Chapter 12: Too Thin, Holding You Hurts My Hand

Jiang Jianguo's words carried great weight, directly threatening the very foundation of the marriage.

Su Dazhuang and Wang Juhua were completely panicked.

If the marriage falls through, the Betrothal Gifts they have will be lost, and they'd offend Factory Director Jiang; how could they survive in this area afterward?

Wang Juhua was so frightened her legs went weak, she almost collapsed to the ground, and, with a sobbing voice, shouted, "No! No, In-laws! There's a way to talk! There's a way to talk!"

Su Dazhuang was also breaking into cold sweat, his lips trembling, and he could no longer muster any bravado.

He glared fiercely at Su Ruan, his gaze full of resentment, yet helpless.

Jiang Jiaojiao watched from the side, feeling immensely vindicated, and seized the chance to coldly add a jab: "Dad, Mom, I don't think there's anything left to discuss. Let's go; we can't reach for these In-laws. Later I'll talk to a colleague from the Women's Federation to see how to handle the abuse of a daughter and the seizure of her inheritance."

"Don't!" Wang Juhua screamed, her mental defenses completely shattered, "There is! There's that Small wooden box! I'll get it! I'm going right now!"

She scrambled, rolling and crawling, into the inner room; after a clatter of overturned boxes and cabinets, she emerged holding a palm‑sized, dark‑hued Small Wooden Box carved with crude floral patterns, her face bruised to the point of almost bleeding.

That Small wooden box clearly showed its age; its corners were worn smooth from constant rubbing.

Wang Juhua, trembling, handed the box over.

Jiang Ran snatched it, opened it, and indeed found only a ring, a pair of earrings, and a longevity lock charm inside.

As for the money, it had long since vanished.

Though modest, it was a mother's final love and blessing for her daughter.

Su Ruan looked at the Small wooden box, a lingering fragment of the original owner's emotion rose in her heart, and the tip of her nose tinged with a slight sourness.

She reached out, gently took the box, and held it tightly to her chest.

As if by doing so, she could feel a faint warmth from that never‑met biological mother.

"Where's the money?" Jiang Ran pressed on coldly, "Where did the money my mother‑in‑law left go?"

Su Dazhuang and Wang Juhua stammered, their faces ashen.

"Enough, Jiang Ran," Su Ruan suddenly said, her voice a little hoarse yet carrying a settled calm, "Forget the money; what I want... was never money."

She lifted her eyes, looking at the ashen Su Dazhuang and Wang Juhua, then glanced over at the terrified Su Yaozu who dared not speak.

"What I want is a principle, a justice, the memory my mother left me."

"Now, I have it."

She clutched the Small wooden box, turned to Jiang Jianguo and Li Huijuan, and gave a slight bow: "Uncle, aunt, grandma, sister, I apologize for making you look foolish."

"My dowry... is this box. Though it's worthless, it's everything my mother left me."

She said it calmly, yet it pierced the heart more than any lament.

Li Huijuan's tears fell at once, and she stepped forward to hug Su Ruan: "Good child, good child! I'm sorry for your grievance... this dowry is more precious than anything! From now on, the Jiang Family is your home, Mom loves you!"

Jiang Nainai also wiped her tears: "Poor thing... it'll be fine from now on, it'll be fine."

Jiang Jianguo let out a heavy sigh, his gaze at Su Ruan filled with pity and admiration.

This girl, gentle on the outside but strong within, has a sense of balance in her heart—she's a clear‑sighted person!

Jiang Jiaojiao admired Su Ruan to the point of prostrating herself.

This move not only reclaimed what was hers, but also fully exposed that couple's true colors before the Jiang family, earning everyone's unreserved sympathy and protection!

These tactics were simply too lofty; no wonder her brother, that wolf cub, fell so completely.

Jiang Ran watched Su Ruan clutch the wooden box, her cautious yet silently resilient demeanor making his heart ache with a throbbing pain.

He silently vowed that from now on he would treat Su Ruan a thousand times better, presenting her with the finest things in the world to make up for all the grievances she had endured.

Jiang Jianguo again looked at the ashen Su Dazhuang and Wang Juhua, his tone icy: "Since RuanRuan's dowry has been settled, this matter ends here. The marriage proceeds as planned; three days from now we'll pick up RuanRuan for the registration. When the banquet date is set, we'll inform you."

He doesn't want to spend even a second longer in this disgusting place.

"As for these Betrothal Gifts..." his gaze swept over the items, "they're the face that supports RuanRuan; you'd better show some restraint!"

This is a naked warning!

A warning not to scheme over these Betrothal Gifts again!

Su Dazhuang and Wang Juhua dared not object, and could only nod sheepishly.

The Jiang family members didn't want to linger a moment longer, and rose to take their leave.

Jiang Ran tightly grasped Su Ruan's hand, shielding her as they walked out.

When passing Su Yaozu, he didn't even spare a glance.

Stepping out of the Su family's low, oppressive bungalow onto a sunny street, the Jiang party all simultaneously let out a long sigh, as if shedding something sticky and filthy.

Jiang Jianguo looked at Su Ruan beside him, head bowed, cradling the Small wooden box, his heart both sour and soft, and made a sweeping gesture with his large hand.

"Let's go! Today is a good day; let's go to a restaurant! To welcome RuanRuan and also to dispel any bad luck!"

Li Huijuan immediately agreed, affectionately wrapping an arm around Su Ruan's shoulder: "Right! RuanRuan, say whatever you want to eat, today aunt is treating!"

Jiang Nainai also smiled and nodded: "We should have a good meal; we've wronged our child."

Jiang Ran naturally had no objection; he just wanted to get Su Ruan as far away from here as possible.

Su Ruan felt warm inside, and obediently nodded: "I'll listen to aunt and grandma."

The group didn't go far; they found a nearby Guoying Hotel that looked fairly clean and tidy.

Although it couldn't compare to later banquet halls, at the time it was already a pretty good expense.

Jiang Jianguo directly ordered several hearty dishes: braised pork, steamed fish, scrambled eggs, and a vegetable soup.

When the food arrived, the aroma was simply overwhelming.

Li Huijuan kept serving Su Ruan: "RuanRuan, eat more; look how thin you are. Whatever you want to eat later, just tell aunt, aunt will cook it for you."

Jiang Nainai also shovelled meat into her bowl: "Exactly, from now on we're family, don't be polite."

Jiang Ran even went so far as to shove all the meat from his own bowl onto Su Ruan's, his tone firm yet caring: "Eat! Too thin, holding you hurts my hand."

Su Ruan was surrounded by this sudden outpouring of warmth, and looking at the mountain of food in her bowl, felt a sour, swelling feeling inside.

This was the first time since she arrived in this world that she felt such sincere warmth.

She ate in small bites; it tasted wonderful, a delicacy she had never had before.

Jiang Jianguo asked Su Ruan a few simple questions and tactfully did not ask any more about the Su family.

Jiang Jiaojiao watched Su Ruan eating quietly; the more she looked, the more she liked her, and the more she thought about it, the more she felt her brother had truly stumbled into incredible luck.

She couldn't help but put down her chopsticks and, turning to her parents and grandmother, said excitedly, "Dad, Mom, Grandma! You have no idea—RuanRuan is amazing! If it weren't for her yesterday, I'd have been bullied to death on the street by that bastard Zhang Jianmin!"