Chapter 6: She is Not Jiang Hanyan

"This steamed pork with rice flour is delicious. It's fatty but not greasy; it's my specialty. Have a piece."

Jiang Hanyan picked up a piece of oily, steamed pork and placed it into Lu Chen's bowl, giving him a flattering smile. While she was cooking just now, she had thought of some of the things the original owner had done, and she felt like finding a crack in the ground to crawl into.

Druging Lu Chen, faking a pregnancy to trick him into marriage after a night of passion... During her time living with the Lu family, although Lu Chen was cold, he provided for all her food, drink, and expenses. Furthermore, the original owner often used the child in her womb as an excuse to demand money from Lu Chen—half went toward buying clothes, and the other half went to support her maiden family.

Most egregiously, the original owner hadn't been kind to Doudou. This woman was both stupid and selfish; she would eat the good food herself while merely boiling some plain noodles for Doudou to make do with, simply because she bullied Doudou for being unable to speak and unable to complain.

If it weren't for the sake of the Spiritual Qi Space, Jiang Hanyan really wanted to flip off the heavens.

Besides, she had to live with Lu Chen. She needed to nurture this body well. Since she currently had no job and couldn't think of any way to make money for the time being, she could only rely on Lu Chen to support her. He was essentially her temporary benefactor, so she definitely had to flatter and curry favor with him.

Since she was a child, she had known that she could ignore anyone else, but she absolutely had to please the person who provided her food, otherwise, she would go hungry.

Therefore, whether it was in the orphanage, at school, or working in the hospital, Jiang Hanyan had always thrived, all thanks to this single rule of survival.

Lu Chen gave her a deep look and picked up the steamed pork, putting it into his mouth. It melted upon entry; the pork fat had seeped into the rice flour, making it savory, fragrant, and tender without being greasy at all. It was the best steamed pork he had ever eaten in his entire life.

"Delicious, right? This beef is also quite good. The gravy is great mixed with rice. Do you want to mix some?"

Being skilled at reading people, Jiang Hanyan knew from Lu Chen's micro-expressions that he was enjoying the meal. She immediately scooped up a large spoonful of tomato beef, eagerly intending to pour it into Lu Chen's bowl.

"No need."

Lu Chen refused. He didn't want to mix his rice right now; he wanted to eat more side dishes.

"Then you can mix it later. Doudou, do you want to mix your rice?"

Jiang Hanyan's smile remained unchanged as she turned to serve Doudou. The little fellow was practically burying his head in his bowl, unable to stop eating.

Doudou looked up, his mouth covered in rice grains. He nodded vigorously, his large eyes sparkling. He liked Auntie Jiang so much now; he wished she would never change back.

Jiang Hanyan smiled radiantly and poured a good amount of beef gravy into the little guy's bowl, adding extra pieces of beef. It had been stewed until it was incredibly tender, making it easy for a child to chew.

"Eat more beef to grow big and strong!"

Jiang Hanyan muttered as she served the food, casually picking up some green vegetables as well. Doudou shook his head, indicating he didn't want the vegetables.

"If you don't eat your vegetables, you won't grow tall. Children shouldn't be picky eaters!"

Jiang Hanyan's smile vanished, and she pulled a stern face to intimidate him. Doudou looked toward Lu Chen, his large eyes questioning him. In the past, Uncle Lu had never forced him to eat vegetables; he could eat whatever he wanted.

"Look how tall your Uncle Lu is. It's because he eats vegetables every day."

Jiang Hanyan reached over and placed a large mouthful of vegetables into Lu Chen's bowl, giving him a slight smile. Doudou was thin and small, half a head shorter than children his age. Clearly, Lu Chen hadn't done a very good job of raising him over the past three years.

Lu Chen silently stared at the green vegetables in his bowl, his entire being radiating resistance. In truth, he really wanted to refute this woman—whether one grew tall or not had absolutely nothing to do with eating vegetables—but he couldn't say those words in front of Doudou.

"Your Auntie Jiang is right. Children should eat more vegetables!"

A tiny, awkward smile squeezed onto Lu Chen's cold face. He reluctantly picked up the vegetables and stuffed them into his mouth, chewing vigorously like an ox eating grass.

"Good boy, finish your vegetables!"

Jiang Hanyan smiled very gently, but Doudou felt a slight chill on the back of his neck. He gave Uncle Lu a sympathetic look and obediently ate the vegetables. The large one and the small one both chewed with faces full of agony; it took a long time before they finally managed to swallow, just like taking medicine.

There were still some vegetables left on the plate, so Jiang Hanyan swept them all into her own bowl. She liked eating vegetables. Lu Chen and Doudou both breathed a sigh of relief simultaneously, and then, in perfect synchronization, they both reached for the steamed pork. The eyes of the uncle and nephew sparkled as they looked at the meat, brighter than the incandescent bulb above their heads.

All three of them were stuffed after this meal, and all the dishes were cleared. Doudou leaned against his chair, his little belly bulging, letting out several consecutive burps. Lu Chen was also a bit full; he finished off the leftovers, mixing the remaining rice with the soup and dishes, eating a large bowl clean.

Jiang Hanyan stood up to clear the dishes. Actually, she didn't want to wash them, but since she was currently living under someone else's roof, she could only do more chores.

"I'll wash the dishes."

Lu Chen snatched the bowls away, his gaze meaningful. Since returning home, this woman's behavior had repeatedly refreshed his understanding of her. She was completely different from the previous Jiang Hanyan. Even if her appearance was identical, he was certain that this woman was absolutely not Jiang Hanyan.

The original Jiang Hanyan was vain, stupid, selfish, and cowardly, and she was also lazy. The food she cooked was worse than pig swill. This woman was cheerful, lively, smart, a good cook, and kept the house clean and tidy. Aside from her appearance, there wasn't a single thing alike.

Furthermore, the original Jiang Hanyan followed her maiden family blindly. How would she dare to beat Jiang Tianbao's precious dog to death?

Lu Chen had a bold thought—soul transmigration!

He just didn't know what the background of the person inside this body was, or what her purpose was.

Jiang Hanyan felt a bit creeped out by his staring. She gave a few dry laughs and tried to make conversation: "You have to use hot water to wash them clean."

The corners of Lu Chen's mouth curled slightly, a hint of a mocking smile in his eyes. Jiang Hanyan's heart skipped a beat. *Could this guy have discovered that I've swapped souls?*

From outside, the sound of firecrackers and the laughter of children rang out from time to time. Jiang Hanyan sat on the sofa with Doudou watching television. It was a 14-inch black-and-white TV, looking quite old.

The phrase "four bare walls" perfectly described the Lu household. Aside from the television, there were two broken fans, a worn-out sofa, two old beds, and a few chairs and tables, all of which had been repaired. Jiang Hanyan suspected that these pieces of furniture had all been scavenged by Lu Chen from a recycling station.

Logically speaking, Lu Chen worked as a guard at a coal mine, and his salary wasn't low. How could his home be so impoverished?

When Lu Chen came out after washing the dishes, he saw the large one and the small one with their heads pressed together, both sets of feet resting on the sofa. A comedy skit was playing on the TV, and the two of them were clutching their stomachs in laughter. Their crisp laughter was like crisp lotus root in winter, carrying a hint of sweetness.

His heart couldn't help but soften. He reached into his trouser pocket and felt a hard box; it was the gold earring he had bought on his way back.

The cold, hard box immediately dispelled the softness in Lu Chen's heart. He decisively withdrew his hand. This woman didn't even have the child anymore; why on earth would he still give her gold earrings?

He would sell them tomorrow to pay off his debts!

(End of Chapter)