Chapter 1002 - 1004 He Is Not a Jiang Family Member_1
Bai Ruozhu took another look at Jiang Xuexiang, whose every demeanor radiated scholarly refinement, appearing as a well-read middle-aged man. Unlike Jiang Chenshi, his tone and manner lacked harshness, presenting a facade of deep affection in the face of Jiang Yichun. Yet, Bai Ruozhu’s impression of him wasn’t particularly positive, perhaps even less so than Yao Yuxuan, who competed with her in business at home.
"Dad, is that Brother Yichun?" the young Jiang Yihong asked. Curiosity filled his eyes as he examined Jiang Yichun, yet there was no malice in his gaze.
Jiang Yichun was six years older than him. Although Jiang Yichun hadn’t really played with him during their childhood, he was six when Jiang Yichun left the family, leaving behind a vague yet persistent memory.
Confronted with his cousin, Jiang Yichun’s mind involuntarily conjured images of the boy, snot-nosed, chasing after their father and son for a kite.
Memories of his deceased father also rushed in, stabbing his heart with a pain as if pricked by a needle.
"It’s truly Brother Yichun, I am Zhihe," the woman at his side said, laughing as she spoke, brightening her features in an instant.
Bai Ruozhu had already scrutinized these four individuals and had noticed Jiang Zhihe. She seemed like an ordinary girl at first, but upon smiling, her entire persona shone with a warm glow, painting her in vibrant colors.
Especially when she smiled with two charming dimples, she exuded exceptional sweetness.
Jiang Yichun looked at Jiang Zhihe and paused, struck by the realization that his little cousin had also grown into a young lady.
In that moment of distraction, Jiang Xuexiang reached out and patted Jiang Yichun on the shoulder. Recovering from the surprise, Jiang Yichun quickly stepped aside, but not before being touched by Jiang Xuexiang.
"You can all go back. I, along with my father, are no longer part of the Jiang Family. Even though he has long passed away, I continue to remember how that old man kicked us out," Jiang Yichun said coldly.
Jiang Chenshi snorted sharply and interjected, "How can you refer to your Grandpa in such a manner? It’s apparent that you’ve grown wild from living outside without any proper manners!"
"Mom, don’t add fuel to the fire!" Jiang Yihong interjected, halting Jiang Chenshi from continuing. His face showed a hint of reproach.
Jiang Chenshi glared at her own son, feeling exasperation. It seemed she had raised him in vain; his sympathies always lay elsewhere, beyond the family.
Jiang Xuexiang too spoke up, "Brother Yichun, everyone has been thinking about you over the years. Grandpa has aged; his health is fading day by day. Please forgive him this once and come back with us to the Jiang Residence for a visit."
"Big Brother, if you truly can’t forgive Grandpa, that’s one thing, but don’t disown us. Back then, Ahong and I cried for many days, even staging hunger strikes," Jiang Zhihe spoke, her face becoming animated, transforming into that of a winsome young lady.
Jiang Yichun was somewhat moved by Jiang Zhihe’s words. He recalled his younger siblings as quite adorable in their childhood.
But...
"I have no grievances against you, but I’ve been dismissed from the family. I will not return to the Jiang Residence in this lifetime," Jiang Yichun declared decisively. "If you still care for me, for my sake, don’t pressure me to return to the Jiang Residence and remind me of how my father died a tragic death in a foreign land. Also, don’t disturb my peaceful life anymore." Having said this, Jiang Yichun took Bai Ruozhu and turned to leave.
"Big Brother!" Jiang Zhihe called out, only to be held back by Jiang Xuexiang at her side.
"Let it be, he’s right. Our presence will only remind him of our deceased second uncle. We should return for now," Jiang Xuexiang reasoned.
"Are we really to become strangers to Big Brother?" Jiang Yihong asked, his voice tinged with sadness. He fondly remembered how much he loved the kites that his second uncle and big brother used to make.
"No, take it slow." Jiang Xuexiang said softly.
Bai Ruozhu and Jiang Yichun returned to their seats and continued eating as if nothing had happened. The family didn’t make a fuss about it, only the old lady suddenly looked up and asked, "Do you really have relatives in the Capital City?"
It seemed she was thinking of acknowledging another wealthy relative.
Jiang Yichun cast a nonchalant glance at her and said, "No, I just went to see them. They recognized the wrong person."
"Oh, what a pity," the old lady muttered under her breath, but her words still floated to Bai Ruozhu and Jiang Yichun’s ears.
After dinner, Jiang Yichun took his son for a walk to aid digestion, while Bai Ruozhu pulled her father, mother, and second brother into the inner room to talk about Jiang Yichun’s background, and about how the Jiang Chenshi came to make trouble during their last visit to the Capital, and how rumors had then spread about Little Dengdeng getting smallpox.
"Ah Chun’s father must have been framed. It’s just that he didn’t want Ah Chun to live with hate, so he didn’t tell him much," Bai Ruozhu said. She always felt that Ah Chun’s father wasn’t that kind of person; how could a man who was so good to his child ever engage in such incestuous acts?
"Just look at what a good child Ah Chun is, he must have been framed. It’s a pity he passed away so young," Lin Ping’er couldn’t help but feel some sorrow, her eyes reddening.
Bai Yihong was particularly sympathetic towards Jiang Yichun. After all, it was he who had carried Jiang Yichun back from the Back Mountain. He had long regarded Jiang Yichun as his own son, and hearing about Jiang Yichun’s past now, he felt deeply distressed.
"If his father is gone, then what about his mother?" Bai Yihong inquired.
When Bai Ruozhu mentioned Jiang Yichun’s mother, she couldn’t help but sigh and say with a sense of helplessness, "They divorced a long time ago. We saw her during our last visit to the Capital. She has remarried and even has children now."
The family fell silent; it was as if they didn’t know what to say anymore. Bai Zepei had been silent the entire time and finally added, "He was a member of our Bai Family before, and he will continue to be a member of our Bai Family in the future."
Bai Ruozhu looked at her brother, showing a grateful smile.
Having clarified everything with her family members to avoid any misunderstandings, Bai Ruozhu happily went to the backyard to find Jiang Yichun.
She asked the housekeeper to purchase a residence in the Capital City that was not too large, but it also had a Back Garden. Jiang Yichun had mentioned wanting to take his son to play in the garden, and now she saw them there.
Bai Ruozhu walked briskly towards the garden. Soon, she saw the father and son playing joyfully. Little Dengdeng was sitting on Jiang Yichun’s shoulders, reaching for a butterfly flying nearby. Jiang Yichun held his son’s legs with both hands, fearing he might fall, moving back and forth to get his son closer to the butterfly.
There was also a smile on his face, which softened his otherwise stern features.
Bai Ruozhu stopped at a distance, as if afraid of ruining this peaceful scene before her. Scenes of catching butterflies with friends in the countryside during her childhood flashed through her mind. They would catch the butterflies and keep them in glass jars claiming they wanted to raise them, but the butterflies invariably died one by one...
Snapping back to reality, she scolded herself for becoming so sentimental and once again allowed a smile to spread across her face as she walked towards the father and son.
...
Inside the Jiang Residence, Elder Jiang Ge, upon hearing that Jiang Xuexiang and his party had returned empty-handed, scoffed and said, "I told you not to bother with that scourge. He was never one of us Jiangs!"
After saying that, he strode away. The Jiang Family Members looked at each other, not daring to follow and incur his wrath. No one noticed that Elder Jiang Ge’s eyes had reddened and his lips were faintly trembling. His already-dim eyes lost even more of their luster.