Ge Liutao's face turned pale in an instant, her hand unable to hold the towel, which fell to the ground.
It had been many years since Chiang Xiao had heard that voice, but now, hearing it again, she still found it painfully familiar.
An excruciatingly familiar kind of pain.
The visitor was Ho Laidi, from the Old Chiang Family, Chiang Songhai's older sister-in-law, and Song Xiyun's mother-in-law.
She was also the person from the two Chiang households whom Ge Liutao feared the most.
Ho Laidi had married into the Chiang Family several years before Ge Liutao did, and as the eldest daughter-in-law, she was particularly capable. She managed the household and farm work with ease, and she could also bear children. Giving birth to a son within a year made her quite influential in the Chiang Family.
When Ge Liutao married Chiang Songhai, the Chiang Family had not yet split, and due to her overly gentle nature, she was always suppressed by Ho Laidi. Although they were supposed to be sisters-in-law, Ho Laidi treated her more like a maid these past few years.
Back in the day, Chiang Xiao's uncle Deng Qingjiang was abandoned outside the Chiang Family's gate. At that time, Old Master Chiang was still alive and, on a whim of compassion, fearing the child would freeze to death, he decided to take in Deng Qingjiang.
Ho Laidi, having given birth to a son, was unwilling to adopt Deng Qingjiang under any circumstances, thus she forced Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao to take him in.
Later, Ge Liutao bore only Chiang Xiao's mother, a daughter, and Ho Laidi taunted her daily with bitter and sarcastic comments about her inability to bear a son. This left Ge Liutao feeling deeply oppressed, making the sight of Ho Laidi instill fear in her.
Chiang Songhai saw what was happening and could no longer bear it, insisting on splitting the family. That's how there came to be the Old Chiang Family and the Chiang Family.
Originally, the two were one large household. When it came to dividing the property, Ho Laidi argued and fussed, arrogantly allotting them just a few old houses and a yard merely one-third the size of the Old Chiang Family's.
Ho Laidi wouldn't normally visit, but whenever she did, Ge Liutao subconsciously felt as if she couldn't breathe.
"What should we do? Xiyun really did go and tell your maternal great-aunt about calling for the Fairy!" Ge Liutao panicked at once.
Chiang Xiao struggled to sit up, saying, "Grandma, do you also think I am possessed by a ghost?"
She remembered that she had awoken in a daze before, and it seemed she had said something inappropriate, which must have frightened Grandma.
But at that time, she wasn't lucid, and had thought she actually died, murmuring those words to herself.
Chiang Songhai, standing by the door, furrowed his brows, "Little, don't talk nonsense. You are our family's Little, isn't it so hard for us to recognize our own granddaughter?"
Although she was a granddaughter from outside the immediate family, there was no difference in their hearts.
"I will go out and stop your sister-in-law. Child, you need to rest some more," said Chiang Songhai as he walked out, lifting the curtain.
Ge Liutao nodded quickly, gently touching her forehead and said, "You are our Little."
Chiang Xiao leaned her head on her grandma's shoulder and said softly, "Grandma, don't be afraid of her. We've already split the family; she can't interfere with our home."
She needed to recover quickly, to strengthen her body—ready for battle!
Perhaps sensing her fighting spirit, her stomach growled.
"Grandma, I want to eat."
Ge Liutao was stunned for a moment, surprised that at this time, eating was what she thought about.
"Well, then I'll go out and stir-fry some dishes and bring them in to you shortly." If it hadn't been for Guiying and Song Xiyun causing such a fuss, they would have already eaten by now.
Ge Liutao hurriedly left.
Chiang Xiao also intended to follow and listen to what Ho Laidi had to say, but as she prepared to get up, she became dizzy and had to lie down again.
She planned to prop herself up with her hand, but her arm was weak, and failing to support her, she pressed down on her own fingers with a slap.
It was then that she suddenly remembered what should have been the most important thing.
Heavens, she had almost forgotten!
The pen—had it come back with her?