Chapter 303: Jiang Sheng Steals Twice

Chapter 303

Old Lady Jiang stared fixedly, looking carefully. Her eyes were slightly red, but in another look there was only solemnity left.

"Has no one from the two courtyards moved yet after all this time?" She asked in a low voice.

Tan Yue answered nervously, "Second Young Master is busy with government affairs, Eldest Young Master and Second Young Master are still in school at the National Academy and haven't come down yet, Second Lady took Fourth Young Lady out for a walk, Third Young Lady burned her hand, and the lady of the house just called for the doctor of the manor..."

So after nearly an hour of Jiang's legitimate daughter returning to the manor, she still hadn't seen the second Jiang family member.

Good, good, good.

Old Lady Jiang laughed angrily, "If they don't see, then they don't see. After all, I didn't come back to see them."

After speaking, she called the main kitchen to take away the flashy dishes, leaving only the hearty meat dishes.

Turning around, she was again the benevolent old lady, smiling as she watched her granddaughter play on the swing.

But it wasn't long before the swing stopped.

Old Lady Jiang was a little surprised, "Why did you stop? It's not time to eat yet, play a while longer."

"No no." Jiang Sheng waved her hand, "I was very happy playing for a while. As people say, we should be content." Such a beautiful swing that others can't even touch, she was able to play for so long, already extremely satisfied.

"Besides, I can't leave my grandmother dangling on the side." The little girl blinked her big, round eyes. "You're getting on in years and need to find a place to rest, not just standing there the whole time."

Of all the people in this entire household, only Tan Yue would say this before.

Now there was also Jiang Sheng.

Old Lady Jiang couldn't describe the sour, sweet, bitter and spicy feeling in her heart, but right now she just wanted to smile and take the little chubby hand again, "Alright, then let's go eat."

The chefs in the main kitchen were very efficient. The flashy plating really was gone, and the dishes brought out swiftly were all hearty meat dishes.

Pork, beef, mutton, chicken, cold and hot dishes, stir-fried and braised red, forty-nine dishes total, perfectly covering the entire table, leaving only the outer edge for placing plates.

Jiang Sheng was shocked again.

The meals were already considered bountiful even in the small courtyard of the second residence, taking into account Xu Mo's love of vegetables, Zheng Ruqian's love of fish, Fang Heng's love of stir-fry, Wen Zhiyuan's love of sweets, and Zhang Auntie's thriftiness, not willing for there to be lots of leftovers for the children, so she could only cook as little excess as possible. Yet now in the Jiang house, with only two masters eating, there were a full forty-nine dishes.

"Old Madam, young miss, there are still a few stewed dishes not ready yet, will serve them in a bit," said Tan Yue, smiling by the side.

"It won't be wasted," Old Lady Jiang seemed to guess her thoughts. "Tan Yue and the other servants will also eat. The big maids and little workers will all get a few bites."

This was also an unwritten rule in great households: the masters' leftovers were divided among the servants to eat.

Jiang Sheng's expression immediately drooped.

"Is the young miss reluctant?" Tan Yue laughed softly. "No one in distinguished households in our Plentiful Capital city has ever eaten leftovers. Young miss, if you still want to eat, just have the main kitchen make more."

"That's not it." Jiang Sheng sighed feelingly. "If I'd known a great household's maid meals were so good, with lamb and beef to eat daily, I definitely would've sold myself into servitude back then if I'd had residency."

Being a servant is great - stable job, stable monthly silver, meat every day, and occasional rewards of gold and silver jewelry.

Too bad the beggars without residency couldn't get jobs or sell themselves. They could only steal a bit here and there to barely scrape by.

Luckily she had residency now, and family, and lamb to eat.

Jiang Sheng was elated, then turned and saw Tan Yue with red-rimmed eyes and Old Lady Jiang's solemn expression.

She realized she'd spoken wrongly. She hastily tried to remedy, "I'm doing very well now, much better than a maid. Big brother even got me registered for residency, I get to eat meat every day."

She didn't even get to say she could also earn money, and even send money to others.

Before she could, Old Lady Jiang swept her into an embrace, hugging her tightly.

To tell the truth, Jiang Sheng hadn't really tightly embraced anyone else before.

Mostly it was excited bear hugs with Second Brother. Or leaning drowsily in Big Brother's arms when carsick. Auntie Zhang would occasionally cry and hug her, but never this forcefully, as if wanting to knead her into her bones and blood.

Jiang Sheng struggled slightly but couldn't struggle free, so she obediently settled in.

It was in this moment she heard her grandmother's heartbeat and smelled her comforting scent, a hand lightly caressing, no, patting her back in a strange rhythm.

Jiang Sheng's eyes drooped closed. Full from the meal, it was easy to get sleepy, and sinking into this warm, secure embrace, she quickly fell asleep.

In her dreams, she was wrapped in swaddling unable to speak, only able to open her mouth and wail.

Every time she cried for a bit, a black-haired woman would come over, humming a song as she rhythmically patted the swaddle. "Baby is good, full and fed, time to sleep, Grandma is here, no crying or fussing."

Just like right now.