Chapter 38 [VIP]
"Damn it, is there no law anymore? This is going to kill us!"
When Dong Jia and Xiao Rou returned to the Dong family home, it had been smashed to pieces. Old Mrs. Dong was sitting on the ground crying and wailing, surrounded by neighbors who were just watching the commotion, but no one came forward to help.
Seeing that his door had been kicked down, Dong Jia roared, "Do you know who I am? How dare you come to my house and cause trouble!"
After yelling, he didn't forget to look at the neighbors around him, "They say a close neighbor is worse than a distant relative, and you're all just watching the show? Have you forgotten what my wife's surname is?"
The neighbors never expected that their attempt to watch the spectacle would backfire and cause trouble for them.
Hearing that Dong Jia wanted to ask them for help with such an arrogant attitude, the middle-aged man at the front spat and said, "Your fourth son eats and drinks for free and takes other people's things. Now that they've come to us, you expect us to stand up for you."
"How could we not know your wife's surname? Why don't you go find Commander Xiao? What's the use of calling us?"
"I heard you stood outside the Xiao residence for ages yesterday, but didn't even get through the gate..."
Before Dong Jia could say anything more, one of the burly men who had been vandalizing the Dong family's property raised his hand.
Before the man's hand could even land, Dong Jia closed his eyes, covered his head, and sat down on the ground, repeatedly begging for mercy.
Seeing this, the men burst into laughter: "Old woman, is this the imposing Dong Dalang you were talking about who could make us look bad? If you want to rely on your son, I think you'll have to find a way to have another one. This one is unreliable."
"You heartless scoundrels, do you even know who my son and daughter-in-law are? The famous Commander Xiao of Yizhou City is her younger brother. My son and daughter-in-law just returned from the Xiao residence. If you're not afraid of death, then stay here and wait for Commander Xiao to send people to arrest you!"
Ignoring her son who was lying on the ground, Old Lady Dong hid behind Xiao Rou and pushed her toward those people.
Xiao Rou bit her lip, realizing that these people had ill intentions, but she didn't want to go along with Old Lady Dong's suggestion and say that she had some kind of relationship with Xiao Chuan.
“Oh, we have heard that Commander Xiao has a biological sister, but Commander Xiao doesn’t care about her at all. If you have any shame, you shouldn’t be here at the gate of the Xiao residence during the New Year.”
Old Lady Dong and Dong Jia didn't understand anything and continued to threaten the group by saying they were related to Xiao Chuan, but Xiao Rou understood what they meant. These people must have been sent by the Xiao family.
Xiao Rou's face turned pale and then red: "You can leave now, we won't go there again."
"Why are you leaving? You've smashed so many of our things, how can we let them get away so easily? We're going to report this to the authorities. If you don't pay us a hundred taels of silver, you can expect to go to jail!"
Dong Jia felt ashamed of his foolish behavior earlier, and now L stood domineeringly in front of them, raising his neck in an attempt to save face.
Unfortunately, the newcomers were neither afraid of him nor of reporting to the authorities, and they all raised their fists. This time, L and his men weren't just pretending; they actually raised their fists and gave him a beating.
When the onlookers saw that a real fight had broken out, no one stepped forward to help, which shows how much the Dong family was disliked by others.
Old Lady Dong was surprised that Xiao Rou still dared to hit people. Seeing Xiao Rou standing there like a wooden stake, she roared, "Aren't you going to help your man? Do you want them to beat Da Lang to death? If you rush over there, they won't dare to hit you."
Seeing that Xiao Rou obediently threw herself onto Dong Jia, the group actually stopped.
Mi Yao's order was to smash up the Dong family's property. If Dong Jia tried to stop them, she would beat him so badly that he couldn't get out of bed for days. However, Mi Yao specifically instructed that Xiao Rou should not be touched in the slightest.
However, even if Mi Yao didn't confess, they wouldn't dare to touch Xiao Rou.
Even if the master ignores Xiao Rou, Xiao Rou is still his blood relative, unlike those shameless people from the Dong family.
"I'm in a good mood today, so I'll just give you a beating and forget about the money Dong Si owes. But if I find out what you've done to get me into trouble, it won't be as simple as just smashing things and punching me a few times."
After they finished speaking, they strode away. When Old Lady Dong saw that Xiao Rou was still lying dumbfounded on her son L after everyone had left, she was so angry that she pushed her away: "Do you want to crush my son L to death?"
"Old Lady Dong, you turn on me so quickly! If it weren't for Xiao Niang, they wouldn't have stopped."
Some people disliked Old Lady Dong and spoke up for Xiao Rou.
"Pah! What business is it of yours what happens in my family? Mind your own wife!"
The man was about to argue with Old Lady Dong, but seeing that Xiao Rou had already helped Dong Jia into the house, and that it was a case of one willing to hit and the other willing to be hit, she pursed her lips and stopped watching the commotion.
"They say that Si Lang owes money, what's going on?"
Upon entering the house and seeing the mess on the floor, Xiao Rou asked Old Lady Dong.
"It's all because of you!"
Hearing Xiao Rou's question, Old Lady Dong said angrily, "Those people lied to Si Lang, saying they knew he was your brother's relative and wanted to curry favor with him. They gave him money and took him to restaurants to eat. Who knew that as soon as they ate the food, they turned their backs on him and demanded that Si Lang return the money. Where would Si Lang get the money?"
Seeing that the people had left, Dong Silang, who was trembling inside the house, nodded hurriedly and said, "It's all your fault, sister-in-law. They must have a grudge against your brother and they're trying to trick me because of him."
“…”
"If it's your fault, then it's your fault. How old is Silang? How could he understand?"
The house was vandalized, which was a big deal for Old Master Dong, but when she heard Xiao Rou scolding her son, she quickly protected him, saying, "If you're so capable, you won't be guilty of anything if you don't anger your brother."
Xiao Rou already felt ashamed, and listening to Old Lady Dong's incessant scolding, she forced a smile and said, "Brother, it's because I don't want to divorce Da Lang."
As soon as she finished speaking, everyone in the room looked at her.
Old Mrs. Dong was the first to speak angrily: "What do you mean by this? Do you want to divorce my son L? Tell me, when you shamelessly eloped with my son L, how did my family treat you badly? My son L made you new clothes and bought you rouge. I raised him all these years, and he has never treated me like that. If a woman who eloped in another family were to be drowned in a pig cage, my family would have married you properly. What more could you possibly want?!"
“Sister-in-law, you mustn’t forget your roots. Look at the state you’ve ruined my family, and how my brother got beaten up. We haven’t even made him divorce you.”
Dong Silang said from the side, "Our family has been good to you."
He hated that Xiao Rou had caused him to suffer this undeserved misfortune, but when he heard her mention divorce, he still felt afraid.
As long as Xiao Rou is in the Dong family, Xiao Chuan will always change, and they will eventually be able to live a good life. But now that Xiao Rou is gone, how can they establish a relationship with such an important figure as Xiao Chuan?
The other members of the Dong family thought similarly to Dong Silang. Dong Jia, who had been punched and kicked, had a lot of things to say, but when he saw Xiao Rou's cold expression, he swallowed his words and gave the other members of the Dong family a look, signaling them to step back.
“Rou’er L, I know I’m angry that I forced you to go to the Xiao residence, but it’s because I know you want to reconcile with your brother and see your nephew and niece.”
Dong Jia's bruised and swollen face, coupled with his lifeless tone, made him seem somewhat sincere.
Unfortunately, Xiao Rou was already used to his appearance.
Whenever he sensed that she was in a bad mood, he would speak softly and gently, and would even kneel down in front of her to beg her.
She used to believe that Dong Jia truly loved her, otherwise he wouldn't have knelt down before her or washed her feet to coax her. But after the same thing happened too many times, she just felt that Dong Jia was smarter than ordinary people. He knew that by giving in temporarily, he could get her to back down all the time, which was why he treated her this way.
Now she no longer wants to think about regrets; she just wants to live out her life peacefully.
"The people who came today must have been sent by the town magistrate's wife. Otherwise, why would someone set a trap for Si Lang? Don't go to the Xiao residence again. The town magistrate's wife is not someone to be trifled with."
In order to persuade Dong Jia to give up, Xiao Rou used a respectful term for Mi Yao.
"It's her! This wicked woman is so evil! How could your brother marry such a woman!"
Xiao Rou reminded him, and Dong Jia finally realized what was happening. He remembered that he had been beaten by people from the Xiao family, and his whole body ached even more.
He had originally hoped to gain some pity from Mi Yao by playing the victim, but upon hearing that it was Mi Yao's doing, he dared not go to the Xiao residence.
But even though people are afraid, they are still unwilling to give up.
"Why don't you go and report this to the authorities, Rou'er, and say that Yu Nu disrespected you, her nun, and even hit you?"
“I will be fine if I report to the authorities, but when Magistrate Xiao returns, he will not do anything to me, but you will inevitably get another beating from him.”
Normally, she would have remained silent in the face of Dong Jia's unreasonable words, but after what had just happened, she remembered her sister-in-law who had smiled gently at her in the bridal chamber, and how she had had the Dong family's house smashed up because she thought she was disturbing them.
An overwhelming sense of shame enveloped her.
Does she just want Dong Jia to give up these ideas as soon as possible? Even if it means scolding her a few more times and giving her a few dirty looks, she shouldn't have to stand at the gate of the Xiao residence anymore.
Reminded by Xiao Rou, Dong Jia shuddered, recalling Xiao Chuo's godlike methods.
However, he didn't give up for more than two days.
Because he was afraid of Madam Wu but not afraid of her, he felt this was a good opportunity to let everyone know that Mi Yao was difficult and unreasonable. She promised Dong Jia money and forced him to cause trouble at the Xiao residence again.
This time, Mi Yao's response was even more direct. She had Dong Jia tied up and thrown at the gate of the Wu residence, and then sent several people to take turns shouting their grievances at the gate of the Wu residence.
As for what she wanted to say in protest, Mi Yao chose the one that would most anger Madam Wu.
They were to spread the word that Madam Wu was jealous of her beauty and was secretly plotting all sorts of underhanded tricks to ruin her reputation.
No matter how the people from the Wu family came out to explain and kick them out, the person who went to knock on the door just pretended to be deaf and wouldn't listen to the explanation. He just kept repeating Mi Yao's instructions.
Eight people shout in pairs, and when someone's voice gets tired, a new person takes their place.
For a time, the gate of the Wu Mansion became the liveliest place in Yizhou City.
It can only be said that the soft fear the hard, and the hard fear the ruthless.
Mi Yao fully demonstrated to the Wu family that her performance at the Jiedushi's mansion that day was the result of restraint, not an extraordinary performance.
Upon receiving the letter, Wu Liping rushed back to his residence, intending to follow Mi Yao's example and grab someone to throw at the Xiao residence's gate. However, Pu Qing and the others had been watching from the shadows. Seeing that the Wu family was about to make a move, they immediately covered the Xiao family's servants and slipped away into the crowd.
Chaos erupted in the crowd, and many onlookers were unjustly attacked, pushed down by the Wu family members and subjected to a cacophony of curses.
Although there was a setback, it was a good thing that the people who were shouting were driven away. Wu Liping finally breathed a sigh of relief and was about to open his mouth to clarify the misunderstanding when he heard the sound of rapid hoofbeats approaching from afar.
Staring intently, Xiao Chuan, dressed in a black robe, sat high on his horse, his thin lips pressed tightly together. His cold and handsome features were aloof and arrogant. He didn't need to say a word; the noisy crowd fell silent because of the fierce aura he exuded.
In the silence, Xiao Chua dismounted, picked up Dong Jia, who was tied up and thrown at the gate of the Wu residence, and stepped into the gate. He glanced at Xiao Rou, who was standing helplessly to the side, and said coldly, "You come in too."
*
Upon hearing that Xiao Chuan had gone directly to the Wu residence, Mi Yao was momentarily surprised.
She thought that, given his usual behavior, he would avoid meeting Xiao Rou, but she didn't expect him to confront the issue so directly this time. Moreover, it seemed that his approach to the problem was just as simple and brutal as hers, and he had no intention of giving her any face.
Come to think of it, could he have learned this from her?
She didn't care about making enemies because she didn't have any ambition to climb the social ladder, and he would be there to support her if things went wrong. Was it appropriate for him to act so recklessly if he wanted to be a tyrant?
Suddenly, she couldn't help but worry about whether Xiao Chua, her long-term meal ticket, was reliable, and she began to think back to what other good characters were in the book, so that she could replace them later.
However, Mi Yao thought about it for a moment and then let it go. Changing people was too troublesome and not suitable for her. She would rather hope for Xiao Chuan to be better.
Xiao Chuan arrived at the outskirts of Yizhou City with Yu Shaoyang's family. Knowing that Wu Fusheng had left beforehand, Xiao Chuan waited a while longer after the messenger told her that she had gone to Wu Fusheng's residence before Yu Shaoyang and his wife Zhen Shi's carriage stopped at the gate of Xiao Fusheng's residence.
As soon as the carriage came to a stop, before Mi Yao could even approach, Yu Shaoyang got off and quickly walked up to her.
Yu Shaoyang held Mi Yao's shoulder and looked her over from head to toe, and then from toe to head again.
Finally, she managed to say, "You've lost weight."
Hearing this, Mi Yao chuckled: "I know you care about me, brother, but you can't lie through your teeth. You forgot that last time you came home to see me, you told me to eat more, saying that I was as thin as a sheet of paper and that you were afraid I would be blown away by the slightest breeze."
The original owner always liked it when others praised her for being slender, believing that that was the ideal of beauty.
But she was different. She didn't like touching herself and feeling only bones. Besides, she couldn't do what the original owner did, preferring to starve to the point of fainting rather than eat.
She's at least two sizes bigger than when Yu Shaoyang last saw the original owner, and she's also grown a little taller.
"The soil and water here are better for you."
Yu Shaoyang originally wanted to find fault, but seeing the radiant smile on his sister's face, he sighed, "You've made a good marriage."
The head of the Yu family kept the marriage between Mi Yao and Xiao Chuan a secret from him. By the time he found out, both sides had already arranged the wedding ceremony. He sent many letters to his father and the head of the Yu family, but he was unable to stop it.
When he received Mi Yao's comforting letter, he thought she was trying to reassure him so he wouldn't worry. But now that he saw her in person, he was certain that the ease and comfort he felt from her letter were not an illusion.
His sister lived a much happier life after marrying Xiao Chu, that brute, than she did in the Yu household.
"These are Dalang and Erlang, and Shan'er L, and Xiu'er L is here too."
Mi Yao glanced at the group of kids who looked tense and were waiting for Yu Shaoyang to greet them. Afraid that they would choke on their words, she spoke up for them, "Tell your uncle your names."
After giving her a word of advice, Mi Yao saw the curtain on the carriage being lifted and stepped forward to greet her, saying, "Sister-in-law, are you well? You must have had a long journey."
The woman sitting in the carriage had her hair styled in a half-updo, adorned with a simple gilded hairpin inlaid with white gold. She had a rosy complexion and fair skin, and her chin and hands were softly rounded, giving her the appearance of an easy person to get along with.
Seeing that Zhen Jing was about to get out of the car, Mi Yao quickly stopped her, saying, "Sister-in-law is pregnant, so please stay in the car and get out after we enter the mansion."
Upon hearing Mi Yao mention her pregnancy, Zhen Jing subconsciously touched her belly and smiled, "I'm fine walking around. I'm already three months along. My pregnancy is going well. Every time the doctor checks my pulse, he says my pregnancy looks good."
As Zhen Jing spoke, she saw Yu Shaoyang walking over, glanced at him, and continued to say to Mi Yao, "I didn't expect your brother to tell you. He even repeatedly told you that you can't tell anyone until you're three months pregnant. I don't know where he heard that rule from."
“This rule applies everywhere. Hu Hu isn’t an outsider, so I told her secretly.”
Yu Shaoyang winked at Mi Yao, looking at her with an expression that said, "Look how good your brother is to you."
Mi Yao chuckled in support: "I know my brother is good to me. Let's go inside and talk. Don't rub salt in the wound with my wonderful brother."
The threshold of the main gate was removed to facilitate the carriage entering the mansion. As Yu Shaoyang walked, he looked at the furnishings of the Xiao mansion and said, "This mansion is quite elegant."
"These were all made by my mother, Uncle. Don't you think they're beautiful?"
Xiao Liang pointed to the vase of flowers not far from them and excitedly said to Yu Shaoyang.
"My sister's arrangement is natural, rustic, and beautiful."
Disapproving of Xiao Liang's proud and boastful manner, Yu Shaoyang spoke with even more pride. But after he finished speaking, seeing Xiao Liang smiling innocently at him and Xiao Shan standing aside with his hands behind his back nodding earnestly, he felt that it was too foolish of him to argue with a child.
After taking Zhen Jing to her residence to rest, and with no one else around, Yu Shaoyang frowned as he faced Mi Yao: "Having too many children in the manor always makes a fuss. How do you get along with these children? Are they easy to manage?"
He initially looked down on Xiao Chua's humble origins, but later became even more furious upon learning that he had three children.
Even if these three children are not his biological children, how can he suddenly have three adopted children?
"Brother, you don't like them? I feel like when Shan'er L looks up at you, you want to bend down and hug her."
Meeting his sister's smiling, teasing eyes, Yu Shaoyang once again sighed at how much his sister had changed.
He had been studying away from home since childhood and didn't spend much time with his sister. When they finally did meet, they could only exchange a few words because of gender and age barriers.
In the past, when he corresponded with her, he would usually ask questions, and she would give him a brief reply.
After she married and moved to Yizhou, their correspondence changed somewhat; she would write about interesting little things in her letters.
"The three children all look well-behaved, but no matter how pleasing Xiao Xiao is, she can't surpass our Yu family's Hu Hu."
Yu Shaoyang said righteously, "If Hu Hu doesn't like them, I don't care if they are innocent little kids who don't know any better. I won't give them any face."
When Mi Yao touched Yu Shaoyang's features, which bore a resemblance to her own, and saw the absolute favoritism he showed, she was taken aback.
She was close to Yu Shaoyang because he was her support, and she didn't mind giving him some emotional value to stabilize the relationship.
At this moment, she genuinely felt that having an older brother was a good thing.
This was the first time in both her previous and current lives that she had experienced the love and favor from her family without regard for personal gain or loss.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
