As everyone entered the backyard, Jiang Fangru was playing with her daughter Xiao Linglong and Attu Xiu at that time.

Although Zhong Lingxiu's face might be frightening to adults, in Xiaoling's eyes, she was just a different kind of aunt.

"Oh my!" Mrs. Jin exclaimed in surprise, a hint of displeasure in her voice. However, she dared not make a fuss out of it, considering Tang Xian and Fu Jiujiu were present.

When Ginger saw their group, she stopped playing and naturally picked up the child.

Jin Fu's sharp eyes noticed that Jiang Fangrui hadn't even bowed to King Jin, despite having met him. She wondered if it was because she didn't understand the rules or if they were simply too close. But looking at King Jin's demeanor, it seemed more likely to be the latter.

Jiang Fangrui and Tang Xian knew each other since childhood. Now that she was under Fu Jiujiu's protection, Tang Xian would naturally take her under his wing.

So those empty courtesies are naturally unnecessary.

"Oh, Linglong! Come here quickly, grandma misses you so much."

Lady Jin said a few boisterous words, then walked toward Jiang Fangrui and her mother, extending her hand to hug her granddaughter.

Although she is only a few months old, the little one can already tell who is kind to her and who is not.

In her eyes, this grandmother was someone she hadn't seen many times, not as close as the grandma who took care of her.

Jiang Fangrui frowned slightly, and Mrs. Jin became unhappy, "Give me the child to hold, I'm her biological grandmother, could I possibly harm her?"

Ginger Fangrui didn't want to make things too awkward in front of everyone, and if it weren't for Fu Jiujiu supporting her, her mother-in-law wouldn't have come to pick her up no matter what.

She smiled wryly, but still let go of the child.

To everyone's surprise, as soon as Little Bell left her mother's arms and entered the arms of a stranger, she burst into tears.

"My dear little grandchild, after just a few days, you've forgotten your old grandma. It's all your mother's fault! You're still so young, and she brought you out here!"

"Mother!" Jin Xuwén motioned for her to stop talking so recklessly.

These two masters aren't good people.

Fu Jiaojiao walked over and patted the little bell, the little bell reached out to her. Anyone could see that the child liked Fu Jiaojiao, who had only met a few days ago, and didn't like this foster grandmother.

"Give it to me," Fu Jiujiu said.

Madam Jin felt ashamed, so she said the girl was useless, eating both inside and outside. "Princess, you're young, you probably don't know how to hold a child."

"Fu Jiujiu sneered, "I have eight older brothers. Most of them are already married, and they have many nephews. There are several who are younger than me, and I've even held them."

"Mother, why don't you give it to me? The bell is crying so hard."

Which mother could bear to see her child crying in front of her, her heart would break.

Mrs. Jin glared at Jiang Fangru, ignoring her. They would settle their accounts later.

Fu Jiujiu saw the situation and was already unhappy, "Jin Fu keeps saying that Linglong is his precious one, but you've been carrying your precious baby who cries non-stop. I don't see any sadness from you."

“I…”

Fu Jiujiu curled her lips into a faint smile, "I've seen Madam Jin hold the child for so long, she wouldn't hold him anyway!"

Fu Jiujiu didn't dare use force. Taking advantage of Madam Jin's stunned expression, she took the child.

Strangely enough, when Xiaoling reached Fujiujiu's arms, she stopped crying and giggled a moment later.

Tang Xian was afraid that Fu Jiujiao would get tired, so he took the little girl and held her in his arms. Although his movements were a little stiff, he protected her very well. "Such a cute little girl, there should be no one in the world who wouldn't like her, right?"

Jin Xuwén although he had never spoken, knew that King Jǐn was speaking to him.

He also has untold hardships.

"Fangrui, you've been here for two days already. Why don't you go back first? If you miss the county princess, come again in a few days, or you can visit us at home?" Jin Xuwu probed tentatively.

"Madam Jin gave a dismissive snort and said to Ginger Fangru, 'People who know you are visiting your cousin would think so. Those who don't know might think the Jin family has done something terrible to you!'"

"Is everything alright?" Fu JiuJiu took out a new golden bell she had made for the little child and played with it, casually saying that.

Jin Xuwen hurriedly clasped his hands together, it seemed the young noblewoman's reputation was well-deserved. "My lady has misunderstood,"

“A misunderstanding?” Fu Jiujiu placed the bell on the child’s hand and coldly scanned Jin Xuwu. This old woman, Mrs. Jin, needed to be dealt with, but considering Jin Xuwu still had some redeeming qualities, she absolutely had to say a few words today.

"Brother-in-law, although my sister isn't a pampered princess, she comes from a distinguished family and has always been treated like royalty."

"Yes... yes... yes!" Jin Xuwen knew, and he knew that he had wronged his wife, but there was nothing he could do. He couldn't hit her, scold her, or even say anything to her.

"I thought her temperament was already good because she didn't take advantage of others, but now I see that she has been forced to leave home with her daughter. Who is she enduring all this for? You must know in your heart, right?"

Jin Xuwen nodded. "Yes, it was I who caused Fangrui to be wronged."

"Well, since you admit it, I'm going to ask you today. You, as her mother, are strong and healthy, with at least twenty years left to live. That means, as long as she lives, my sister will be wronged for another day?"

Jin Fu's jaw dropped. How could this sound so awful?

One or two decades? Couldn't it be thirty or forty years instead?

"My lady, my mother is your elder."

Well, just because the elders say something, does that mean it's always right? What if they tell you to kill or set fire to things?

Jin Xuwen didn't expect Fu Jiujiu to be so sharp-tongued and found himself struggling to keep up. "My mother, she wouldn't..."

Fu Jiujiu glanced at Madam Jin, "This isn't something easy to say, Brother-in-law. I'm not satisfied with your answer today. Guards, escort our guest out."

"No...Ah, Fangrui!" Jin Xiumen looked at Jiang Fangrui.

Jiang Fangrui didn't really want to cause any more trouble, but she knew Fu Jiujiao was backing her up. If she gave in now, it would be like slapping Fu Jiujiao in the face.

She absolutely cannot do this.

"Xunwen, I think Jiujiu is right. I'm not going back today. You should go back and think about it too. Can we continue our relationship? How can we move forward?"

When Jin Fu heard this, she was not pleased. "What do you mean? Jiang Fangru, are you sure you're not going back?"

Ginger Fangru took a deep breath, “Mother, I’m not going back. My cousin and I haven’t seen each other in ten years, there are so many things we still need to say.”

Jin Fu's heart was filled with a multitude of insults, but she dared not act recklessly in front of King Jin.

She gritted her back teeth, “Good, good very well, then you two catch up. Xuwen, let’s go.”

Jin Xuwen stood there motionless, he didn't want to leave.

He wants all of them: wife, daughter, mother.

Lady Jin frowned, "Fang Rui, it's good that you didn't go back, so Chun Niang wouldn't be unsettled in her confinement."

Ginger Fangru's heart suddenly felt like it had been cut by a knife. She looked up at Jin Xuwen.

Jin Xuwen hurriedly denied, "Mother, when did Chunniang get pregnant?"

How could Madam Jin know that Jin Xuwu had never touched Chunniang? She thought she had Jiang Fangruili under her thumb.

Let me take one first, there will be more this afternoon.

First published on the Chinese Novel Website