Jiang Tang looked over the spread of dishes, which were fancy enough to rival a New Year's feast, and a look of satisfaction crossed her face.
Mother Jiang naturally did not miss her daughter’s expression and affectionately placed a piece of well-braised, succulent pork belly into her bowl. "Go on, try your mother’s cooking."
Mother Jiang’s culinary skills were actually quite decent; as long as she was willing to be generous with the oil, the food she cooked tasted truly excellent.
"Dongdong, you eat too."
Jiang Hong was drooling. Looking at the fragrant, mouth-watering pork, he kept swallowing his saliva. But he knew he had to prioritize Jiang Tang’s mood for now and let her eat first. At the thought of the good days to come, he decided that holding back for a little while was nothing.
"And this, it's a fish your father caught yesterday. The soup is very fresh." Mother Jiang placed the most tender piece of fish into Dongdong’s bowl, saying kindly, "Dongdong, eat up."
This unbelievable scene left Jiang Caixia in absolute shock. She wondered if something was wrong with her eyes or if Mother Jiang had lost her mind. Wasn't she the one who hated Jiang Tang most? Why was she serving her meat?
Jiang Caixia reached for a few pieces of meat for herself, but Mother Jiang shot her a glare instantly. "Sanya, aren't you on a diet lately? Why are you eating meat? Eat more greens; they’re just as nutritious."
Jiang Caixia felt a surge of resentment. In this house, Jiang Hong was Mother Jiang’s priority, and she was second. Yet with so much meat on the table, she had only managed to eat two pieces. The idea that greens were "just as nutritious" was a total lie. She wanted to throw a tantrum, but looking up at Mother Jiang’s stern expression, she could only lower her head and poke at her white rice with her chopsticks. Even the meat in her own bowl didn't look appetizing anymore.
Jiang Tang ate a piece of the red-braised pork and blinked. "It's quite delicious." She picked up a piece of marbled pork belly and placed it in Dongdong’s bowl. "Dongdong, Grandma’s braised pork is really good. Go ahead and eat."
Dongdong did not rush; he ate in small, measured bites, looking for all the world like a child accustomed to having good things. Most children would have had grease all over their mouths and clothes after seeing such a spread, but not Dongdong. His table manners were quite elegant, much like Jiang Tang’s.
The mother and son ate happily, consuming half the bowl of pork between them, while Jiang Hong ate the rest. Once the meal was finished, Jiang Tang felt reasonably satisfied. "Dinner is over. I’m going to take Dongdong back to the room to nap for a while."
Mother Jiang smiled, her temper surprisingly sweet. "Yes, yes, go ahead and get some rest."
As soon as they left, the grievance in Jiang Caixia’s heart could no longer be contained. She didn’t understand why her mother was being so good to Jiang Tang—better, even, than she was to her. "Mother, why are you so biased? Didn't you say that she isn't your own..."
Mother Jiang’s expression shifted instantly. She covered Jiang Caixia’s mouth with her hand, her gaze fierce. "What did I tell you? You are to take that thought to the grave. Are you treating my words like wind?"
This secret had weighed on the Jiang parents’ hearts for years, and almost no one knew. Jiang Caixia had only learned of it by accidentally overhearing their conversation. They had warned her many times never to speak of it again.
Jiang Caixia lowered her eyes, her lashes fluttering. "Mother, I… I was wrong." Her mouth had moved too fast; it had just slipped out.
Mother Jiang released her and said sternly, "Sanya, don't let me hear you say that again."
Jiang Caixia nodded weakly. "Mother, I understand. I won't say it again." She paused, then added, "I was just anxious. Seeing you be so good to her, I... besides, she’s already married off. Why treat her so well? And why give her the little brother’s room to stay in? Does she even deserve it?" She was stuck living in a cramped little room, so why did Jiang Tang get to stay in such a nice room just because she was visiting her maiden home?
Mother Jiang looked at this not-so-bright daughter with a sense of frustration. It was clear she had to spell it out for her to understand. "You don't need to worry about that. You just need to know that she won't be staying here for long." A glint flashed in Mother Jiang’s eyes. "If you want to marry into a good family, stop looking for trouble with her. Just endure it."
Jiang Caixia couldn't swallow the bitterness in her heart, but she had no choice but to listen to her mother. "I understand."
What they didn't know was that Jiang Tang hadn't actually left; she had heard the words Jiang Caixia had blurted out.
Jiang Tang fanned Dongdong with a palm-leaf fan, her gaze growing distant as her mind fixated on the sentence Jiang Caixia hadn't been able to finish. *Not... biological?*
As the word "biological" echoed in her mind, forgotten memories began to crystallize, linking together. If the original host of this body wasn't Mother Jiang’s biological daughter, then everything that previously made no sense finally had an answer. Why, despite both being daughters, was Mother Jiang the cruelest to her, never giving her a kind look and only knowing how to squeeze every last drop of value out of her? Whenever there was food, the younger siblings got their fill while the original host only watched. She had always assumed it was because she was the eldest and had to learn to care for her siblings, so Mother Jiang was strict with her.
If she wasn't biological, these unreasonable behaviors were immediately explained. No wonder Mother Jiang hadn't felt a shred of grief when the original host died; she had treated her like a stranger.
*If I want to find out the truth,* Jiang Tang thought, *I will have to proceed carefully.*
***
Several days had passed. Mother Shen had been waiting for Jiang Tang to return, having already planned a hundred ways to teach her a lesson.
She waited and waited, but didn't catch even a shadow of Jiang Tang. She didn't care where Jiang Tang had gone, nor did she care if she had met with disaster—dying out there would be fine, too. But with Jiang Tang away, the chores at home had piled up instantly.
Mother Shen’s leg was already injured, and she had worsened it while chasing after Jiang Tang. She hadn't felt it at the time, but back home, her leg completely gave out. After resting for a day and a night and taking medicine from the clinic, she finally felt like she was back among the living.
With her mobility restricted, Mother Shen needed someone to bring water to her lips. Today, she had shouted until her throat was raw, but no one had come to check on her.
"You ungrateful wretches! Did you not hear me say I was thirsty? Get over here and pour me some water!" Mother Shen’s leg might have been ailing, but her lungs were as powerful as ever.
After a long wait, Shen Yuan finally arrived to pour the water. Mother Shen frowned the moment she saw her. "Why is it you? Where is your mother?"
With Jiang Tang gone, there was no one to do the laundry, no one to cook, and no one to care for Shen Guofu; all those tasks now fell to Wang Cuihua. Why wasn't she staying home? Where had she gone?
Shen Yuan was somewhat afraid of Mother Shen, especially now that the older woman’s mood was so volatile due to her illness. "Mother went out."
Mother Shen roared, "Where? Go and call your mother back right now! Such an ungrateful thing—I’m lying here in bed and she doesn't come to serve me? What is she doing out there?"
Shen Yuan trembled, nodding fearfully.