Chapter 14: Strike First to Gain the Upper Hand

Chiang Xiao knew that Guiying would come to cause trouble early tomorrow morning, and indeed, Ho Laidi would go to ask the Fairy for help. In the previous life, it was on this early morning, when she was still sleepily burning with fever, that her grandparents were compelled, with no other choice, to make a compromise.

This time, she must take the initiative.

Although she was still weak and couldn't do anything herself, she could seek help from others.

And the upright Secretary Yao was the most suitable candidate.

Both Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao were startled. Chiang Xiao had been shouting about going to see Secretary Yao earlier, but they hadn't taken her seriously. Now, from what she was saying, was she really going to seek him out?

"Little, what do you want to find Secretary Yao for?" Chiang Songhai asked worriedly, "We're neighbors with Da Ni's family; it won't look good if we make too big a fuss, and the Secretary really doesn't like those who disrupt unity..."

Chiang Xiao replied, "Grandpa, don't worry, I won't be reckless. Let's eat first." She was starving, okay? And now, it seems everything had to be predicated on her own health, even her physical strength.

Being so weak, she had no qualification to discuss anything else.

She certainly didn't want her hand to be swollen from being hit with a slipper again!

A cold glint flashed in Chiang Xiao's eyes.

All those who bullied her, who owed her—they would all have to wait.

The Chiang Family's dinner was unusually silent and gloomy.

Chiang Xiao's left hand was still swollen, but she resolutely refused to let her grandma feed her. She held a bowl in one hand, sipping the porridge. There were two dishes today: stir-fried sweet potato leaves and garlic-stir-fried watermelon rind, along with a small dish of pickled vegetables.

The pickled vegetables were made by her grandmother herself, and looking at them, Chiang Xiao felt a great nostalgia. After leaving the mountain village, she had never tasted pickled vegetables as delicious as these.

Chiang Xiao suddenly remembered something about these pickled vegetables.

Because actually, she was already seventeen years away from thirteen years old. And during her time in Siyang Village, she really didn't fit in with the others, spending a lot of time lost in her own world, so many memories had blurred and would probably need to be slowly recalled, or they might come back in the moment.

Her grandmother's pickled vegetables were extremely well-made. Later, when Song Xiyun's family wanted to open a small restaurant, Song Xiyun suddenly was very nice to them. She stopped stealing sugar and even gave them two pounds of it, persistently asking her grandma to teach her how to make pickled vegetables. They never took it seriously, but many years later, she accidentally heard Auntie Deng mention that the Song Family's food factory was doing really well and making a lot of money. Then, Deng Qingjiang scoffed and said, "It's because my godmother was foolish to teach others how to make a profitable item."

Thinking about it now, was this referring to the pickled vegetables?

Chiang Xiao made a mental note of this matter.

After dinner, at Chiang Xiao's request, Chiang Songhai carried her to Secretary Yao's house.

Leaning against her grandfather's back, Chiang Xiao's eyes turned red, and tears rolled down. She knew she was too old to let her grandpa carry her. But firstly, she was still completely weak at the moment, and secondly, she wanted to take this opportunity to lie on her grandpa's back and truly feel that he was still alive.

Chiang Songhai felt something drop onto his shoulders, hot and searing.

"Little, are you crying?"

"Grandpa, I'm happy," Chiang Xiao said, wiping the tears with the back of her hand.

The village was just that small, and they quickly arrived at Secretary Yao's house. Standing outside the courtyard, Chiang Songhai called out, "Is the Secretary in?"

Someone came out to open the door shortly after.

A black dog lying in the yard suddenly got up and barked at them.

The Chiang Family was always modest and low-key, and they had never been to the Secretary's house before.

"Heizi, behave!" The person who opened the door shouted at the dog, then turned his head and looked over, pausing for a moment.