Chapter 20: A Lifetime of Jiang An'an

Glancing at the tea on the table that had barely been touched, Jiang Wang greeted them, "Auntie, have you all eaten? I'll head to a restaurant to order a table in a moment."

"Let me go order it!" Du Yehu exclaimed, as if receiving a grand pardon. "I know all the restaurants in Fenglin City!"

Auntie Song sat down and waved her hand. "No rush. I came this time because I have something to discuss with you."

Noticing Jiang An'an secretly observing him, Jiang Wang returned a gentle smile, while saying, "Please, tell me whatever it is."

Auntie Song stroked Jiang An'an's small head. "Why don't you go out for a stroll with these two big brothers? Go see where your brother lives and practices."

Du Yehu immediately opened his arms toward little An'an, his large face wrinkling into a smile like an old chrysanthemum. "Come on, Brother Hu will take you to buy yummy things!"

Ling He also said conscientiously, "Rest assured. Jiang Wang and I are brothers-in-arms; we will certainly take good care of An'an."

Little An'an was very well-behaved. Although she was timid and easily frightened, since Auntie Song had spoken, she still moved toward Ling He with a sense of trepidation.

No matter how one looked at it, the upright-faced and gentle-smiling Ling He was far more reliable than the bearded Du Yehu, whose exaggerated smile was somewhat terrifying.

Ling He led Jiang An'an out with a sense of paternal satisfaction, while Du Yehu, before leaving, shot a fierce glare at Jiang Wang—a look that clearly said, *What's the deal with your sister?*

Once the others had been sent away, Jiang Wang's smile faded. He looked at Auntie Song and asked, "Has Fengxi Town been peaceful lately? How are the family shops?"

"There aren't any major problems, it's just..." Auntie Song hesitated.

Jiang Wang remained patient. "Please, say whatever is on your mind."

"Ever since your father passed, the business in the shop has dwindled day by day. It looks as though the two of us won't be able to make ends meet much longer..." As she spoke, Auntie Song suddenly pulled out a handkerchief to wipe her tears.

The only remaining family asset was a medicinal herb shop. Although it wasn't large in scale, it relied on years of established channels and had a solid reputation throughout Fengxi Town. When the family's fortunes declined years ago, they had sold almost all their properties, leaving only this herb shop because of its longevity. With this shop in hand, while it wouldn't make them wealthy, it should have been more than enough to sustain them.

Just what kind of person could manage a steady, long-running herb shop so that it declined day by day in just a few short years?

Jiang Wang was no fool. Even when his father was still alive, he had taken care to teach him about business, hoping that if his cultivation failed, he could return to live a stable life.

He knew there was something wrong, but he simply asked, "Is there anything I can do to help, Auntie?"

He thought that if she needed gold or silver, he could certainly scrape some together. After all, Jiang An'an was his only sister. Even if only for An'an's sake, he hoped they could live better lives.

"I know you have always been hardworking, Xiao Wang, and you will surely have a bright future. But Auntie..." Auntie Song wiped her tears. "I am just a woman with no special skills; I truly cannot hold on much longer..."

She looked up at him through tearful eyes. "Can I leave An'an in your care in the future?"

The last trace of warmth in Jiang Wang's eyes vanished.

He could never have imagined that this woman would even give up on her own biological daughter.

Jiang Wang nodded slowly before asking, "It seems you have found a good marriage arrangement for her?"

Auntie Song lowered her eyes slightly. It was only now, in front of her late husband's eldest son, that a flicker of shame suddenly surfaced from the deepest part of her heart.

"Marriage and funerals are all part of the natural course of life." Jiang Wang did not use harsh words. "So, does An'an know she will be living with me?"

"She doesn't know yet. I thought I should ask for your opinion first. You know how she is—she's always been timid and afraid of strangers. Even if I take her with me, she won't fare well..." Although Auntie Song was explaining, her voice grew increasingly low.

"I understand." Jiang Wang interrupted her. "Should I be the one to tell her, or will you?"

"You tell her..." Auntie Song said. "I... I must leave now. My carriage is waiting outside the city."

Jiang Wang fell silent for a moment. "Very well. I won't see you out."

"I will send you silver every month."

"There is no need. I can still afford to raise An'an. Auntie, you... you should just take care of yourself."

"Yes. Take good care of yourself and An'an." Having said that, Auntie Song stood up.

She walked out a few steps, then suddenly stopped and turned back, her eyes brimming with tears as she said to Jiang Wang, "An'an doesn't like winter melon; she likes eggplant. She loves sweets most... but don't let her eat too many."

"She often kicks off her blankets in her sleep... She... she is young and doesn't know any better. As her brother, please be patient with her."

"Auntie." Jiang Wang had not intended to say anything more, but seeing her act this way, he couldn't help but speak. "I don't know if you remember? Back then, my father could have held on for another two years, but he refused treatment because he wanted to leave the family estate to you. He wanted you to take good care of your little sister, who was still so young..."

Auntie Song was left speechless and left with her face covered.

Jiang Wang sat there blankly. After a long time, he poured himself a cup of tea.

For all these years while seeking the Dao away from home, no matter how bitter or difficult things became, he had never once reached out to his family for a single ounce of silver. It was because he thought of his father lying ill in bed, and how life was not easy for Auntie Song and An'an. It was because he thought of how his father would rather die early than become a burden to them. How could he take the family's money?

Even though he was the undisputed heir to that substantial estate.

The conversation from years ago seemed to ring in his ears again

"Xiao Wang, you have grown up. You can take care of yourself, can't you?"

"Yes, Father."

That youthful figure seemed to overlap with his current self, converging through the passage of time.

"And I can also take care of An'an," Jiang Wang said softly.

...

Ling He and Du Yehu returned after taking Jiang An'an for a short stroll.

"Huh, where's your aunt?" Du Yehu asked thoughtlessly.

Ling He instinctively moved to hold An'an closer, but the little hand had already stubbornly pulled away.

Jiang Wang looked over. The girl, who was not yet five years old, stood there silently, biting her lip gently, her large, dark eyes unblinking.

She stood between Ling He and Du Yehu, yet she seemed isolated in some corner of a vast, empty world.

She did not cry, nor did she make a scene.

Jiang Wang strode over, knelt down, and pulled the tiny figure into his arms. He pulled her back from that lonely corner of the world and back into the vibrant realm of the living.

"An'an, from now on, you'll live with your brother. I'll play with you often, just like we used to. I wonder if you remember how small you were back then..."

"That's right, that's right! Brother Hu will also play with you often!" Du Yehu hurriedly added to make amends.

Little An'an glanced at him, turned her gaze away expressionlessly, and then gently buried her small head against Jiang Wang's shoulder.

"Alright." Jiang Wang stood up while holding An'an. "An'an will live with me from now on. It's not very convenient to stay in the dorms, so I need to find a place to live first. We'll eat together later."

"You should settle on a place first." Ling He pulled two pieces of broken silver from his robes and pressed them into Jiang Wang's hand without a word. "Take this silver."

After entering the inner sect, Ling He's life was no longer so meager; the Dao Academy provided a monthly stipend. However, these two pieces of silver were his entire fortune.

"Ah, right, right." Inspired, Du Yehu immediately began patting himself down, but in the end, he only managed to scrape together four knife coins. He sheepishly placed them in Jiang Wang's hand. "I've already drunk all my stipend for this month."

He then made a solemn vow: "Next month, next month I won't drink! I'll save up to buy An'an new clothes!"

Jiang Wang did not stand on ceremony; he casually tucked the money into his pocket and walked out with Jiang An'an in his arms.

Even after they had walked far away, Du Yehu remained leaning against the door, watching them. "Little An'an is just too cute! Hey, Old Ling, why don't I have a sister?"

"Old Ling?" Du Yehu turned around, only to find Ling He already sitting cross-legged on his bed.

*A sister with a full beard... how terrifying would that be?* Ling He thought to himself.

"Just like Third Brother, a cultivation fanatic!" Du Yehu muttered. He walked to the window, picked up the cup of tea Jiang Wang had poured earlier, and gulped it down in one go.

"Pah, pah, pah!" Du Yehu spat several times. "Why is this tea so bitter?"

"May it be bitter enough to kill you!" Ling He said irritably.