Chapter 31: Huang Yingrong Is Cast Aside

Everyone understood the logic, but it still left a bitter taste in their hearts. Still, they didn't say much and went back to their respective tasks.

Jiang Feixiang approached Jiang Lihua, looking sheepish. "Lihua, I’ve caused you trouble. I’ll take them home right now."

To be honest, Jiang Lihua really couldn't fathom what was going on with Jiang Feixiang. However, Mrs. Zhou was indeed making a scene here.

"Take them back. If you want to work, come back tomorrow. The wage is one tael of silver per month."

Jiang Feixiang accepted happily; one tael of silver a month was quite a lot. Mrs. Zhou, however, was not having it.

"Lihua, look at this lunch you served today. It must have cost at least a tael of silver itself, right? You’re only paying your brother a month’s wages equal to the cost of one meal?"

Jiang Lihua glanced at Jiang Feixiang, who understood immediately. He grabbed Mrs. Zhou and headed for the exit, then turned his head to tell Jiang Lanhua to pick up Jiang Feichen and follow him home. Jiang Lanhua resisted, but one glare from his large eyes made her obediently pick up Jiang Feichen and follow. Jiang Feichen looked back at Jiang Lihua with longing eyes, but Jiang Lihua could do nothing; she had no time to take care of him, and if he stayed, Mrs. Zhou certainly wouldn't allow it.

Once they were gone, the courtyard finally returned to peace. Uncle Jiang had already found people to start repairing the collapsed wall. Jiang Lihua offered some words of comfort to Uncle Jiang and Auntie Zhang, telling them not to take Mrs. Zhou’s words to heart.

Afterward, she headed to the schoolhouse. Ni Wenyu had already calmed the scholar Li, who was no longer bothered by the incident. Seeing Lihua arrive, he assumed she had come to console him and spoke first: "Lihua, I haven't taken it to heart. You don't need to comfort me; I’ve already listened to a lecture from Wenyu."

Jiang Lihua chuckled; it was rare to hear the scholar Li speak like that.

"Sir, I knew you wouldn't take it to heart."

Scholar Li tilted his head and puffed out his chest to show his magnanimity, then gave a little cough. "So, did you come to see me for something else?"

"I wanted to ask if you know any physicians who could teach me medicine."

Seeing that Lihua had taken his suggestion to heart, the scholar Li was very pleased. "Well... I know a physician in town. I’ll go ask him another day."

Jiang Lihua nodded.

Early the next morning, Jiang Feixiang arrived. Jiang Lihua arranged for him to work alongside Uncle Jiang, and when he had free time, he could go to the schoolhouse to learn characters from the scholar Li. Several days passed, and Jiang Feixiang showed no strange behavior; he was diligent and eager to learn, and he could already write a few characters.

Because of the odd behavior from Jiang Limu that day, Jiang Lihua had questioned him privately, but the boy ignored her completely. Since he couldn't speak, Jiang Lihua was at a loss.

As for Huang Yingrong, she had spent a few days agonizing over Yang Wenbin's offer to divorce her and grant her freedom, but in the end, she agreed. She didn't want to waste her life on Yang Wenbin. Ni Wenyu was handsome, talented in his studies, and wealthy; she was determined to marry him.

She went to Yang Wenbin’s room and asked for the divorce papers. Seeing her consent, Yang Wenbin smiled and readily wrote the letter, then invited her to have tea.

"Rong'er, we were husband and wife, after all. Let’s have one last cup of tea together, and after this, we shall have no further dealings."

Huang Yingrong happily drank the tea, took the divorce papers, and left the Yang household with her bundle. Yang Wenbin watched her departing back with a meaningful smile.

When she returned home, the village head was furious to learn that she had been divorced by Yang Wenbin. He slapped her and prepared to go settle the score with him. Huang Yingrong covered her face, crying as she held him back. "Grandfather, I was the one who asked for the divorce. I don't want Yang Wenbin; I want to marry the young scholar Ni."

Looking at Huang Yingrong’s tear-streaked face, the village head felt that his granddaughter was beyond saving—she had become obsessed. He locked her in her room, ignoring her cries and refusing to let her out.

Mrs. Zhou returned to the village, boasting daily about how wealthy her daughter was and how she ate meat and fish at every meal. The villagers mocked her: "If she’s really so rich, why haven't we seen her buy you new clothes?"

"Who says she didn't? I just can't bear to wear them."

The others clearly didn't believe her and clamored for her to show them. "What would you know about quality? It would be a waste to show you."

With that, Mrs. Zhou went inside and ignored them. After tidying up and locking the door, she took Jiang Lanhua and Jiang Feichen and headed off to find Jiang Lihua.

Jiang Lihua, who was taking a nap, was jolted awake by Mrs. Zhou’s loud voice.

"What are you here for again?"

Mrs. Zhou reached out, demanding money from Jiang Lihua to buy clothes. It was truly laughable. "If you want to buy clothes, go ask your son. And isn't there a daughter right there beside you?"

Jiang Lanhua retorted, "If I had money, I would have bought clothes for my mother long ago, unlike you."

"You should be the one buying her clothes, after all, she raised you with such difficulty."

Mrs. Zhou, displeased, sat on the ground and began to wail about how hard her life had been all these years and how difficult it was to give birth to her. She went on about how Jiang Lihua had been sickly as a child and how she had cared for her day and night.

Jiang Lihua took out ten taels of silver and handed it to her. "Fine, stop your wailing. Here is ten taels of silver, now go."

She scrambled up from the ground immediately. "And another thing—your sister will stay here to work, too. Her wages will be the same as your brother’s: one tael of silver per month."