Chapter 276: Meeting Her Daughter
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
The Zhang family’s home was located past a forest. Now in autumn, the fallen leaves made it look somewhat desolate. Beyond this forest lay a bamboo grove. While bamboos are usually green throughout the year, some bamboos had turned yellow with dark patches.
The entire forest was vast, and without guidance, one could easily lose their way.
When the Jiang family finally reached the place, they were stunned.
The Zhang family’s home was much more luxurious than they had imagined!
Why? They had not one, but five houses! Even though each was a small wooden house, having five of them arranged within a courtyard was still astonishing.
Between two of the houses was a vegetable garden and a chicken coop. A graceful woman wearing a headscarf and holding a basket was feeding the chickens. Every now and then, they could hear her laughing, admonishing a chicken, “Da Huang, stop snatching food from Xiao Bai; look, she’s smaller than you!”
Even though they could only see her back and neither Zhou Lan nor Jiang Chuan had ever seen their eldest daughter, their parental instinct told them this woman was their daughter, Jiang Qing.
“Xiao Qing!” Zhou Lan was the most emotional. She couldn’t hold back her tears and walked quickly towards her, stopping at the edge of the garden.
Having not heard her mother’s voice for two years, Jiang Qing was taken aback. Slowly, she turned to see her mother right before her, tears streaming down her face, nearly dropping the basket she held.
Quickly wiping away her tears with her sleeve, Jiang Qing, laughing through her tears, said, “Mom, why are you here?”
Zhou Lan hugged Jiang Qing, being careful not to squeeze her too hard. “My good girl, I’ve finally seen you again! 1 missed you so much!”
Jiang Qing paused, wondering if the woman embracing her truly was Zhou Lan.
Although she had been away from home for two years, she was still very familiar with her mother’s personality. Her mother used to be reserved and would never hug her so excitedly, especially in front of everyone.
Jiang Qing hesitantly reached out to hug Zhou Lan. It was only then that she saw Jiang Chuan and her two younger sisters walking over. For a moment, she could not believe that the entire family would come to see her.
After Zhou Lan calmed down and let go of her, the two younger daughters walked forward and hugged their sister.
Jiang Qing rubbed the heads of her second and younger sisters who were hugging her waist and thighs. A surge of emotions filled her heart, overwhelmed by memories and affection for them.
Without realizing it, two years had passed since she left home. To her surprise, both of her younger sisters had grown taller and even more beautiful.
Zhou Lan noticed that Jiang Qing’s face had become rounder and her figure fuller, which somewhat eased her worries.
When Jiang Qing had first left home, she was so thin that she looked like skin and bones. She seemed so fragile, as if a gust of wind could blow her away. But now, she had put on weight and could play with the chickens in the yard. It appeared that her days at the Zhang residence had been good.
Zhou Lan glanced around. All the rooms seemed quiet as if no one was around. She asked, “Why are you the only one at home? Where has your husband gone?”
A sweet smile spread across Jiang Qing’s face. “It rained today,” she explained. “Zhang Ping said there might be fish in the streams up the mountain, so he took his younger brothers to catch some. It’s a good thing you’re here; I’ll make fish head and tofu soup for dinner!”
Seeing the uncontainable happiness on his daughter’s face, Jiang Chuan realized how blissful the young couple’s life had been. All his previous worries had vanished like smoke.
Jiang Qing, observing her joyful family, suddenly thought of the grandparents’ usual attitude towards them and couldn’t help but worry. “Mother, Father,” she inquired, “It takes almost half a month to travel here. Didn’t the grandparents make it difficult for you?”
Zhou Lan nonchalantly scattered some chicken feed on the ground, her tone disdainful. “Them, trouble us? They must be dreaming! We’ve separated from the main family now; we have nothing to do with them!”
Jiang Qing was taken aback. How had her usually submissive parents suddenly become so assertive, even daring to split from the main family?
In the past, when Jiang Qing was still at home, she had suggested separating from the main family several times. Each time, her parents would scold her, always careful not to let the grandparents hear such discussions.
Furthermore, Jiang Qing knew the grandparents all too well. How could they possibly let their parents separate so easily?
Jiang Xia noticed her elder sister’s confusion and hurriedly recounted their journey up the mountain and the decision to separate from the main family..