiang Chen and Jiang Ye walk in, they showed little reaction.
Su Guilan’s expression was indifferent as she said, “What made you decide to come back?”
Jiang Chen quickly walked over and sat in the empty seat beside his mother, putting on a hesitant and thoughtful expression. “Mom, I’m not sure if I should tell you this.”
Sitting at the head of the table, Jiang Zhenjun had never concerned himself with household matters.
He set down his chopsticks. “I’m heading to work.”
Once Jiang Zhenjun left, Su Guilan gave her son a once-over, then glanced at the uneasy Jiang Ye standing beside him. Slowly, she asked, “What is it?”
“This morning, when I passed by the cafeteria, I overheard an auntie from next door talking about Wen Ci…” Sensing his mother’s change in mood, he immediately corrected himself, “I mean, A’Ci. The auntie said that A’Ci takes meals for three people every day. Since our brother-in-law is staying in the hospital, why would she be getting meals for three people? Could it be…”
Before he could finish speaking—
“Slap!”
A crisp sound echoed through the silent room, even producing an audible reverberation.
Jiang Ye was stunned for two seconds before reacting. She quickly hid behind Jiang Chen, her voice filled with disbelief as she questioned, “Mom, why did you hit my brother?!”
Jiang Chen was still in shock, his face turned to the side, the left side burning red from the slap. There was a hint of confusion in his eyes. “Why?”
Why did she slap him?!
Since childhood, he had been considered a golden child in the compound.
But ever since Wen Ci was brought back into the family, he had been slapped twice by his mother in just one week. He swallowed his frustration and spoke through clenched teeth: “Why did you slap me?”
Su Guilan threw her chopsticks onto the table with a loud clatter, stood up, and looked down at Jiang Chen from above.
“A’Ci is your biological sister!”
“And then?”
“The reason you came home to tell me this—what was your real intention? Weren’t you implying that your sister is secretly keeping a man in the military compound?”
“I wasn’t.”
Su Guilan let out a cold snort. Having navigated the world for years, she saw through such petty tricks instantly.
“So what if she takes meals for three people?”
Jiang Ye chimed in, “Brother was just acting out of goodwill.”
Su Guilan’s gaze turned sharp. “And what does Jiang family business have to do with an outsider like you?”
Truthfully, Su Guilan had been holding back her anger as well.
Earlier this morning, when she visited Elder Huo’s courtyard, she had seen two little kids in the room.
As for the three portions of food—it was because there was a chubby little boy at home.
She hadn’t asked who the chubby boy was, but she was certain that A’Ci had done nothing wrong.
“I…” Jiang Ye’s eyes welled up with tears, big drops forming at the corners of her eyes.
“Mom, why are you being so aggressive?”
“Aggressive?” Su Guilan sneered. “When you ran off to the Northwest on your own, did you ever consider listening to me?”
“I was wrong…” Jiang Ye sobbed softly. “I will work hard to get into university. Then, I’ll go visit Grandpa and Grandma’s graves.”
Hearing this, Su Guilan’s expression softened slightly.
Back when Jiang Ye was a child, the elders in the family adored her the most. When she was in her teens, they even hired a highly respected scholar to tutor her at home.
Unfortunately, the turbulent times back then had disrupted her studies.
Su Guilan said flatly, “Get accepted first, then we’ll talk.”
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