CHAPTER 48: CHAPTER 45: QINGSHAN VILLAGE – THE ELDEST COUSIN STANDS TALL

"Ah ah ah... let go, let go! Dad, Mom, come quick and stop cousin, he’s gone mad."

Jiang Ming’an, holding a pair of scissors in one hand and a torch in the other, looked every bit a dangerous lunatic—who dared to approach him?

The previously fierce fighting couple, Jiang Zhenghui and his wife, had stopped and joined forces against the outsider, but even they were afraid of Jiang Ming’an in this state.

Jiang Ming’an moved with precision and speed; before anyone could think of a way to stop him, he had already thrown everything from Jiang Beishan’s room into the yard, and then tossed the blazing torch over, instantly causing a terrible tar smell.

Besides Jiang Beishan’s side, Jiang Zhenghui’s room, Jiang Beiyang’s, and the absent Jiang Beihua’s room were also emptied.

The commotion was so loud that it finally alerted the elderly lady.

Seeing the raging fire in the yard and the top-quality quilts not yet fully burned, the elderly lady furiously threw a broom at Jiang Ming’an.

Jiang Ming’an seemed utterly unaffected; instead, he grinned at the elderly lady with both red lips and white teeth: "Grandma, is it wrong for me to burn my own stuff?"

The elderly lady’s face had already darkened with rage: "You prodigal! How are these things yours? They belong to the second branch, and you must compensate. Cui Lan, calculate the total damage and make him pay."

If I don’t squeeze every last penny out of you, I, Xu Ya, won’t bear my surname.

Wu Cuilan was initially angry, but upon hearing the elderly lady’s words, she instantly smirked sinisterly.

No wonder the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship is so good; their scheming is identical.

"Alright!"

"Grandma, when you’re old, you have to admit it. If your hearing is failing, don’t cause trouble. I just said, I’m burning my own things."

All but saying: Are you deaf?

"You, you..."

"Grandma, don’t tell me you don’t know. The main branch has supported the second branch for years, providing food, clothing, and education. I always brought gifts for everyone every time I came back. Although the third branch was driven out by you back then.

But in Ming’an’s heart, they are also my relatives. Over the years, I always included them in the gifts. But did anything ever reach their hands? Clothes, hairbands, shoes, quilts, fabric, sweet cakes... did any of it? You tell me.

In the past, my father and I trusted you, entrusting money and gifts for you to distribute—what was the result?"

Jiang Ming’an pointed to what was left of a charred warm quilt: "This was for Third Aunt, so why was it in Second Aunt’s place? And the dress and leather shoes I bought for Zhenmei, why were they in Jiang Beishan’s wardrobe?

And my younger brother, where are the little leather shoes I bought for him? Did Second Aunt send them back to her own family? Meanwhile, my brother doesn’t have shoes to wear, and Third Aunt and Fourth Aunt weave straw shoes for him."

"Why do you reap all my benefits and still bully my brother? Jiang Beishan and Jiang Beiyang, two grown adults, beat up a child over food—such beastly behavior. I only burned the things I bought today as an act of mercy. Must I burn the house down to stop you from causing trouble?

Today, I, Jiang Ming’an, declare this here: Whoever dares to bully those close to me again, I, Jiang Ming’an, will ensure they wish for death rather than life. Don’t believe me, just watch."

With that, Jiang Ming’an went straight into the small courtyard of the main branch, shutting the door and blocking out all cries and shouts.

Jiang Mingyue came because Xiao Ran had scraped his knee, and she came to check on things.

And she luckily witnessed this drama.

Well, it had nothing to do with her.

Having a brother is fantastic!

The Jiang Family’s old house caused such a big commotion that even the neighbors, who were used to sleeping early, stayed up to watch the spectacle.

Jiang Mingyue, sharp-eyed, spotted Aunt Jiao and went over to greet her.

"Aunt Jiao, do you want to come over to my house and sit for a while?"

"Oh, it’s Little Yue. It’s too late. Some other day. By the way, what’s going on?"

Jiang Mingyue looked extremely distressed, with red eyes, and briefly explained the situation.

Of course, she only mentioned the first half, using spiritual power to tap into Jiang Beishan’s perspective, which infuriated her...

Upon hearing how two adults teamed up to bully a child, not only Aunt Jiao but also the villagers standing together began to angrily scold.

"The second branch’s daughter of the Jiang Family is truly ruined.

Arrogant and domineering usually, and now stealing and robbing, even snatching things from a five-year-old—kicking if she can’t get it. Alas! Wu Cuilan really knows how to teach!"

"Dragons give birth to dragons, phoenixes to phoenixes, and mice to mice who dig holes."

"My sister asked me to propose to Jiang Beishan for my nephew earlier, but thank goodness we didn’t have time. Tomorrow morning, I’ll take time off to tell my sister that this engagement must not be made."

Having achieved her goal, Jiang Mingyue greeted Aunt Jiao and the others before heading back.

Returning home, she found her entire family waiting for her. Her third sister, despite yawning continuously, was waiting, evidently too tired to stay up, yet still waiting—this warmth filled Jiang Mingyue’s heart.

Originally, she just wanted to change the fate of the original owner and make life better for them; now she was truly integrating into the family, genuinely treating them as her own.

"Mom, Third Sister, brothers, it’s time to sleep; I am going to bed, too."

"Mm-hmm, go ahead. By the way, Xiao Ran is sleeping with your big brother; we were waiting for you to come back, but the little guy was too tired, sleeping even sitting on the chair."

Mrs. Jiang spoke casually, but even she couldn’t resist the exhaustion and fatigue, yawning repeatedly.

Jiang Mingyue hurriedly pushed her into the room.

"Go to sleep, Mom."

"Mm, Yueyue, you too, sleep soon. By the way, your big uncle’s message: Jin Zhi and his companions were taken by Ming’an to your cousin’s place. It’s good; although your cousin is getting on in years, he loves cleanliness, and Jin Zhi should be able to adapt.

Sigh! If only we had more rooms."

Jiang Mingyue felt helpless; she was exhausted, yet...

Mrs. Jiang continued her chatter but eventually fell asleep.

But the matter of the rooms lingered in Jiang Mingyue’s mind.

She needed to build a house.

Although Qingshan Village is poor, it does have a settlement point for educated youth, which was reportedly initiated by one of the educated youths the previous year. They banded together to cut trees and gather stones to build, albeit crude, real houses offering protection from the elements.

So there’s no need to worry about educated youths living in villagers’ homes.

Currently, all the village houses are made of mud walls, which are damp and poorly lit; Jiang Mingyue didn’t want this, she wanted to build a brick house.

But the question is, where to get the bricks?

That night, Jiang Mingyue dreamed continuously about "red bricks."

Meanwhile, over at the old house, having experienced a "calamity," the faces of the second branch were darker than coal.

Jiang Beishan didn’t dare to utter a word, wanting to sneak off to find Hehua, but was too afraid of ghosts when night fell.

After experiencing "Jiang Ming’an’s frenzy of revenge," the entire family of the second branch dared not openly curse the main branch.

Such is the nature of people; they bully the weak and fear the strong.

Yet, the second branch suffered significant losses, which left Wu Cuilan simmering with anger, waiting for an outlet.

After a round of looking, she focused on the instigator, Jiang Beishan.

"It’s your fault, you fool, for causing this mess. Why did you go provoke Jiang Ming’an, that fiend? Today, I’ll beat you to death and see if you dare to be stupid again!"

"Mom, don’t hit me. It hurts! Ah! It hurts... Mom, Beiyang was with me, and so was Tian Tian. Why don’t you hit them?"

"I’ll beat you, you money-loser, can you compare to them?"