Jiang Chan lifted the curtain of the carriage window and glanced outside. She saw a man in his thirties with a crippled leg. His hair was dirty and disheveled, his clothes were ragged, and he held a broken bowl in his hand, looking very desolate.
Jiang Chan found him somewhat familiar. After thinking about it carefully, she remembered that this was the widower husband of the original owner. She hadn’t expected him to become a beggar now.
When he developed a gambling addiction, Jiang Chan never paid attention to him again because she knew that once someone was addicted to gambling, it was nearly impossible to change.
Sure enough, within a few years, he had fallen into this state. Jiang Chan sighed inwardly, put down the curtain, and entered the town. It seemed that the first and second wishes left by the original owner had been fulfilled, and only the third task remained.
As soon as she arrived home, Hongyu helped to move the books they had collected from the carriage. The Jiang family’s residence had become increasingly large, and Jiang Chan now had her own independent study, with several bookshelves filled to the brim with books.
This trip to the capital had taken five or six days. Just as she arrived home, Lin Shi pulled her aside, full of concern. Lin Shi was now almost fifty but still looked like she was in her thirties.
Jiang Chan patiently answered Lin Shi’s questions. Seeing Jiang Chan talk eloquently, Lin Shi felt a bit envious. “If it weren’t for Dandan holding me back, I would have gone to the capital with you.”
Jiang Dan happened to enter the main hall and, hearing Lin Shi call him by his nickname, was a bit displeased. “Mother, I’ve grown up now, you can’t call me Dandan anymore.”
He had just returned from school and saw Hongyu in the yard. Jiang Dan immediately knew that Jiang Chan was back and quickened his pace. He hadn’t seen Jiang Chan for a long time and missed her dearly.
However, upon entering, he heard Lin Shi call him by his nickname, which made him unhappy. He considered himself a little man now and felt that being called by his nickname made him seem childish.
Lin Shi patted Jiang Dan’s head. It was midsummer, and the young boy was sweating profusely from running around. She took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead. Jiang Dan greeted Jiang Chan with a bow: “Sister, you’re back.”
Jiang Chan nodded. “Yes, the gift for you is on the carriage. Hongyu will bring it to you later.”
Jiang Dan’s eyes immediately lit up. Although he was eager to see what good things Jiang Chan had brought for him, he restrained himself and bowed to Lin Shi before running out.
Watching Jiang Dan’s rigorous behavior, Lin Shi chuckled. “This child is becoming more serious, just like your father. So young, yet so mature.”
Jiang Chan comforted her. “It’s good for boys to be more stable. Jiang Dan is doing well.”
Seeing that there were no outsiders in the main hall, Lin Shi suddenly shared some news that surprised Jiang Chan.
“On the day after you went to the capital, your little aunt came to us, asking for support for Jiang Xing. Jiang Xing had been sent back home by her husband.”
“???”
Jiang Chan put down her tea cup, feeling like she had missed a lot during her absence. How could Jiang Xing’s marriage end up like this?
“What happened?” In the original owner’s memory, Jiang Xing and her husband were still very happy together. How is it that now Jiang Xing has been divorced?
“I haven’t interfered with Jiang Xing’s life since I came. How did her life get worse?”
“Isn’t it that Jiang Xing brought this upon herself?” Lin Shi said irritably. Lin Shi learned to use the term ‘brought this upon herself’ from Jiang Chan, and now using it on Jiang Xing was quite fitting.
“At first, Jiang Xing’s husband did not like her. It was only because Jiang Xing played a little trick that he was forced to marry her.”
Lin Shi had heard this from Zhang Shi later. Even Wang Shi didn’t know about these things, which showed how well Jiang Xing had hidden them.
“Marriages obtained through tricks are basically not long-lasting.”
Jiang Chan spoke very honestly. After living in this era for so many years, Jiang Chan has gradually become mature and has more and more of her own opinions.
“Exactly. When a woman chooses a husband, it’s best to choose one who likes her. Choosing one who doesn’t will only make herself miserable in the end.” Lin Shi sighed.
“Her husband is also a responsible person. Although Jiang Xing’s methods were not honorable, for the sake of being classmates with Jiang Miao, he still treated Jiang Xing decently.”
“Is Jiang Xing herself not satisfied?” Jiang Chan thought for a moment and guessed Jiang Xing’s thoughts. Actually, it can’t be said that it’s just Jiang Xing, this should be a common human weakness.
“Yes, but it was Jiang Xing who went too far.” Lin Shi took a sip of tea. “Her husband has a cousin who was already engaged and came to visit her aunt. The cousins exchanged a few words, but Jiang Xing insisted they had feelings for each other.”
“This caused a commotion at home, making the girl look bad in front of everyone. In a fit of anger, her husband divorced her.”
Jiang Chan was curious. “Did you help out when my little aunt came to ask for support?”
Lin Shi sighed. “Of course, we had to go. But her husband was determined, and since Jiang Xing was at fault, we couldn’t do much. Jiang Xing is still in the village now.”
Jiang Chan took it all in stride. Compared to the original owner, Jiang Xing had a good start but ended up in a miserable situation due to her own actions.
The life of a woman who has been divorced and returned home is especially difficult, but these things are not what Jiang Chan is concerned about. Now, to her, Jiang Mu and his family are just ordinary strangers.
Over the years, Jiang Miao had also married and had a son, while Jiang Xing had been married for years without children. Given that Jiang Xing’s marriage was obtained through dishonorable means, it was no wonder her husband didn’t let her have children.
If Jiang Xing had a child, it wouldn’t have been so easy to divorce her. But she didn’t, and now she reaped what she sowed.
As time passed, Jiang Dan passed the child examination at the age of ten and became a scholar at thirteen, making him the youngest scholar in the town’s history.
Jiang Sen worried he would become arrogant and made him wait a few years before going to the capital to take the imperial exam at sixteen. Jiang Dan did well and returned with the highest honors. When the news arrived, Jiang Sen laughed heartily.
Later, during the imperial examination, Jiang Dan was appointed as the Tanhua (third place). This was the first Tanhua in the history of the town. When Jiang Dan returned, the Jiang family’s doorstep was almost broken down by matchmakers.
At that time, both Lin Shi and Jiang Sen were already growing old. In the second year after Jiang Dan’s fourth child was born, the seventy-year-old Lin Shi passed away suddenly. Jiang Sen was overwhelmed with grief. Shortly after managing the funeral arrangements for Lin Shi, he too passed away.
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