Chapter 38: The Uncle to be Punished? The Filial System Hands Over a Bamboo Switch

Seeing that Jiang Hua did not respond, Jiang Xiaxia’s gaze shifted to Jiang Cheng, who was standing to the side: "Uncle, do you want to switch?"

As soon as Jiang Jing entered the room and heard her address him this way, he walked over with a wide grin and reached out to ruffle her hair: "That’s not 'uncle', you should call him 'Second Uncle'!"

"Second Uncle?" Jiang Xiaxia was very sensible and immediately changed her address, "Want to switch, Aunt?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Cheng shook his head frantically, his face filled with panic: "No, no! I don't!"

A flicker of confusion crossed Jiang Xiaxia’s eyes, and she asked with a puzzled look: "No? Why? Are you angry?"

If Second Uncle didn’t want to trade his wife, why was everyone so tense?

"Grandma, she’s not angry!" Seeing everyone’s eyes turn toward Jiang Hua, Jiang Xiaxia looked up at her grandmother. Seeing her gentle expression with a hint of a smile, she looked firmly at the others and said loudly, "Grandma is really not angry!"

"You brat, having been by your grandma's side for so many years, do you still not know what she likes to hear?" Jiang Jing said with a teasing look, poking his second nephew in the head. "How have you become so dull after not seeing you for a few years?"

Jiang Zhiming stared blankly at his Third Uncle, who was poking him.

"Grandpa... Grandpa was because of the trouble at Uncle Tie’s place. Since Grandma wasn’t home, he felt restless and didn't want to deal with them, so he said he was sick! Because Grandma was away, Grandpa didn't eat much either! Later, when he heard Grandma would be gone for a while longer, and Aunt Dahong said that Little Uncle had sacrificed his life, Grandpa got anxious and fainted!"

A timid voice came from behind Jiang Zhiming.

Jiang Xiaxia curiously tilted her head and saw a very thin, yet big-eyed and beautiful sister speaking.

"Grandpa, fainted from hunger?"

Jiang Xiaxia only glanced at her once before withdrawing her gaze, turning to her grandfather with uncertainty: "Is it true?"

The grandfather of this era seemed a bit dumber than the one from the post-apocalyptic world.

Jiang Zhuguo’s face flushed red. He coughed awkwardly, offering an explanation for himself: "After I dropped you off at the station, I looked around the county for news. They said the weather across the country hasn't been good lately, and it’s likely next year’s harvest will be affected! So, wasn’t I just making preparations in advance?"

He had intended to create the impression that the household had many mouths to feed but little food, so that if a famine year were to hit, he would have a ready excuse to prevent others from coming over to borrow grain.

He hadn't expected to be so rattled by the news from his third son that he accidentally fainted.

Hearing this explanation, Jiang Hua finally breathed a sigh of relief and shifted the topic: "What do you plan to do about Han Dahong?"

Jiang Cheng stepped forward: "Han Dahong doesn't have the brains for this; there must be someone else behind her, advising her!"

"Are you talking about Jiang Tie?"

Hearing Jiang Hua's question, Jiang Cheng shook his head: "Under Dalin's leadership and with Father watching, such things wouldn't happen in the village, and Jiang Tie wouldn't dare! I believe there must be someone else behind these underhanded tactics."

Jiang Jing clicked his tongue: "Mother, I think Second Brother knows what’s going on. Father lying down was just his own miscalculation!"

As he spoke, he gestured toward the little girl, who had lost interest and was looking sleepy: "Xiaxia is tired!"

Jiang Hua, who had been stern-faced, softened the moment she heard the little girl was tired: "Is Xiaxia tired? Then Grandma will take you to rest, shall we?"

Jiang Xiaxia rubbed her eyes and took one last look at her grandfather, who was staring longingly at Grandma. Sensibly, she slid off Grandma’s lap, walked over to Lin Ya, and asked in a sweet, well-behaved voice: "Can we sleep together?"

Lin Ya was stunned; she hadn't expected the little girl she had just met to come looking for her.

She felt at a loss for a moment and instinctively looked at Jiang Hua: "Mother, this—"

Jiang Hua was also surprised and couldn't help but call out: "Xiaxia?"

Jiang Xiaxia fidgeted with her fingers, looking aggrieved: "Grandpa misses Grandma!"

As soon as these words were out, the elderly couple’s faces flushed. Jiang Jing laughed outright: "Father, your heart for my mother is truly—"

Jiang Jing gave a thumbs-up.

Jiang Hua straightened her face, rummaged through her bundle, and tossed a small bamboo tally onto the table.

Jiang Zhuguo’s expression slowly turned cold. He picked up the tally and looked at Jiang Jing: "Third, what is the meaning of this?"

Jiang Xiaxia, not understanding, saw Lin Ya hanging her head in silence. She walked over to Jiang Zhiming and poked him: "What’s this?"

"Why ask me?"

Jiang Zhiming looked at the little girl with caution. She didn't seem to be Third Uncle's biological child; she looked like she had been adopted.

Things like this happened in the village; for example, Jiang Tie’s family had been adopted by his grandfather only to become ingrates.

"You talk too much!"

Jiang Xiaxia could feel that this brother didn't seem to like her, but it didn't matter—as long as he didn't drive her away, she would be generous and not hold it against him!

Hearing this, Jiang Zhiming’s small face turned dark. He turned his head away, clamped his mouth shut, and said nothing more.

At this moment, Jiang Zhien, who had been standing to the side, displayed a hint of kindness on his honest face and explained: "The Jiang family has a rule. Whoever makes a mistake, as long as Grandma brings out the tally, Grandfather will make the offender accept their punishment!"

Jiang Xiaxia instantly recalled the tally Grandma had made that young boy fetch at the state-run restaurant. She nodded in deep agreement and said crisply: "Uncle wrong, Grandma angry, Xia well-behaved!"

Six short words, concise and clear, not a single word wasted.

Jiang Jing’s molars ground together in frustration. He roared: "You little ungrateful brat, I only did that because—"

He realized halfway through that it involved a mission and quickly swallowed the rest of his sentence. Gritting his teeth, he took the tally, walked to the corner of the courtyard, pressed his head against the bottom of the large water vat, and obediently accepted his punishment.

Jiang Xiaxia watched in amazement. Pointing at her little uncle’s high-raised backside, she turned to her grandfather and asked in confusion: "Not hitting?"

At this moment, Jiang Zhuguo had already picked up a willow switch and was about to walk out.

Seeing the situation, Jiang Cheng hurriedly stepped forward to dissuade him: "Father, Little Brother is a grown man; this punishment is enough. The children are all watching!"

"You go over there too!" Jiang Hua’s cold voice followed. "You really are a filial son, exhausting your father until he fainted!"

The one who had tried to intercede was punished as well. Jiang Zhien and Jiang Zhiming wanted to say something else, but Jiang Xiaxia grabbed them by the arm, one in each hand, and yanked them backward.

The two stumbled, nearly falling flat on their bottoms.

"Not listening to Grandma, bad!"

Ignoring their shocked expressions, Jiang Xiaxia stopped them from trying to plead further, then looked at Lin Ya and asked: "Tired, sleep?"

"Enough, I’m tired too. I have things to discuss with your father! Xiaxia, you sleep with her tonight!"

Seeing the little girl looking around for a place to sleep, Jiang Hua waved her hand, no longer stopping them: "This child has good manners when she sleeps and doesn't move much! But she has a very sharp nose, so you should go tidy up the children!"

Lin Ya blushed. Because of her own family's affairs, she had neglected her children these past few days and felt a wave of guilt. After murmuring an acknowledgment, she immediately led the children away.