Transmigrated Into an Ancient Filial Piety Novel as a Scumbag Alpha (GL) - Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Ji Ming knocked on his parents’ door. After a few knocks with no response, he shouted outside, “Father, Mother, breakfast is ready. Come out and eat first.”

A sharp sound came from inside, followed by Ji Mantun’s voice, “You eat by yourself. I have no face to go out and eat.”

“Dear, you can’t skip meals,” Liu Fengmei advised from the side.

“Eat? The villagers’ spit could drown us. I never thought Ji Huan would make this matter public. That child was always so honest,” Ji Mantun said, sighing heavily. He felt he completely lost face.

“Don’t worry, dear. Ji Huan was obedient since childhood. This time, she was just too angry. Bl00d is thicker than water. We’ll bring her and Jiang Yubai back, and it’ll be fine,” Liu Fengmei continued to persuade.

“If it were that simple, it would be fine. If she refuses to return, I’ll have no face to leave the courtyard,” Ji Mantun said, puffing on his pipe and sighing.

“Ji Huan is soft-hearted. At worst, we’ll have Ji Ming and the others take turns persuading her. If that doesn’t work, we two can swallow our pride and go ourselves,” Liu Fengmei advised further.

In the end, Liu Fengmei brought in the porridge, and Ji Mantun reluctantly ate some.

The household’s firewood was almost used up. Ji Ming took a rope and an axe and headed out to chop more firewood from the mountain.

After a few steps, he met someone from the village. Ji Ming smiled and waved, “Brother Li, just back from chopping firewood?”

Li Er pretended not to see him, pulled his companion aside, and took another path. As they walked, they whispered.

“See that? That’s the Ji family’s eldest. This morning, his family nearly drove Ji Huan to her death,” Li Er said quietly to his companion.

“Him? No wonder. He looks sneaky, not like a good person. Poor Ji Huan, stuck with such relatives,” the companion replied.

“Exactly,” Li Er agreed.

Their figures faded into the distance. Ji Ming clenched his teeth, comforting himself that it was just one case. Surely the whole village wouldn’t shun the Ji family?

Ji Ming continued up the mountain. He met several more groups of people, and without exception, when he greeted them, they sneered and ignored him.

Ji Ming started to panic. If the Ji family was truly isolated in East Ox Village, his two children would be shunned by other kids when they started school. Thinking of this, Ji Ming grew even more anxious.

He was used to an easy life. After chopping firewood for a while, he felt tired. He sat under a tree to rest, pondering Ji Huan’s situation.

By the time Ji Ming carried the firewood back, it was noon, and no one had made lunch for the family.

Ji Ming saw no sign of his wife in the kitchen. His anger flared. He rushed into the room and saw Li Yulan secretly eating snacks with the two children, snacks Liu Fengmei had given them.

Ji Ming’s forehead veins bulged with anger. “Isn’t it our turn to cook today? Why are you sitting here? Do you want to work me to death?” he said.

Li Yulan saw Ji Ming’s anger and quickly said, “I just calmed the kids down. I was about to go to the kitchen when you came. Don’t be mad, I’ll cook now.”

Ji Ming, furious, kicked a stool, hurting his toe. He sat there, gasping in pain.

Ji Dong and Ji Xi, scolded by Ji Mantun that morning, didn’t dare misbehave now. They shrank to one side, afraid of another beating.

Meanwhile, Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai finished tidying the side room. The room was about the same size as the original Ji Huan’s room but much cleaner. The bed and cabinet were newer too. Ji Wen brought them bedding, and Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai sat in the room to rest.

Ji Huan, after crying and acting all morning, felt truly tired. She lay back on the bed to rest.

She saw Jiang Yubai sitting by the table and waved to her, “We’ve been busy all morning. Want to come lie down for a bit?”

Jiang Yubai’s ears turned slightly red. They were at Second Uncle’s house. Even at home, lying with a Qianyuan during the day made Jiang Yubai shy. She shook her head and looked at Ji Huan, “You sleep. I’m not tired.”

Ji Huan winked at her and smiled, “Not tired, but you could come keep me company.”

Jiang Yubai heard Ji Huan’s affectionate tone and felt her cheeks burn. Ji Huan said it like that—would it be bad if she didn’t go over?

Without overthinking, Jiang Yubai stood and walked to the bed. She thought Ji Huan might feel upset after the big fight with her family that morning, even being driven out. But now, Ji Huan’s mood seemed unusually good.

Jiang Yubai felt puzzled. Thinking about Ji Huan’s behavior these past few days, she grew even more confused. Ji Huan seemed to have changed a lot, especially after falling into the water. Her personality shifted dramatically. But the current Ji Huan treated her well and no longer blindly obeyed Liu Fengmei. Jiang Yubai preferred this Ji Huan.

Her fingers tightened, her pink lips pursed, and a bold guess faintly surfaced in her mind. Jiang Yubai quickly shook her head, not daring to think further.

Ji Huan saw Little White Rabbit looking preoccupied. She reached out and pinched Little White Rabbit’s fingertips to get her attention.

Jiang Yubai, startled by the pinch, snapped back to reality. She saw Ji Huan looking at her, eyes smiling.

Jiang Yubai felt as if Ji Huan’s gaze burned her. She quickly looked away but didn’t pull her fingertips back, letting Ji Huan gently play with them, her ears red.

Ji Huan found the blushing Little White Rabbit cute. She moved closer, pinched Jiang Yubai’s fingertips, and softly asked, “Did you not eat enough at breakfast?”

Jiang Yubai didn’t expect Ji Huan to notice. She looked at Ji Huan, hesitantly saying, “I was actually full enough.”

Ji Huan knew she wasn’t telling the truth. She softly comforted her, “Once we move out, you can eat as much as you want. In our little home, it’ll just be the two of us. I’ll make sure you’re always full.”

Jiang Yubai’s fingertips, held by Ji Huan, felt hot. Her heart beat faster. Was Ji Huan serious? Would they have their own little home? She wasn’t sure about Ji Huan’s words these past few days, but Ji Huan had indeed protected her and cared if she ate enough. Maybe they could really have their own home someday.

Ji Huan saw Little White Rabbit stay silent and didn’t say more. These past few days, Jiang Yubai likely noticed her changes. But in just a few days, Jiang Yubai probably didn’t fully trust her words yet. Ji Huan understood this. Her actions these days were completely unlike the original Ji Huan’s personality. Not scaring Little White Rabbit was already good.

With that thought, Ji Huan closed her eyes to rest, holding Little White Rabbit’s fingertips like a stress toy.

Jiang Yubai’s fingertips, held by Ji Huan, still felt warm. But with Ji Huan’s eyes closed, Jiang Yubai felt less nervous. She sat obediently beside Ji Huan, letting her hold her hand.

At Ji Mantun’s side, lunch was sweet potato and sorghum rice with stewed cabbage and potatoes. All the Ji family, except Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai, gathered. But Ji Mantun stayed silent, and no one dared touch their chopsticks.

Ji Mantun looked at the people around the table, sighed heavily, and tapped the table with his pipe, “Alright, eat. Ji Ming, after noon, buy half a jin of pork and take it to your second uncle’s house. Ask Ji Huan and the others to come back. Tell Ji Huan that from now on, you siblings will take turns doing chores each day. We won’t make her and Jiang Yubai work so hard every day. Understood?”

Ji Ming nodded, his face flushed, and said, “Understood, Father.”

Ji Ming thought for a moment and said, “Father, when I went to chop firewood, I noticed the villagers’ attitudes changed. I greeted them, but they all avoided me.”

Ji Mantun sighed heavily and tapped the table with his pipe, “That’s why I told you to bring Ji Huan back quickly. Otherwise, our Ji family will be drowned in the villagers’ spit. Remember to say nice things to Ji Huan. She’s soft-hearted. This time, you all pushed her too far, but she still cares about the family.”

“How was it just us pushing her? You and Mother were biased all the time, or Ji Huan wouldn’t have done this,” Ji Sen muttered quietly from his seat.

Ji Mantun glared at Ji Sen, “All you know is gambling, and now you blame your parents? What, this family can’t hold you?”

Ji Sen didn’t dare speak. He still owed a few taels of silver outside, and creditors might come to the house soon.

“Alright, eat,” Ji Mantun said.

Everyone picked up their chopsticks, but each had their own thoughts.

Compared to the Ji family’s gloomy mood, Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai felt much more relaxed at Ji Manchun’s house. Because Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai were there, Ji Manchun had Ji Fu and Ji Wen make white flour steamed buns. The cabbage and potato stew even had some rare pork.

Though it was just a bit of pork, it made the dish taste different. Ji Huan ate the white flour bun and felt very comfortable.

Even so, Ji Huan’s appetite was only one bun. Little White Rabbit, however, ate two buns.

Jiang Yubai stopped using her chopsticks, too shy to take another bun.

Second Aunt Feng Mei, worried Jiang Yubai felt embarrassed, used her chopsticks to put another bun in Jiang Yubai’s bowl and smiled, “This isn’t the Ji family. Eat freely. Ji Huan, you eat another one too.”

Ji Huan quickly waved her hand, “I’m really full. Let Yubai eat. She’s been suffering with me.”

“Not suffering,” Jiang Yubai said, looking at Ji Huan. After all, without Ji Huan, she’d still be at the Ji family working like an ox and enduring Liu Fengmei’s insults.

“You two just settle in. The village head knows about this now. If your parents dare force you again, we’ll go straight to the village head for justice,” Second Aunt Feng Mei said warmly.

“Thank you, Second Aunt. From tomorrow, Yubai and I will help with chores. We can’t stay here for free,” Ji Huan said.

“No need, no need. You two rest a few days first,” Second Aunt Feng Mei replied.

After lunch, Ji Fu and Ji Wen couldn’t stop Ji Huan. Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai took over the dishwashing. Staying at someone else’s house, they couldn’t do nothing.