I Transmigrated and Already Had a Wife - Chapter 53

When Jiang Decai asked him to write the severance document, he had given him quite a bit of silver, and for the sake of the silver, he was very happy to help.

Who would have thought that this person turned out to be the Wuzhuangyuan personally appointed by the current Emperor? Hadn’t everyone said that the second young master of the Jiang family was addicted to gambling, bullied the locals, and committed all sorts of evil deeds?

Jiang Decai had misled him!

The County Sub-Magistrate wiped the sweat from his forehead, closed his eyes, and pretended not to see the person in front of him. He bowed respectfully to the County Magistrate, “Chief Scholar Jiang did indeed sever ties with the Jiang family back then. That severance document is on file at the county yamen. This student handled it personally.”

County Magistrate Ming nodded, stroked his beard, and decisively stated, “Since that’s the case, Jiang Decai, you should return to your own home.”

“County Magistrate, this…”

“Enough, go back.” County Magistrate Ming glanced at him with distaste. Before coming, he had heard a little about the restaurant from his daughter in her letters.

Hmph, he had a stance; this Jiang Decai was once his daughter’s competitor.

He had originally considered letting it go since this person was Chief Scholar Jiang’s father, but he didn’t expect that Jiang Decai had cut off his own path long ago. He couldn’t be blamed for this.

He let out a cold snort through his nose, gave a look to the yamen runners behind him, and four yamen runners immediately surrounded Jiang Decai.

The view in front of him instantly cleared up.

That’s more like it.

County Magistrate Ming nodded with satisfaction. Just as he stepped into the courtyard, as if thinking of something, he turned around and sternly instructed the yamen runners behind him, “The few of you watch this person closely. If he dares to harass Chief Scholar Jiang again, arrest him and throw him in jail to be punished.”

Jiang Decai was startled. This was not what he had hoped for.

Ignorant County Magistrate has misled me!

He wanted to say more, but County Magistrate Ming glared fiercely.

This…

This wasn’t right. He was the Wuzhuangyuan’s father. All of them, once Jiang Zhou was appointed a high official by the Emperor, he would definitely have Jiang Zhou punish them. The first one would be this blind County Magistrate Ming.

He still wanted to chase after them, but seeing the four sturdy yamen runners in front of him, he swallowed his saliva.

Just you wait!

He spat internally, turned around, and slunk away.

Regarding the matter of Mother Lin, Jiang Zhou hadn’t expected to see him again, but things were unpredictable. Who would have thought that the person would visit again, especially after hearing Supervisor Yao’s inner thoughts? This person actually considered himself a brother and still felt guilty for not taking good care of Mother Lin.

Jiang Zhou averted her gaze, feeling a little guilty.

She really hadn’t expected this Supervisor Yao to be so simple-minded.

Actually, having this ‘golden finger’ ability to hear inner thoughts was sometimes very useful. For example, when dealing with someone like Jiang Decai, whose mind was full of schemes, one could easily fall into his trap. With the ‘golden finger,’ she could see the person clearly early on.

If she had to say something negative about it, it would be the guilt she felt now!

Fortunately, County Magistrate Ming and Supervisor Yao did not stay long. After chatting for a while, they had matters to attend to and needed to leave.

Before leaving, Supervisor Yao suddenly stopped in front of the carriage and asked, “Brother Jiang, are you heading to the capital after the New Year?”

“Hmm?” Jiang Zhou was taken aback and hadn’t reacted yet, when Supervisor Yao’s hearty laughter rang out, “It just so happens that your brother will be returning to the capital after the New Year to report on his duties. We can travel together.”

No, this is absolutely not going to happen!

Jiang Zhou’s mind raced. Could this journey be undertaken together so casually?

Of course not. But it was not easy to directly refuse, which was truly troublesome.

“The journey to the capital is long. Traveling together, two people can look out for each other on the road,” County Magistrate Ming echoed with a smile.

Look out for each other?

This is asking for my old life! Jiang Zhou forced a dry laugh, neither refusing nor promising, and respectfully said, “Matters after the New Year will depend on the Seventh Prince’s arrangements. I previously promised her to return to the capital together.”

“Oh?” County Magistrate Ming smiled, turned to Supervisor Yao, and said, “It looks like the road to the capital will be quite lively.”

Supervisor Yao did not insist, only saying he would see her in the capital, and then bid farewell to Jiang Zhou. The three of them left together.

Jiang Zhou breathed a sigh of relief. She looked up and saw that the back of Jiang Decai’s house had an extra door, directly opposite her own courtyard gate.

When was this door opened? She hadn’t known anything about it.

Jiang Zhou stared at the door for a long time. No wonder Jiang Decai came out as soon as County Magistrate Ming and the others arrived. So that was it.

This Jiang Decai was truly despicable. However, after County Magistrate Ming’s warning today, he shouldn’t show up in front of her again for a while.

The fact that he so brazenly opened a back door and kept lingering right under her nose was not acceptable. It seemed she would have to think of a way to completely drive him away.

Jiang Zhou saw off the guests and finally had time to share her secret.

Sadly, she sighed, everyone had gone back to their rooms.

It was proving difficult to formally share this news. She waited and waited until finally, it was dinner time. Everyone was seated around the table. Jiang Zhou scanned the circle, confirmed everyone was present, and seriously said, “I have some good news to share with everyone.”

“Hmm?” Mother Jiang looked up at her and was the first to ask, “What good news? Did you find money?”

Jiang Zhou: “…”

Jiang Zhou didn’t bother looking at her cheap mother and automatically screened out her voice.

Right now, she only wanted to share the news. Her gaze swept around and landed on Lin Muwan, “My wife is pregnant.”

“Pfft,” Mother Jiang subconsciously spat out the soup she had just sipped.

Soup sprayed everywhere. Fortunately, Butcher Miao was quick enough to shield it with his sleeve, otherwise, the whole table of food would have been ruined.

Jiang Zhou glanced at her, feeling a little disgusted. What was so surprising about this? Look how composed her Mother-in-law was.

Mother Lin’s face showed surprise and joy. She patted Lin Muwan affectionately, then her face showed worry. Her relative-by-marriage’s reaction just now wasn’t joy, but more like shock.

She frowned slightly, but it didn’t matter. If others didn’t like this child, she still had herself.

With that thought, she couldn’t help but glance at Mother Jiang, her strong dissatisfaction practically spilling out of her eyes.

Mother Jiang: “…”

This…

It was a misunderstanding, wasn’t it?

She looked at Jiang Zhou, winking. Did this wretched girl even know what she was saying?

Others might not know, but didn’t she know her own identity?

Mother Jiang suddenly had a headache. She pushed away Butcher Miao’s hand, which was wiping the soup off her, feeling somewhat irritated.

How was she supposed to say this?

She looked at Jiang Zhou, then stared at Lin Muwan for a moment, until she noticed the rather unfriendly looks around her, then finally withdrew her gaze.

Wanwan suddenly pregnant—could she have been bullied? Her heart sank.

She saw how much her own wretched girl cared about the girl on a daily basis. If it was to prevent Wanwan from being criticized, it was very likely she would acknowledge the child.

Given the situation, she gritted her teeth.

Alas!

They were both women. Wanwan was also the daughter-in-law she personally chose. Her character was naturally beyond reproach. Besides, the two of them would not have children in the future. Since her daughter didn’t mind, she had nothing more to say.

She just didn’t know who the child’s father was. Her expression darkened, and she gritted her teeth. If she found out who it was, she would definitely chop him up with a knife.

Mother Jiang built her mental defenses very quickly. After figuring things out, a loving smile immediately appeared on her face, “Wanwan, if there is anything you want to eat, be sure to tell A-Zhou and have her make it. It’s not easy for a woman to be pregnant, so don’t deny yourself.”

Jiang Zhou lifted her eyelids: “…”

Although she didn’t understand the process of her cheap mother’s mental transformation, she didn’t care either. The child was hers. She didn’t care if others acknowledged it or not. It was best if they could accept it.

Lin Muwan pursed her lips, nodded, and lowered her eyes. A mist gathered in her eyes, and the rims of her eyes turned slightly red.

This result was unexpected, especially from her mother-in-law. The only person here who knew Jiang Zhou’s identity had only been stunned for a moment and hadn’t even asked a single question of doubt.

She knew that her mother-in-law hadn’t asked, partly out of consideration for Jiang Zhou’s identity and partly because she genuinely acknowledged the child.

Thinking about her long-standing worries, she found it quite amusing herself.

With them around, her future seemed to be good and unimpeded. A smile tinged with water vapor also appeared in her lowered eyes.

Her daughter’s pregnancy was a huge matter. Mother Lin immediately said that there was still some fabric left in the room, and she would take on the job of making the baby’s clothes entirely.

This now made Mother Jiang seem less attentive.

Her relative-by-marriage was too attentive, which gave Mother Jiang a headache. She immediately transferred the management of the shops Jiang Zhou entrusted her with to Lin Muwan.

“Mother, Wanwan is pregnant. How can you make her do this kind of work?”

Mother Jiang: “…”

Excellent!

This ungrateful daughter of hers didn’t give her any face at all.

After dinner, Mother Lin pulled her daughter back to the room to look through the fabrics. Just as Jiang Zhou was about to follow, she was called back by Mother Jiang.

Jiang Zhou turned her head and asked, “What is it, Mother?”

Mother Jiang took a deep breath, “Let Wanwan go with your mother-in-law. You help me with some chores.”

Jiang Zhou frowned, nodded blankly. She told Lin Muwan and reluctantly followed her cheap mother out of the room, one behind the other.

Before entering the room, Lin Muwan glanced at them faintly, pursed her lips, and concealed the emotion in her eyes.

In the middle of winter, the north wind was howling. Jiang Zhou shrank back, “Mother, what do you want to say?”

Mother Jiang stopped, her face solemn, “Have you really thought about keeping this child?”

Jiang Zhou frowned, “Of course.” Of course she was keeping the child she had with Lin Muwan. What did her cheap mother mean by asking this?

Did she want Lin Muwan to abort the child?

Instantly, the look in Jiang Zhou’s eyes towards Mother Jiang became defensive. So all the earlier acting was fake, and she secretly wanted to abort her child.

“Mother knows you are sad. If you decide to keep this child, treat it well.” Mother Jiang said earnestly.

Wait!

Why should she be sad? She couldn’t be happier!

Hmm?

Could Mother Jiang think the child belonged to someone else?

Jiang Zhou’s face instantly went blank. So, after all that circling, her cheap mother didn’t believe the child was hers at all.

“Mother, the child in my wife’s belly is really mine.”

“Sigh, Mother knows…”

You don’t know, Jiang Zhou sighed. Forget it, she couldn’t explain it to her clearly. Anyway, she would know when the child was born. “Mother, stop guessing. The child in Wanwan’s belly is really mine. I can’t explain it right now. Anyway, you’ll know when the child is born.”

Mother Jiang saw how certain her daughter was, and her heart began to waver slightly. Could the child really be her daughter’s?

After all, the two of them were always together. If anything happened, even if A-Zhou wasn’t clear, wouldn’t her relative-by-marriage know?

Looking at her relative-by-marriage’s reaction just now, it didn’t seem like her daughter had been bullied. Could there really be some secret method for two women to have a child?

She suppressed the doubt in her heart, frowned, and scanned Jiang Zhou’s body, trying to find any flaw in her daughter’s confident face.

Unfortunately, there was nothing.

Forget it, she decided to stick to her previous idea and be a good grandmother. She would leave the rest to her daughter. As long as she had things under control, it was fine.

After exchanging a few words, the two returned to the house. It was too cold outside and completely unsuitable for talking.