Chapter 86: She Is the Law in Our

Among the three generations of the Jiang family, if one were to speak of looks, Jiang’s father would come second only to Jiang Chengyan. It was no wonder that Zhao had chosen this man for his face. Yet, apart from this handsome appearance, Heaven had shown little favor to him. After marrying, the second brother Jiang You had managed to carve out some success in Lin County, but he himself, with his wife, still lived out an ordinary life in the village.

Aside from working the fields, Jiang's father liked to tinker with woodworking, earning a small supplement to their income. Approaching the peddler, he carefully pulled out a cloth pouch, took out four coppers, and bought two skewers of candied hawthorn.

He gave the larger skewer to the little girl.

Jiang Yuan sat in the courtyard, bored out of her mind, when she saw Jiang’s father enter with two sticks of candied hawthorn, a simple, silly smile on his face. At the sight of the treat, her eyes lit up.

She hadn’t tasted candied hawthorn since leaving Lin County.

As Jiang’s father walked over, Jiang Yuan had already stood up, her hand half-extended. The proud expression she usually wore was replaced by a rare hint of a smile. “Uncle, I want the big one.”

Jiang’s father shook his head, a look of honest simplicity on his face. “Yuan Yuan, here are two copper coins. The peddler hasn’t left yet, so hurry out and pick something. These two are spoken for.”

Jiang Yuan looked at the two coins that landed in her palm, frowned, and threw them to the ground. “Are you treating me like a beggar?”

When he saw his hard-earned money tossed aside, Jiang’s father paused where he stood. Then he bent down, picked up the coins, and clutched them tightly in his hand.

Without another glance at Jiang Yuan, he carefully carried the candied hawthorn into the house.

“Little girl, I bought you a big candied hawthorn,” he called out tenderly.

Bai Yan was moving a small stool to help Zhao tend the fire when she heard his voice; she immediately bounced up.

“Daddy, you have some too,” Bai Yan said, offering him the candied hawthorn.

“No need, there’s another one for your mother. This one is enough for me.” Jiang’s father handed the other skewer to Zhao.

“What was Jiang Yuan shouting about just now?” Zhao asked, offering Jiang’s father a bite.

“It’s nothing. You eat first, I’ll tend the fire,” he replied, moving Bai Yan’s little stool aside and busying himself.

From the doorway, Jiang Yuan watched as Bai Yan, cheeks puffed, gnawed on her candied hawthorn.

Her fingers clenched tightly, her gaze fixed fiercely on Bai Yan.

Jiang Chengyan had caught a good number of fish in the river, and they were kept alive in a large vat in the courtyard. That evening, Zhao cooked four of them with plenty of side dishes.

Bai Yan, having washed her hands, sat obediently beside Jiang Chengyan, who had already picked out the choicest fish meat and placed it in her small bowl.

“Coming to Ayan’s house for dinner, Ayan’s wife doesn’t have to do a thing. She’s truly blessed, with such a hardworking mother-in-law,” Qian remarked sourly, eyeing the young woman, whose beauty outshone even a fairy’s.

Bai Yan didn’t hear her; at that moment, all her attention was on the fish.

“It isn’t fishy at all,” Bai Yan said in delight, looking up at Jiang Chengyan and his parents.

“If you like it, eat more. Don’t rush. Would you rather have cornbread or taro?” Zhao asked gently.

“How can this child have no manners at all? Who eats like that, picking all the best bits for herself?” Grandma Jiang grumbled, unhappy that most of the delicious fish had ended up in the little daughter-in-law’s bowl.

Jiang Chengyan looked up, a cold curve to his lips. “In my home, we follow my home’s rules.”