After Transmigration, I Picked Up A Husband and Daughter-Chapter 82 - Life and Death Duel
Chapter 82: Chapter 82 Life and Death Duel
Chapter 82: Chapter 82 Life and Death Duel
The noise of cooking in the kitchen was like an invisible net, inadvertently concealing the subtle movements outside, causing her to miss the best opportunity to stop the thief.
But next time, if fortune allowed another encounter, she secretly swore that the so-called compensation would not be settled with a few simple apologies or the trivial amends.
Thereafter, Su Yu rummaged through the cupboard to find the clothes she had carefully selected for her good friend Xie Xinghua, along with a pair of new shoes for both mother and daughter, which lay there quietly, exuding a warm and unassuming aura.
She turned to Jiang Ziling, her tone tinged with a trace of apology as she explained, “Since I wasn’t sure about your size, I didn’t buy shoes for you. I hope you won’t mind.”
Jiang Ziling’s response was indifferent and calm, as if he was already accustomed to the hardships of life, “It’s alright, I make my own shoes, I’m used to it.”
Su Yu, upon hearing this, showed a hint of surprise in her brows, “Make your own shoes? That’s quite a skill!”
Jiang Ziling nodded gently, a confident smile brushed past his lips, “Shoes on the market are expensive. Making my own is not only sturdy and durable but also saves a considerable amount of money.”
Su Yu’s curiosity was thoroughly piqued, “What about clothes? Don’t tell me you make those too?”
Jiang Ziling shook his head, his gaze revealing a touch of helplessness and self-mockery, “I don’t have the skill for making clothes, but I can manage simple mending.”
Su Yu, still inquisitive and with a barrage of questions driven by confusion and sympathy, asked, “Since you can’t afford ready-made shoes, aren’t ready-made clothes even more out of reach? Where do you get your clothes from then?”
Jiang Ziling smiled softly, his smile concealing too many untold stories, “As a child, I wore clothes handed down from my older brother. It was only when my sister-in-law joined the family that I barely got two sets of new clothes. Fortunately, as I grew older, my body didn’t change much, and over the years, I’ve gotten by with these clothes. As for Xixi’s clothes, most of them are hand-me-downs from her older cousins at my sister-in-law’s home.”
Hearing this, a wave of sourness surged in Su Yu’s heart.
In the cycle of the four seasons, with only these few pieces of clothing to fend off the wind, rain, and cold, how had they managed to endure?
Just then, a thought crossed her mind, “I remember you mentioned that you are good at hunting and that the game could be exchanged for money. Why then is your life still so strapped?”
Jiang Ziling’s face showed a bitter helplessness, “Life was not always this tough. Back then, I hunted in the mountains alongside my brother, rarely returning empty-handed. Even under harsh surroundings, although Lady Zhao was strict with us, she ultimately relied on the game we hunted to make ends meet. Her complaints were mostly verbal, and so, we were still able to save some money on the side.”
His voice gradually deepened, as if sinking into deep memories, “Not until my eldest brother had established his family and career did he keep that money for me, claiming it was for my future marriage. His words were full of expectations for the future and deep affection between brothers.”
Su Yu noticed the faint flush on Jiang Ziling’s face, and with a heart clear as a mirror, she understood his situation completely, feeling a sense of urgency, “What happened later? What happened to the money?”
Jiang Ziling’s expression turned dim, as if touching a wound deep in his heart that he was reluctant to revisit. His tone was bitter, “My brother was seriously injured, and all the savings were used for his treatment. And I was left with a disability, no longer able to hunt, having lost my means of survival. Since then, life has been incredibly tight, every step taken with exceptional difficulty.”
At that moment, Su Yu, like a dam bursting, poured out all the confusion and misunderstandings that had built up in her heart, “I remember catching a snippet of Jiang Youfu berating you by the rippling river. Fuming, he called you an ill omen, insisting that Jiang Wangshan’s prolonged illness was all because he saved you at the cost of his own life. However, Xie Xinghua whispered a different version in my ear. She said it was actually you who faced death without flinching, bravely saving your brother’s life, otherwise, he would have long been a mound of yellow dirt. What is the truth behind all these contradictions and mysteries? Why don’t you stand up and speak out for yourself?”
Jiang Ziling’s smile, mixed with bitterness and helplessness, slowly unfurled, “The sequence of events is actually as Jiang Youfu described. It was my brother who reached out to help in the moment of crisis. On that stormy day, I was careless and left behind my hunting tools, encountering a ferocious pack of wild boars in the wilderness. Defenseless, facing those roaring beasts, I felt as insignificant as an ant, powerless to resist. It was my brother, the man who always protected his family under his wing, who resolutely decided to distract the pack alone. When I finally rushed back with my bow and arrows, I found my brother lying in a pool of blood, his body covered with ghastly wounds from the boars. Though I managed to drive the greedy beasts away, my brother’s injuries were severe, and I, merely by luck, narrowly escaped the reaper’s scythe. With the facts so clear, there was no need for further defense.”
Seeing Jiang Ziling trapped in a whirlpool of self-blame, Su Yu quickly reached out with a warm hand, softly comforting, “But your injuries were also severe! If it weren’t for your brother’s heroic act, buying you time to retrieve your weapons, perhaps the outcome would have been double tragedy. Your courage and sacrifice were also key in this life-and-death struggle.”
“Not to forget, you paid a painful price yourself, losing a leg, yet you still persevered with unwavering will, dragging your brother back from death’s edge, inching your way home. Without your resolute determination to never admit defeat, your brother might well have been a person of another world by now. That sense of deep-seated guard and resilience you displayed is a noble quality beyond the reach of ordinary people.”
In the depths of Su Yu’s eyes, Jiang Ziling’s display of tenacity was undoubtedly the most vivid interpretation of the term “tough guy.” She could never resist the unique charm of such a man, one who shoulders responsibilities and dares to bear them.
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“Cough, cough…” Realizing she was getting too absorbed in her thoughts, Su Yu suddenly felt her cheeks warm up and awkwardly cleared her throat to conceal the turmoil inside.
Ah, how could she involuntarily construct so many scenarios in her mind?
“Is that really how it was?” Jiang Ziling’s deep voice rose again, as if savoring the new perspective Su Yu had offered.
“Mm, of course, an observer can see things clearly, certainly your brother must be endlessly grateful to you,” she immediately affirmed.
As they spoke, another thought crossed Su Yu’s mind, “Speaking of your brother, with his impaired legs, why isn’t your sister-in-law accompanying him out to enjoy some sunshine, get some fresh air?”
