The Supporting Female Character Refuses to be Cannon Fodder Chapter 55

With Wang Shi tearing away their cover, Jiang Miao’s face immediately turned red with embarrassment. He hurriedly poured a bowl of water for Wang Shi, saying, “Mother, calm down. I’ll go to town tomorrow to find some work and try to earn some money.”

Wang Shi took a breath and replied, “Do you think I’m not suffering too? If you had a bit of promise, would I need to shame myself by scheming against your elder sister?”

Jiang Xing quickly soothed Wang Shi by rubbing her chest. Wang Shi’s anger was partly sincere, but the shame of scheming against others was only a small part of it. Most importantly, she wanted a better life for herself.

Jiang Mu, who had never seen Wang Shi so furious in all their years of marriage, was stunned. It was the first time she had pointed at his nose and called him incompetent. Jiang Mu, who prided himself on being a scholar, was deeply humiliated, especially in front of their children, and his face turned red.

He didn’t argue with Wang Shi any further; instead, he stormed back to his room, leaving Jiang Miao and Jiang Xing standing awkwardly in the hall.

Wang Shi spat, “You think you’re capable of getting angry? Let’s see if you refuse to spend the money once I get it.”

Turning to her two children, Wang Shi put on a smile, “Let’s plan how to get back the recipe for the dim sum that rightfully belong to our family.”

Wang Shi and Jiang Xing were sharp enough to assert that the recipe belonged to the Jiang family. Although Jiang Chan had been adopted out, they believed that she should return what belonged to the Jiang family.

This was a blatant attempt to rob Jiang Chan of her livelihood. Taking someone’s money was tantamount to harming their life. Yet, Wang Shi, Jiang Xing, and Jiang Miao shamelessly spoke of such things.

The mother and children planned for a long time in the hall. Finally, Jiang Miao made a decisive statement, “It’s too late today. Tomorrow, we’ll go directly to see our uncle and confront Jiang Chan in front of him. Given our uncle’s fair and just nature, he won’t show any favoritism.”

Jiang Chan had no idea that Wang Shi and her children were planning to confront her the next day. Her days were going smoothly. At the moment, she was standing in front of Jiang Sen, who was testing her on her lessons.

Because Jiang Chan performed exceptionally well, Jiang Sen had developed a genuine appreciation for her talent. As a result, he assigned increasingly complex and challenging lessons, which required Jiang Chan to spend a lot of time studying and digesting the material.

Initially, Jiang Sen believed that girls only needed to be literate and understand some basic principles. However, after witnessing Jiang Chan’s continuous improvement, he abandoned this notion entirely.

Now, he regarded Jiang Chan as a prized disciple, eager to impart all his knowledge to her. With a skilled mentor and her own hard work, Jiang Chan’s academic progress was rapid.

Watching Jiang Sen and Jiang Chan engage in their question-and-answer session, Lin Shi smiled warmly from her seat by the window, where she was making baby clothes. With just over two months to go until her child was born, Lin Shi was in high spirits.

Despite having their own child on the way, Lin Shi and Jiang Sen were even more attentive to Jiang Chan. They believed that she brought them good fortune. After all, Lin Shi hadn’t been able to conceive for many years, but soon after Jiang Chan arrived, she became pregnant.

Moreover, they were getting older, and the time they could spend with their children was limited. The new baby would undoubtedly need Jiang Chan’s help. The more capable Jiang Chan was, the happier they were.

Though their thoughts were somewhat utilitarian, Jiang Sen and Lin Shi genuinely cared for Jiang Chan. In turn, Jiang Chan decided that she would take good care of Lin Shi and Jiang Sen’s child in the future.

Gathering her thoughts, Jiang Chan noticed the evening sky outside. Their session was coming to an end. Jiang Sen, feeling relaxed, stroked his beard and said, “Xiao Chan’s studies are progressing well. The exam questions for the autumn test arrived a few days ago. Tonight, practice writing an essay on them. I’ll check it tomorrow morning.”

Lin Shi pinched Jiang Sen, “It’s late. Let the child rest.”

Jiang Chan, not wanting to rest early, said, “It’s okay, Mother. You go to bed first since you’re heavily pregnant. I’ll analyze the questions and go to sleep later. I’ll have the essay ready for Father by tomorrow morning.”

She then paused and asked, “Father, do you have a day off tomorrow?”

“Yes, the academy isn’t busy lately, and there are fewer classes. I can stay home and spend more time with your mother while supervising your studies.”

Lin Shi playfully scolded, “Do you really plan to train Xiao Chan to become a top scholar?”

Jiang Sen chuckled, “It’s a pity Xiao Chan isn’t a boy. Otherwise, her achievements wouldn’t be any less than Li Yifei’s!”

“God knows how much his teeth ache when he sees Li Ruisi’s smug smile. If Jiang Chan were a boy, she would have left Li Yifei far behind long ago. Does he still need to see Li Ruisi smug in front of him?”

Jiang Chan didn’t dare to say this casually, “Father, you’re overly praising. You’re just seeing your own child. However excellent I am, it’s because of that. I know my strengths and weaknesses. After all, I haven’t studied under you for long. If I want to catch up with Brother Li Shi, I still have several years ahead of me.”

Jiang Sen nodded in satisfaction, “It’s good that you can see yourself objectively. It’s a shame I couldn’t teach you earlier.”

Lin Shi couldn’t bear to hear about Jiang Chan’s past hardships. She patted Jiang Sen’s clothes, “Xiao Chan is our daughter now. If you really care about her, teach her more. I see she enjoys it very much.”

Jiang Sen proudly twirled his beard, “Of course, a talented and beautiful jade must be well sculpted.”

Watching Jiang Sen and Lin Shi leave, Lin Shi reminded Jiang Chan before closing the door, “It’s getting chilly in the mornings and evenings. Go to bed early and don’t overwork yourself.”

Jiang Chan nodded in agreement. Having received little care since childhood, she was greedy for any warmth and affection. She cherished every bit of it.

Those who are favored are always fearless. In front of Jiang Sen and Lin Shi, she became more relaxed. Although her expressions remained minimal, her eyes spoke volumes.

As long as they looked into her eyes, Jiang Sen and Lin could almost understand her meaning. If Jiang Chan’s appearance could only be described as delicate, it was far from the beauty people spoke of.

However, what attracted people most about Jiang Chan was her demeanor. Most women of the time lived by relying on others, giving off an impression similar to that of dodder plants¹.

But Jiang Chan was different. She was used to being self-reliant, and her entire being exuded a spirit of perseverance and vitality. This kind of demeanor made her stand out among the young ladies of the time.

It was just that Jiang Chan rarely went out and didn’t participate in the gatherings of those young ladies.

1. In Chinese culture, referring to someone as a dodder plant (菟丝子, tu si zi) carries a specific connotation. The dodder plant is a parasitic plant that depends entirely on other plants for its nutrients, lacking the ability to support itself. When people are compared to dodder plants, it implies that they are overly dependent on others and cannot stand on their own. This metaphor suggests a lack of self-reliance and independence. ↩︎