Chapter 38: Jiang Chengyan Suspects He Might Be a Live-in Son-in-law

Jiang Chengyan had traveled through the night. He had been weary when climbing the mountain earlier, but hearing her argue so spiritedly instantly banished his fatigue. Jiang Chengyan had no intention of taking Bai Yan back to the Jiang family home, so once they descended the mountain, he carried her straight toward his own house.

But Bai Yan clearly recognized the way to the Jiang family’s home now. The moment she noticed they were headed elsewhere, she immediately began to protest relentlessly. “I don’t want to go here, I want to go there! Mother needs to make tofu!”

“That’s my mother, not yours. Don’t call her like she’s so close to you,” Jiang Chengyan replied, as if he were a son-in-law living with his wife’s family. He shot her a dark look.

“Your mother is my mother, and my mother is your mother,” Bai Yan replied, twisting the words around Jiang Chengyan.

“Your mother is my mother, but my mother isn’t yours,” Jiang Chengyan retorted, deliberately playing word games with her.

Bai Yan grew confused by his convoluted logic. Unable to think of a comeback, she simply butted her forehead against his chin, nearly causing him to bite his tongue.

“Are you getting bold? I rushed all night just to see you, and this is how you repay me?” Jiang Chengyan, flustered by her antics, had no choice but to take her back to the Jiang family home.

The moment Bai Yan heard he’d traveled all night, she immediately began to tug at his hand.

“What are you looking at? Do you think I run around on all fours like you?” Jiang Chengyan looked at Bai Yan as if she were a silly child.

Bai Yan was speechless.

…

As soon as Jiang Chengyan, still holding Bai Yan, rounded the corner, Mrs. Zhao and Father Jiang hurried out to meet them.

When Mrs. Zhao saw Bai Yan safe and sound nestled in Jiang Chengyan’s arms, the warmth in her eyes vanished. She immediately began to scold, her voice rapid and sharp, “Where did you run off to so early in the morning? You nearly scared me to death! Do you know how much time you’ve wasted?”

Bai Yan looked at Mrs. Zhao with pitiful, aggrieved eyes.

“What is it? Hungry now? That’s what you get for running wild at dawn.” Mrs. Zhao shot her a glare before heading to the kitchen to fetch a steaming bowl of goat’s milk.

After a busy morning, Bai Yan was indeed starving. She was just about to reach out for the bowl with both hands when, midway, a pair of long, elegant hands intercepted it, placing the bowl atop her head instead.

The man bent down, a sinister smile playing at his lips. “Stand outside for a quarter of an hour. If you drop that bowl, you won’t eat for the whole day.”

With that, he turned and strode toward the west wing, first setting down the basket from his back.

As soon as Jiang Chengyan left, Mrs. Zhao was about to remove the bowl from Bai Yan’s head when she heard Jiang Chengyan’s chilling voice from behind, “If you take it off, I’ll take her away right now.”

Mrs. Zhao scoffed coldly, “Do you think I’m scared of you?”

She spoke bravely, but in truth, she dared not move. What if he really took the girl away?

“Mother, I’m hungry,” Bai Yan pleaded, her large eyes brimming with distress as she looked at Mrs. Zhao.

Mrs. Zhao clutched her chest.

“Girl, where did you run off to so early?” Father Jiang asked, worry in his tone, as he slipped two plump, boiled eggs into Mrs. Zhao’s hand.

Mrs. Zhao hid the eggs in her sleeve, tapped them gently against the wall, and began to peel them silently.

“Mother wanted to make tofu, so I went to find sweet spring water. I found it—” Bai Yan hadn’t finished before an egg was hurriedly stuffed into her mouth.

“Hurry and eat, but don’t let that little debtor see you,” Mrs. Zhao whispered, shielding Bai Yan with her own body.

Father Jiang saw this and followed suit.

Through a tiny hole in the window, Jiang Chengyan watched the whole scene unfold. In that moment, with the way things were, it seemed as though he was the true outsider in this family.