Transmigrated Into an Ancient Filial Piety Novel as a Scumbag Alpha (GL) - Chapter 16

Chapter 16

After Ji Huan finished washing up, she went out to check if breakfast was ready.

Li Yulan, very unwilling, grumbled in the kitchen while preparing porridge. Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai found an unused basin in the yard, gathered some clay and dry grass nearby, and planned to repair their room later. After all, separating from the family wouldn’t happen quickly, so they had to live there for now.

The winter weather was cold. Ji Ming, fetching water from the river, felt frozen and returned in a bad mood. Normally, he’d be lying in bed with his wife and kids, cozy and warm. These chores were never his to do. He blamed Ji Huan—no, he blamed Jiang Yubai, that jinx. Ji Huan used to be so obedient, doing whatever was asked. Now, she didn’t even listen to their parents.

Ji Ming irritably dropped the wooden cart, lifted the water buckets, and headed to the kitchen’s water tank.

Entering the kitchen, he saw Li Yulan had only made porridge and nothing else. He got angry and frowned. “It’s been so long, and you only made porridge? Where are the coarse grain buns?”

Li Yulan glared at him. “It’s not that easy. I’m out of practice. You do it.”

“Me? Everything’s on me? What’s the use of you?” Ji Ming snapped, his voice rising sharply.

Seeing Ji Ming angry, Li Yulan cried and cursed, “Ji Ming, I gave you two sons, and this is how you treat me? How can we live like this?”

Their arguing drew Liu Fengmei and Ji Mantun over. Liu Fengmei saw her usually virtuous eldest daughter-in-law acting unreasonably and felt dizzy. She interrupted their quarrel. “It’s just one day of work, and you’re fighting like this? Is it worth it?”

“Mother, this is Ji Huan’s work. Why should we do it? Ji Huan was used to it and never complained. It must be Jiang Yubai scheming, whispering in her ear. Otherwise, Ji Huan wouldn’t change so much,” Li Yulan said, crying.

Liu Fengmei sighed heavily, agreeing with her daughter-in-law. Wherever Jiang Yubai went, trouble followed. Their second daughter never defied her before; she must be bewitched by that vixen Jiang Yubai.

If Ji Huan took on all the household work like before, there wouldn’t be so many conflicts. Thinking this, Liu Fengmei glared at Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai’s room and walked over.

Feeling angry, Liu Fengmei knocked loudly on the door. With continuous “bang bang bang” sounds, Ji Huan opened the door with a cold face.

Liu Fengmei saw Ji Huan’s expression and hesitated to speak. Ji Huan’s icy gaze treated her like a stranger. Liu Fengmei stepped back instinctively but, remembering the family watching, spoke up. “Ji Huan, you heard, didn’t you? Because of you, your big brother and sister-in-law are fighting. What’s wrong with you these days? You’ve changed so much. Tell Mother the truth. Did that vixen Jiang Yubai tell you to say these things?” She pointed at Jiang Yubai behind Ji Huan, her tone harsh.

Ji Huan’s expression darkened further. “This has nothing to do with Jiang Yubai. I just see through all of you. What, am I doomed to slave for the family? Big brother and sister-in-law haven’t even done one day’s work and are already furious. What about the years I worked for nothing? Mother, you even skimped on my money to support big brother, third brother, and fourth brother. Are they your only children? Am I just some stray you picked up?”

“You weren’t like this before. Families don’t keep score like this. Giving more money to your third brother is right. He studies well and will become an official someday. Won’t he care for you then? I’m thinking of the family, not playing favorites,” Liu Fengmei said, trying to persuade Ji Huan.

“Thinking of the family? You’re thinking of yourself. With Ji Yuan’s ability, he’ll never be an official. Even if he were, he’d cut ties with us poor relatives,” Ji Huan said, sneering at Ji Yuan, who was watching nearby.

Ji Yuan hurriedly defended himself. “Ji Huan, don’t talk nonsense. I’m not that kind of person.”

“Aren’t you? As a gentleman, shouldn’t you stand up against injustice? The whole family has bullied Yubai and me for so long. When did you ever speak for me? Oh, right, how could you be a gentleman? You’re just a petty person joining them in bullying me,” Ji Huan said sarcastically.

“No, Ji Huan, don’t slander me,” Ji Yuan said, glaring, but he couldn’t outargue her because she voiced his thoughts.

Ji Huan sneered, scanning the crowd. “What? The whole family’s here to bully me? Do you have to drive us to death to be satisfied?”

Liu Fengmei sensed something bad hearing Ji Huan’s words.

The next moment, Ji Huan grabbed Jiang Yubai’s wrist and walked toward the yard’s exit.

Ji Sen, silent earlier, feared Ji Huan would scold him too. His second sister used to be so quiet, but now she was like a firecracker, ready to explode. He didn’t want trouble.

After Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai left, Ji Sen asked quietly, “Mother, you don’t think second sister will do something drastic, do you?”

“Of course not,” Liu Fengmei said, furious, her chest heaving. She thought Ji Huan was just upset and needed a walk. Given Ji Huan’s nature, she wouldn’t air family scandals. She added, “Ignore her. If she’s so capable, don’t come back.”

After the argument, everyone quieted down. Under Liu Fengmei’s gaze, Li Yulan and Ji Ming returned to the kitchen to cook.

Ji Huan led Jiang Yubai to the gate. It was early, and the village was busy—some carried basins to the river to wash clothes, others pulled carts to fetch water.

Ji Huan winked at the little white rabbit beside her, sat on a large stone by the Ji family gate, and sniffled, crying softly.

Jiang Yubai saw Ji Huan, who was fine moments ago, now crying miserably. Her lips parted slightly, unsure what to do.

Soon, someone noticed Ji Huan crying. Several women together approached, the leader tossing her laundry basin aside to join Ji Huan with her companions. “Ji Huan? What’s wrong? Why are you crying at the gate so early?”

Ji Huan wiped tears with her sleeve, hesitating as if conflicted, but ultimately said nothing.

The woman grew anxious and pressed, “What’s the matter, Ji Huan? Speak! Second Aunt will stand up for you. Did you suffer at home?”

Hearing the woman identify herself, Ji Huan’s fingers tightened slightly, a faint smile in her eyes, though her face remained heartbroken. The women comforted her, and Ji Huan slowly spoke. “Aunts, you know who does the work in my family.”

“Of course, it’s you. Everyone else in your family lazes about,” Second Aunt Feng Mei said immediately, the other women agreeing.

“Exactly, Ji Huan. You’re too honest. Anyone else would’ve left that family long ago,” Aunt Yuan said loudly.

“Right, everyone in the village knows you’re filial. What grievance made you cry like this?”

Ji Huan blinked, tears welling up again. She sniffled and said, “I fell into the water and got sick a few days ago. I’ve had no strength since. You aunts know Yubai and I do the dirtiest, hardest work. I don’t expect rewards, but it’s not like I should do it all. Am I destined to work myself to death?”

Ji Huan paused, then continued, “I didn’t work for two days, and the family accused me of being unfilial. Big brother and sister-in-law just started making breakfast and fetching water today and already complained. What about the years I worked for the family? They act like it’s my duty. I don’t understand. Am I not my parents’ child? Why are they so biased?”

Ji Huan cried tearfully, then covered her face with her sleeve, pretending to sob.

Second Aunt, who disliked Liu Fengmei and competed with her, shouted loudly upon hearing this. Soon, villagers gathered outside the Ji family gate, pushing Jiang Yubai to the crowd’s edge.

Ji Huan’s words spread quickly through the crowd. The original owner was honest, so the villagers believed most of it and began pointing fingers at the Ji family.

The commotion grew louder. Ji Sen’s room was at the yard’s edge, and he could hear it. He ran out, saw the crowd, and froze.

The gate was nearly surrounded by villagers. Ji Huan sat on a stone, wiping tears, surrounded by aunts, including Second Aunt and Aunt Yuan. Ji Sen panicked.

Second Aunt and Aunt Yuan were the village’s loudest gossips. If they knew Ji Huan’s story, the whole village would soon know.

Ji Sen’s face paled. He ran back to the yard, shouting for his mother.