31. Heart-wrenching

Jiang Ruo’s words were nothing if not stinging, especially to Dani.

Jiang Ruo had intended them to be that way, and as she spoke to her classmates, she even cast a pointed glance at Dani. The sheer indignation almost caused Dani to choke, her breath catching in her throat.

Seeing the complicated looks from her family, especially the terrifyingly calm gaze of her grandparents, gave Dani the sinking feeling that she was finished. In a panic, she dropped to her knees with a thud.

"Grandpa, Grandma, please punish me. It’s true that I acted out of selfishness. I’ve always had poor grades, and I was scared. When my classmate mentioned the limited spots, my mind went into a panic, so I didn't tell you... This was truly my fault. I was too selfish..." As she spoke, she looked toward her cousins. "Big Brother, Second Brother, Fourth Brother, it was my fault. I was just too worried. I’m sorry..."

Dani had an intuition that her cousins already favored Jiang Ruo. If she continued to shirk responsibility as she had in the past, she feared she would truly lose their affection. A woman’s ability to stand tall in her husband’s home depended not only on herself but also on the strength of her maiden family.

She had been narrow-minded before, blindly digging herself into a dead end. After reflecting yesterday, her mind had cleared significantly. She understood this truth now, though she lamented that her past self had only known how to blame others, never considering how to win over her family's hearts or maintain those relationships. Thinking back, she had been too foolish.

Dani’s sincerity made it difficult for Jiang Dajun and his brothers to say anything more.

"Dani, everyone is selfish to an extent, but you should try to trust your family more. Our family is not the type to favor boys over girls," Jiang Dajun said as the eldest. He wasn't trying to scold her, but rather to guide his cousin.

Dani’s tears welled up instantly. "I’m sorry, Big Brother. I’ve been a bit obsessed lately, my mind was clouded. It won't happen again."

Whether she truly understood or was merely pacifying them, Dani’s demeanor was much more pleasant now, and the tension in the room eased.

"Get up. We don't hold with that feudal nonsense in this house," Grandmother Liu said calmly, looking at her eldest granddaughter. "Since you recognize your mistake, make sure you remember it."

"I will, Grandma, I promise."

Giving her a long look, Grandmother Liu turned to her precious granddaughter. "So, was it because of the household registry that you took Shanyao along to register?"

Experience had made the old woman sharp; once she connected the dots between her eldest granddaughter’s registration and Shanyao, the truth became clear. Jiang Ruo looked at her grandmother with pride and nodded quickly.

"As expected of Grandma, you guessed it right away. I realized the registry wasn't there, and after thinking it over, I figured I had to go to Third Uncle. But if I didn't tell him, he would find out later, and that would affect the relationship between our two families. It was better to be straightforward and exchange it for a favor—why not?"

Her gestures were coquettish and proud, and she winked at her grandparents, causing both of them to beam with joy.

"Little imp, you know everything," Grandmother Liu said, her mood brightening instantly as she laughed.

"Well done," Grandpa Jiang added, looking at his granddaughter with pride. This was high praise indeed, as he rarely complimented anyone.

"Alright, let's leave it at that," Grandmother Liu finally concluded. "Since you’ve all registered, you don’t need to go to the fields for the next few days. Study hard and try to pass. If there’s anything you don’t understand, ask Ruoruo."

"Don't worry, if you have any questions, just come to me," Jiang Ruo nodded sweetly, though her eyes flicked toward Dani. It cost nothing to say nice things. The seeds of discord had already been sown; if Dani remained as clear-headed as she was now, she would be fine, but if she lost her head again, she would likely destroy herself without Jiang Ruo having to lift a finger. In the countryside, having no support from your maiden family made life very difficult—unless, of course, you were truly exceptional.

Before Dani could speak, Grandmother Liu’s boisterous temperament took over, and she shouted toward the kitchen. "Dajun’s wife, what are you dawdling for? Look at what time it is!"

"Coming, coming..." Wang Xiaocao hurried out, carrying a basin of coarse grain porridge, unable to help but glare at Li Cuihua. Like mother, like daughter—both were equally selfish. The frustrating part was that she couldn't say anything, as the opportunity had been earned by the girl herself.

Li Cuihua gave her sister-in-law an awkward smile, though in her heart, she felt her daughter had done the right thing. After all, when there is little meat and many wolves, one must seize every opportunity for oneself. This time, she was firmly on her daughter’s side.

Lunch was the usual: porridge, steamed buns, a plate of steamed eggplant, a plate of stir-fried greens, and pickled vegetables. Everyone was hungry, so they finished quickly and returned to their rooms to rest.

By the time dinner arrived, the surprise Wang Xiaocao had been waiting for finally came. Grandmother Liu called everyone to the main room to distribute the items their niece had brought back yesterday. Even Dani received a tin of clam oil and a corner-worn bar of soap. Then came the inevitable praise for their "precious," making sure everyone understood that Jiang Ruo had provided both the money and the effort. Especially the slightly flawed goods—those weren't items one could just stumble upon. Only when everyone was looking at their "precious" with affection did Grandmother Liu finally stop and dismiss them.

That night, still feeling uneasy, she slept in her granddaughter's room.

"Bao, do you want a job?" Grandmother Liu’s voice suddenly broke the darkness. Dani’s situation had reminded her that her granddaughter was also of working age. Yet, the thought of the child working made her heart ache; she had just graduated and was only seventeen. It wouldn't hurt to let her play for a couple of years—it wasn't as if they couldn't afford to support her.

"A job?" Jiang Ruo turned to look at her grandmother. Even without light, she could clearly see the lines on her grandmother's face. She was not even sixty yet, yet she looked so aged. It was the face of a woman who had toiled for a lifetime, and Jiang Ruo felt a pang of pity.

"Yes. Your parents were martyrs, and the organization reserved a job quota for you. If you want to work, we can claim it."

"Grandma, I'm still young."

Having died once, she didn't want to spend this life locked in a world of hatred like her past self, never allowing a moment's rest. She had realized now that her revenge had been exacted, and fate had returned her grandparents to her. In this life, she only wanted to stay by their side and live a happy, carefree existence. But as for working—at least for now, she didn't want to tie herself down. She wanted to live freely, and once she started working, she would be bound by rules and constraints.

"Alright, then we'll wait two more years. Even if you don't work, Grandma can still afford to feed you," Grandmother Liu said with a smile. Her granddaughter had always been delicate, and she hadn't truly wanted her to work anyway.

Though she said that, the conversation reminded Jiang Ruo of something. She looked at her grandmother and said, "Grandma, it’s not good for the eldest brother to just be idle. Why not let him take the job? Maybe with a job, he can find a good sister-in-law for me."