When Niu handed a club to Chen, Shen Danru finally understood why the people from the second branch of the family had changed their expressions.
It turns out that the family rules that Chen mentioned were actually a complete idiot.
Chen took the mallet and struck Shen Danru. Shen Cheng stepped forward to protect Shen Danru.
Heavy sticks rained down on Shen Cheng, but he stood ramrod straight and didn't budge.
He couldn't talk back or fight back; he could only let Chen hit him.
Ange'er is of marriageable age. The family is already poor, and if he gains a reputation for being unfilial, the child may never be able to find a wife in his lifetime.
Shen Yu'an's face turned red with anger, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked, while Shen Yuyan glared hatefully at Chen Shi.
A warm feeling welled up in Shen Danru's heart; it was the first time she had been protected by her family like this.
Back in the Marquis's mansion, although she had a younger brother, he only knew how to boss her around and didn't know how to respect her as his elder sister. If she didn't get her way over the smallest thing, he would point at Shen Danru's nose and yell at her.
"The Marquis's mansion is my home. Who do you think you are? When you get married, let's see if I'll still let you in. Don't forget that when you get to your husband's family, you'll still be counting on me to back you up."
At this point, the mother would also stand up and criticize Song Danru for being immature and not knowing how to be considerate of her younger siblings.
Shen Danru would only secretly wipe away her tears in grievance.
With her father and brothers protecting her, Shen Danru feels very happy from the bottom of her heart.
She tried to struggle and snatch the so-called family law from Chen's hands, but her father held her and she couldn't move.
She was about to speak when her father covered her mouth.
She knew in her heart that her father was afraid she would talk back. Chen Shi's attention was on her father right now, and if she opened her mouth, Chen Shi would definitely hit her.
Shen Danru suddenly felt so weak and pathetic. She hated herself. What was the meaning of being reborn?
Her eyes gradually welled up with tears. She clenched her fists and vowed to become strong.
Chen used all her strength in that beating, completely disregarding any familial ties.
In the blink of an eye, Shen Cheng's back was covered in blood and gore. Chen Shi was tired and stopped, casually shaking her right wrist.
"Grandma, Grandma, I found lots of white rice in the kitchen."
Shen Yuyuan ran up to Chen Shi and handed her the rice as if it were a treasure.
Chen's eyes lit up.
After the family supported a scholar, most of their earnings went to Shen Yushu's tuition and living expenses. Even the best food ended up in Shen Yushu's mouth to nourish his body.
Shen Yushu lived up to expectations and passed the imperial examination at the age of twenty, which made his family cherish him even more.
The family members only had bran and wild vegetables to eat, and they couldn't even get enough coarse grains. They hadn't eaten rice in ages.
Chen weighed it in her hand; it was actually five or six pounds, and her lips curved into a smile.
"This time I'll teach you a lesson. If you dare to steal food again next time, none of you from the second wife's family can live here anymore. Get out of here!"
Chen took the rice and left, and the others followed, leaving only the second branch of the family feeling heartbroken and dejected.
At this moment, Shen Cheng's face was deathly pale, large beads of sweat dripped down his face, and his hands were clenched so tightly that he didn't feel any pain even when his nails dug into his skin.
Why did his mother treat him like this? Why did she treat his child like this?
Is he really his mother's biological son?
"Dad, thank you."
Shen Danru called out "Father" from the bottom of her heart. When she saw that Shen Cheng's clothes were soaked with blood, she quickly helped him sit down.
"It's all my fault for being incompetent, causing Ru'er to suffer."
Shen Cheng looked remorseful, a bitter smile playing on his lips.
Zhou Shi's face was already red from crying, while Shen Yu'an and Shen Yu'yan stood to the side with chilling eyes.
"Brother, is there a doctor nearby?"
Shen Yu'an's eyes flickered, and he seemed troubled.
Shen Danru immediately understood that the person in charge of the Shen family was Chen, and all the money earned by each branch of the family had to be handed over to the public treasury. Trying to get money from Chen to buy medicine would be as difficult as climbing to the sky.
She took out fifty taels of silver notes from her purse and handed them to Shen Yu'an: "Brother, here are fifty taels of silver notes. Please take them and use them to get medicine for Father."
Shen Cheng: "Dad is fine, no need to get medicine. Quickly put the money away, or your grandma will come and snatch it away again."
A flash of fierceness crossed Chen Danru's eyes.
The Chen family is really capable of doing this.
The poorer the family, the more discordant they are. Parents often exploit their least favorite child even more, and siblings can easily turn against each other over a pittance.
"Father, since Grandma treats you this way, haven't you ever thought about separating the family?"
Upon hearing this, a glimmer of hope flashed in the eyes of Shen Yu'an and Shen Yu'yan. They had mentioned it to their father many times, but he not only refused but also scolded them. They hoped that their second sister/elder sister could persuade their father, and perhaps he would agree.
A thin layer of sadness welled up in Shen Cheng's eyes: "Child, I know you've been wronged, but I can't go against the principle that parents shouldn't separate. Your grandmother was just confused for a moment..."
Shen Danru sighed inwardly. Shen Cheng was somewhat blindly filial; it seemed she would have to let him figure it out himself.
Seeing that Shen Yu'an wouldn't accept the silver note, Shen Danru forced it into his hand. Shen Yu'an looked grateful, but only took ten taels of silver notes and left.
Shen Cheng only had a superficial wound, nothing serious. The doctor prescribed some medicine, both internal and external, and charged him 500 coins. He told Shen Cheng not to work or sweat for the next few days to avoid infection, and then left with his medicine box.
They were having trouble finding a place to rest at night. The second house only had one mud-brick house, and Shen Yu'an and Shen Yu'yan usually slept in a thatched shed in the yard.
Now that Shen Danru has joined the family, it's against the rules to let a young lady live in a thatched hut, especially since Shen Danru is a pampered young lady who grew up in the Marquis's mansion.
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