She was quite angry at Huang Shan's words, but she didn't resort to her usual shrewish outburst.
I used to think that the old house was always arrogant and domineering, but now I realize that it's not all that great.
He has great ambitions, but he's all talk and no action, and he doesn't recognize his own worth.
Almost everyone in the Huang family could sense the changes in Xie.
Without realizing it, she had already developed the aura and mindset of a matriarch.
“Back then, we lived in town, which was too close to the village. We couldn’t just tear away the last shred of dignity your grandparents had left,” Jiang Nuan said helplessly. “Besides, our family didn’t have the status we have now back then, so it was better not to expose it.”
Does she really think she wants to put up with it?
But in this era, seniority determines right and wrong, and the truth is not important.
No matter how outrageous the old man's actions are, even if he were to kill his son, outsiders would only make a few sarcastic remarks, sigh in private, and discuss what the younger generation did wrong to displease the old man.
The choice of most people is to mind their own business, which is not cold-heartedness, but a form of self-protection.
"I should have just not let them in," Xie said, still unhappy. "My cousin is out of his mind. He knows we need his help, yet he still complains like this and that. Who owes him anything?"
"Otherwise, why let them in?" Jiang Nuan spread her hands helplessly. "We have to make him give up first, otherwise, he will still find opportunities to scheme."
"They may not give up now!"
"Even if he doesn't give up, it's not up to him."
"Mother, do you think Grandpa and Uncle really didn't know they were coming today?"
"I don't know. This question is meaningless. Anyway, the outcome won't change. The two families won't have any connection, unless your grandfather has no one to take care of him in the future."
If it really comes to that, the family will be willing to provide for my retirement, whether they want to or not.
“That’s impossible,” Madam Xie laughed at these words. “Both my grandfather and my eldest uncle are shrewd and calculating. Besides, we have so much money left in our family that we can’t even spend it all while we’re lying down. How could we possibly end up with no one to take care of us?”
"Too."
Jiang Nuan also thought it was impossible.
On the official road.
After being kicked out, the two were in a gloomy mood and their faces were long.
"Now I can see my second aunt's true character. What kindness and righteousness? She's clearly a snob. Once she's successful, she looks down on us poor relatives."
"Shut up," Sister-in-law Huang was truly angry. "Are you brainless? Don't you know what you can and can't say without thinking? Can you even bring up things from the past?"
And they even said they deserved it.
If we don't chase you away, who else would we chase away!
Originally, it was their fault for being unfair, but since the old man was the elder, the second branch of the family could only swallow their grievances. They were already feeling extremely aggrieved, and then their son added insult to injury with sarcastic remarks. Wasn't that just asking for trouble?
"Mother, I just wanted to use reverse psychology."
Huangshan also felt wronged.
Who knew they would react so strongly?
Instead of trying to get a job by being humble and ingratiating, it's better to do the opposite.
According to his idea, after hitting the nail on the head, the second wife's family should arrange a job for them to prove they were wrong.
"Fool!" Sister-in-law Huang couldn't help but scold, then looked her son up and down. "Even your grandfather can't beat your second aunt, and you, a mere brat, think you can turn the world upside down? If you behave yourself, you might have a chance, but now you're just dreaming."
Sister-in-law Huang had given up all hope.
There was already a rift between them; the mother and son were disliked by everyone, and the son had thoroughly offended people. Forget about getting a job; they were already thankful they hadn't been punished.
“Mother, how can you say that?” Huang Shan was indignant. “My second aunt’s family was lucky. If someone else had the same luck, they might be doing even better.”
"That's fate. We're destined to never achieve great wealth in our lives."
"I'm not convinced."
"What can you do if you're not convinced?" Huang Dasou said impatiently. "Alright, stop talking about this. Hurry up and go to the county town to have a doctor take your pulse."
"Take my pulse? What pulse?" Huang Shan's face changed. "I'm not sick, I don't need to take my pulse."
“I have to go, whether it’s there or not, I’ll just feel uneasy,” said Sister Huang, pausing as she looked earnestly at her son. “Dashan, tell me the truth, are you hanging out with vixens every day?”
"Of course not, my son is not that kind of person."
"That would be best, otherwise, I'll beat that scoundrel to death."
"Mom, let's hurry home, it won't be good if Dad finds out if we're late."
"No, we must go to the county clinic," Sister-in-law Huang began to assert herself. "I've known for a long time that something was wrong with you. You used to be able to eat two bowls of rice, but now you're like a cat, only able to eat half a bowl, and your face is deathly pale. Before, I thought it was because you were injured and had no color, but now I think that was wrong."
"I didn't let Doctor Gu take your pulse because I wanted to save you face, so that you wouldn't be looked down upon by them for the rest of your life, just like your grandma said."
“But this is no small matter. You have to go whether you want to or not, or I will file a complaint with your father.”
"Mother, why don't you still believe your son? I'm your son."
“It’s precisely because you’re my son that I can’t believe it,” Sister-in-law Huang said, pursing her lips. “Judging from your guilty look, there’s definitely something wrong.”
No matter what her son said or how much he made a fuss, Mrs. Huang had already made up her mind to take him to the clinic.
It's good if you're not sick, but if you are, getting treatment early will help you recover sooner.
At this point, she hadn't realized the seriousness of the situation. Although she felt ashamed, she remained optimistic.
The Huang family's peace was short-lived, as Liu An's flamboyant concubines finally arrived.
Seeing young girls in their teens and twenties throwing themselves at that old geezer Liu An, Jiang Nuan felt utterly ashamed.
"Liu An," she asked with a forced smile, "how many concubines do you actually have?"
She thought five or six rooms were the maximum.
Indeed, I have greatly underestimated the great Confucian scholar who was so concerned with food and sex.
There are sixteen beautiful women who have come here, a full sixteen!
It's easy to imagine that besides these precious treasures, there are countless withered branches and fallen leaves covered in dust in the mansion.
"Not much, not much," Liu An chuckled. "I'm not lustful and don't care much about these things."
"How much exactly?"
"Well," Liu An glanced around, then said sheepishly, "it's about the same age as me."
What he didn't say was that this number didn't include those that had already been given away or died prematurely.
"About your age?" Jiang Nuan covered her mouth in surprise. "That's just too hateful."
“Madam, this is a strange statement. What I have done is nothing, not even half as good as Grand Secretaries An and Zhong,” Liu An defended himself indignantly. “Especially Grand Secretary An, who is old and unable to have sex, yet still takes in many beautiful concubines, leaving young girls to live as widows. That is truly a sin.”
You guys are amazing!
Jiang Nuan was completely convinced.
I strongly suspect these people are mentally ill.
Unable to resist asking, "Could it be that you're deliberately taking so many beautiful women to prove you're still vigorous in your old age?"
Upon hearing this, Liu An lowered his head in embarrassment.
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