Chapter 29.1 - Five ducklings
Jiang Chengwen, one of Eldest Jiang’s two younger brothers, was the first one born after Butcher Jiang returned from the army. Old lady Jiang loved Jiang Chengwen very much. She personally took care of him and, from an early age, gave him whatever he wanted.
Because of this, Jiang Chengwen was very lazy and couldn’t do anything. In the past, he shouted at Eldest Jiang and didn’t take him seriously, but this didn’t make Eldest Jiang sad. After all, he was used to being treated like that.
But Jiang Chengxiang was different.
Old lady Jiang couldn’t take care of both children. After giving birth to Jiang Chengxiang, she gave him to Eldest Jiang, who had never been close to anyone. He liked his younger brother very much. He did his best to take good care of him.
Although Eldest Jiang was eight years old at that time, he was extremely thin because of malnutrition, but even so, he was very conscientious and did a good job feeding Jiang Chengxiang rice, washing his diapers, and so on. Jiang Chengxiang slept with him, and as long as he hummed a few times at night, he would get up and take Jiang Chengxiang to pee no matter how cold it was. This lasted until Jiang Chengxiang became four or five years old.
He and Jiang Chengxiang were almost inseparable. Even if he went out to cut pig grass, he would carry Jiang Chengxiang on his back and take him with him. He was afraid that Jiang Chengxiang would fall and starve if he left his sight.
Because of this, when Jiang Chengxiang was a little boy, the closest person to him was Eldest Jiang. When he saw him he had to be hugged by Eldest Jiang. And Eldest Jiang, because of his brother’s closeness, grew more and more fond of him. As long as his brother was happy, he would do anything he wanted.
Jiang Chengxiang was close to Eldest Jiang, which made old lady Jiang and Butcher Jiang not like him as much as they liked Jiang Chengwen. When Jiang Chengxiang was young, he did not notice this but when he got a little older, he felt it.
Jiang Chengwen followed old lady Jiang and didn’t have to do any work, and she would only put delicious food in his mouth. He followed Eldest Jiang but never received such treatment. When Jiang Xiaomei was born, old lady Jiang even neglected him.
When Jiang Chengwen was playing at home, Eldest Jiang would take him to cut pig grass. When Jiang Chengwen had a water fight with other children, he would only stand by the basin when Eldest Jiang was washing clothes. When Jiang Chengwen was given snacks by old lady Jiang . . . Eldest Jiang could only pick up a few sweet mulberries for him.
Jiang Chengxiang started getting closer to old lady Jiang and tried to get her attention.
There was nothing wrong with him doing so. Although Eldest Jiang was sad, he wouldn’t try to stop him. After all, Eldest Jiang himself wanted to be close to his mother in his heart. But Jiang Chengxiang unexpectedly even stepped on Eldest Jiang to sell himself to old lady Jiang.
He would intentionally wet his bed and run crying to old lady Jiang to tell her that Eldest Jiang didn’t allow him to pee. He also lied to old lady Jiang about Eldest Jiang beating him and giving him only things to eat he didn’t want to eat himself. He also told old lady Jiang that Eldest Jiang had robbed him of his food . . .
Old lady Jiang didn’t like Eldest Jiang in the first place, so she naturally believed him. Because she felt that Jiang Chengxiang had suffered a lot, she became better and better to him. When Jiang Chengxiang got a chance later, he even went beyond Jiang Chengwen in her heart.
Where was Eldest Jiang? Every time Jiang Chengxiang went to cry to old lady Jiang, he would be beaten. Finally, they completely beat off the little liveliness the child running around the village had. He was beaten to the ground.
The original Eldest Jiang was brainwashed. Although he was sad and miserable, he also felt that no one liked him because he was not good enough, so that he could only endure all those sufferings in silence. He didn’t even blame Jiang Chengxiang. Later, when he took care of his younger sister, he did a good job and, in addition, became silent.
But when Jiang Zhen saw his memory, he became disgusted with Jiang Chengxiang.
Especially . . .
Before, when Eldest Jiang had fever and starved to death in the broken hut, although it was because of old lady Jiang’s command, that Jiang Chengwen pushed the cart was mainly caused by Jiang Chengxiang saying, “I’m getting married soon. It’s a bit unlucky to live in the same home as a sick person.”
Jiang Chengwen was not good, but Jiang Chengxiang’s heart was black.
If it wasn’t for this man’s selfish and unscrupulous ways, he wouldn’t be able, as a young man of less than 20 years of age and with no background or ability, to get a good job of earning two silver a month at the dock.
That’s why Jiang Zhen targeted Jiang Chengxiang a bit before.
“Boss, that Jiang Chengxiang . . .” Yang Jing also noticed Jiang Chengxiang and asked in a low voice. Although their family had separated, if this evil star still had feelings for his little brother . . . it would make it difficult for him to deal with Jiang Chengxiang.
“He has nothing to do with me,” said Jiang Zhen. He was not Eldest Jiang. Jiang Chengxiang had nothing to do with him.
“I see!” said Yang Jing. Since Jiang Zhen didn’t like Jiang Chengxiang, he didn’t have to go easy on him in the future.
Jiang Zhen took a look at Yang Jing and thought the man had good qualifications.
Jiang Zhen bought some of the cheapest cloth in the cloth shop. In fact, he intended to buy ready-made clothes, but the cloth shop did not sell ready-made clothes.
However, the cloth shop still introduced two tailors to him, saying that he could ask the tailors to make clothes, but they would charge for it.
Although Jiang Zhen got a sum of money from the Jiang family, he still hadn’t started any business to make a living. Forty silver wasn’t much to be spent. After thinking about it, he decided to buy cloth, thread, and needles to make his own clothes.
He didn’t have the patience for embroidery or anything like that. He could sew a set of clothes from several pieces of cloth and it should be okay . . . Men’s unwillingness to do housework was not because they couldn’t learn or couldn’t do it well. It was simply because they were lazy and unwilling to do it. They sewed clothes without pursuing good looks. Sewing a set of clothes, why not just pursue sewing good-looking single women? That would do for them?
Jiang Zhen always took care of his daily life himself. His meals might not be delicious, but he could also buy some. He didn’t like to do housework, but he could also make his home clean and tidy. Occasionally, his clothes were worn down so he mended them himself . . . In modern times, he did better as a man than many single girls.
Of course, if anyone was willing to cook and do the housework for him, he would be very happy . . . Jiang Zhen looked at the cloth in his hand and suddenly thought of Zhao Jinge.
Now that he came to the county town, he would like to buy some gifts for Zhao Jinge.
Jiang Zhen wandered on the streets of the county town. As he walked, he bought a lot of things, such as rainproof straw raincoats, bamboo baskets, bowls and jars, and other things.
Because of Yang Jing’s presence, Jiang Zhen spent less money when he bought things, but he still spent three silver, which made him feel a little distressed. He felt that the matter of making money became urgent.