Chapter 92: I

Jiang Jiaojiao's voice was crisp, like a cheerful bird; in a few steps she hopped to the bedside and, as if presenting a treasure, held the orange up before her grandma.

Jiang Nainai saw her granddaughter, her eyes immediately crinkled, a kindly smile appearing, and she mumbled a few words, "Good... Jiaojiao... good..."

"I knew grandma loves sweets the most!"

Jiang Jiaojiao, beaming with pride, set the orange down and, without any courtesy, pushed aside Li Huijuan who was feeding apple puree.

She sat on the bedside herself, picked up a peeled segment of the orange, and carefully brought it to grandma's mouth.

"Grandma, try it, it's so sweet!"

Jiang Nainai obediently opened her mouth, ate it, chewing slowly, and her smile grew even wider.

Li Huijuan, shoved aside by her daughter, glared at her in irritation but didn't truly get angry; she merely shook her head helplessly and complained to Jiang Nainai.

"Mom, look at her—she's already an adult, yet still so restless and without proper decorum."

Jiang Jiaojiao didn't care, clutched her grandma's arm and began to act cute, her head rubbing against grandma's shoulder, "Grandma, please get better soon, then come home and make me braised pork!"

"I miss the taste of your cooking so much! Food bought outside just isn't tasty!"

Jiang Nainai, softened by her granddaughter's affection, extended her still functional hand, gently patted Jiang Jiaojiao's back of the hand, and in a slow yet clear voice said, "Alright... (I'll) do..."

Watching this tender grandparent-grandchild scene, Li Huijuan felt both amused and helpless.

She recalled the "good deed" her daughter had done recently and felt it necessary to tell the mother-in-law, so that the elder could also know and keep this impulsive granddaughter in check.

"Mom, don't just spoil her," Li Huijuan deliberately put on a stern face and scolded Jiang Nainai, "While you were sick in the hospital, she did a 'big thing'!"

Jiang Jiaojiao, upon hearing that, instantly lifted her head alertly, gave her mother a look, signaling her to stop talking.

Li Huijuan, ignoring her, continued, "Because her brother... uh, got into a little conflict with someone, she, of all people, ran straight to Liu Laoshi's school gate, put up a Banner, hired people with loudspeakers to shout, and turned the school into complete chaos!"

"In the end it cost Liu Laoshi his title and gave him a disciplinary record!"

Jiang Jianguo also set aside his newspaper, cleared his throat, and in a serious tone added, "It was indeed too impulsive; there are many ways to solve a problem, and she chose the most extreme, most harmful one."

"Although there was a cause, this method is unacceptable and caused trouble for the school."

Su Ruan sat quietly nearby, not interjecting, with a faint, half‑present smile at the corner of her mouth.

She knew the in‑laws weren't truly blaming Jiang Jiaojiao, but were more about lingering fear and a warning.

Jiang Nainai listened, her smile gradually fading, and her gaze turned to Jiang Jiaojiao leaning on her, her eyes carrying a question and a hint of disapproval.

Jiang Jiaojiao, feeling a bit guilty under grandma's stare, pouted and defended, "Grandma, you don't know how terrible those people are!"

"They cursed you, even smeared RuanRuan, Ranran's gas just... they actually still have the nerve to report to the police!"

"I... I'm not just angry! I just wanted to give them a taste of their own medicine! Who let them bully our family!"

She grew more convinced of her righteousness as she spoke, her voice rising, "Besides, if they hadn't behaved badly themselves, could I have found any leverage? Could the Principal punish them? This is evil getting its comeuppance!"

"Nonsense... nonsense!"

Jiang Nainai, having roughly understood, forced out two words with effort, her brows slightly furrowed, and gently patted her granddaughter's arm—though weak, it carried a reproach.

"Jiaojiao, this is... not okay..."

She meant that this method was wrong.

Jiang Jiaojiao, seeing grandma say that, instantly wilted, bowed her head in grievance, and muttered softly, "I know I was impulsive... but I wasn't just angry... seeing them bully people like that, I couldn't stand it..."

Li Huijuan, seeing her daughter's demeanor, softened again, sighed, "Mom, don't blame her too much. She also cares about her brother, cares about our family."

"It's that temperament that needs to change!"

"In the future, think more about the consequences before acting, don't explode at the slightest provocation."

Jiang Jianguo also softened his tone, "Hmm, I know you felt wronged."

"But you must remember, we are respectable people; we must be methodical, have reason and evidence, and not give others a weapon."

"This time the other side was at fault, the school also wanted to settle peacefully; if a more troublesome situation arises, what will you do?"

Jiang Nainai also looked at her granddaughter, her gaze loving yet admonishing, and slowly said, "From now on... not... allowed..."

Under the family's "siege," Jiang Jiaojiao finally became completely honest, shook her grandma's arm, and meekly admitted her mistake.

"Alright, alright, I know I was wrong, grandma, dad, mom, I'll definitely change from now on, think more before acting, use my hands less... uh, speak less to stir up trouble, okay?"

Seeing her obviously resentful yet forced to bow her head, everyone couldn't help but laugh, and even Jiang Nainai smiled again, lightly nodding.

Compared with the warm harmony in the Jiang Family's ward, the Liu family's atmosphere had dropped to freezing point, like a bitter winter night.

Since Liu Wenbin was suppressed and punished, he had become completely sullen.

Before, when he returned home, though he didn't speak much, at least he could maintain a surface calm.

Now, he almost completely ignores Su Yanhua's existence, either burying himself in the study until late night, or using the excuse of school matters and returning very late, reeking of alcohol.

That cold gaze, when it occasionally swept over Su Yanhua, was filled with unabashed contempt and indifference.

Liu Mother further blamed all the faults on Su Yanhua.

She no longer merely hinted at criticism, but directly wore a cold expression.

At the dining table, if Su Yanhua's dishes didn't suit her palate, she would outright smash her chopsticks.

Any slight neglect of housework would be met with endless cold sarcasm.

"What a Broom Star!"

"Since you entered our Liu family, nothing has gone smoothly!"

"Now look, you've ruined Wen Bin's future! What sin have we Liu family committed!"

She would recite such words almost several times a day.

Su Yanhua swallowed her resentment, cautiously wearing an apologetic smile, striving to make the housework more meticulous and the meals more tasty, trying to salvage the situation.

But her meekness and flattery only brought deeper neglect from Liu Wenbin and Liu Mother's intensified criticism.

That afternoon, Su Yanhua was preparing dinner in the kitchen, vaguely hearing mother-in-law Liu Mother and Liu Wenbin, who had just returned from school, speaking in lowered voices inside.

She felt a stir in her heart, eased her movements, slipped quietly to the doorway, and pricked up her ears.

Only Liu Mother's voice, urgent and urging, could be heard: "... Wen Bin, Mom says, the daughter of Lao Zhou from the neighboring street, Zhou Xiaomei, do you remember? You used to play with her when you were kids."