Chapter 18 Hu Datian asked, "I'm not..."
Hu Datian asked, "Didn't I tell you to stay and watch over Ah Hu and the others? What are you doing out here?"
Before Hu Dali and Liu could speak, a little girl of about twelve years old, who looked somewhat like Azhu, ran out of the house. This must be Hu Datian's other daughter, Ayu. Ayu said to Hu Datian in a soft, sweet voice, "Father, Second Uncle and Second Aunt said that Sister will come back to harm us. They can't let Sister harm them too, so they have to go home..."
Hu Dali lowered his head in shame.
However, Liu showed no remorse and instead said matter-of-factly, "Brother, you're wrong. Who knows when Ah Zhu will suddenly show up? She wants to harm Ah Yu and her two siblings, but you can't expect us to take the fall for your children..."
Hu Datian never expected Liu to say such heartless things. He had worked himself to the bone to support Hu Dali's family. Not to mention Azhu, even his older son, Alang, was often called upon by Liu to do odd jobs. A few years ago, Hu Datian finally managed to save up some money to send Alang to school, but Liu cried and complained that Hu Dali was useless and that a "clever" child like Afu was too old to go to school and didn't have the money to start his education, thus ruining his future.
Hu Datian felt a pang of pity as Liu spoke with tears streaming down her face.
Hu Datian recalled how his parents, before they died, held his hand and repeatedly told him that Dali was ugly, weak, and not very bright, and that he would have to rely on him as the older brother in the future. They told Hu Datian to take good care of his younger brother.
Later, Hu Dali was also dragged along by Liu to beg him.
The couple were both crying and sniffling.
Hu Datian couldn't bear it any longer, so he told Ah Lang, who was looking forward to going to school, to postpone his studies for a few years and let his nephew Ah Fu go first.
Hu Datian thought to himself, since these are all Hu family children anyway, if Afu does well in his studies in the future, he can naturally help Alang and the others. It doesn't matter who goes to school. He can save up some money later and send Alang to school.
But who would have thought... Ah Fu was simply not cut out for this.
Hu Datian had some regrets, but since he had already promised Hu Dali and Liu Shi to support Afu's education, he couldn't go back on his word.
Hu Dali, who was hiding behind Liu, was still a little scared when he saw his elder brother get so angry for the first time. He quickly stepped forward awkwardly and said, "Brother, Afu's mother is clumsy with words. That's not what she meant. How could my husband and I do that? We were just thinking that Afu is home alone. What if Azhu goes to look for Afu? So we thought we would go back to check on Afu first. If Afu is alright, we will come back..."
Hu Datian's anger subsided slightly, and he asked suspiciously, "Is that what you're thinking?"
"Of course," Hu Dali hurriedly said. "A Lang and the others are my own nieces and nephews. No matter how bad I am, I would never do such a heartless thing."
Wei Yin watched the family from the side and smiled without making a sound. She turned her gaze to Ayu, who was standing next to Hu Datian. This little girl looked a lot like Azhu, but had more of a heroic air about her. She was frowning and glaring at Hu Dali and the Liu couple.
After the couple left, she tugged at Hu Datian's hand. "Father, don't believe what Second Uncle and Second Aunt said. They left because they were afraid of Sister. They won't come back..."
Before his second daughter could finish speaking, Hu Datian interrupted her impatiently: "Ayu, how can a junior gossip about his elders? Your second uncle and aunt are right. It's natural for them to worry about Afu being home alone. Your father won't allow you to speak ill of your own uncle and aunt like that anymore. How can family members talk like two different people? Do you hear me?"
Ayu stopped talking, biting her lip as she looked at her father. Finally, under Hu Datian's displeased gaze, she could only softly reply, "I heard you," and stare at the doorway.
There stood a boy of about twelve years old. His clothes were much older and thinner than his sister Ayu's, but they looked clean and tidy. He was probably Hu Datian's second son, Alang. He was born into a farming family, but he had a somewhat weak and scholarly air about him. He looked like a child who had been to school and learned manners, but his gaze was particularly cold, especially when he looked at his father, his second uncle, and his second aunt.
Ayu then ran away from Hu Datian and headed straight for Alang.
Ah Lang took his sister's hand, his eyes softening slightly, and then led her into the house.
Hu Datian silently watched his children return to the house for a while. Seeing that Wei Yin was still staring at them, he explained, "These are my eldest son and second daughter. Ah Lang and Ah Yu were raised by Ah Zhu since they were little, and they were closest to her. They've been quite sad since Ah Zhu died. Only Ah Hu, being so young, doesn't understand that Ah Zhu is dead. He always thought that Ah Zhu had just gone to work for a wealthy family. To be honest, if Ah Hu hadn't told us, we wouldn't have known that Ah Zhu had gone home. But when I asked Ah Lang and Ah Yu, they wouldn't say anything. If I hadn't actually seen it yesterday, I would have been wondering if Ah Hu was just making things up..."
Upon hearing this, Wei Yin glanced once more at the spot where the two children had just been standing.
Hu Datian glanced at the moon in the sky. "Madam, it's getting late. I think Ah Zhu will be here soon..."
Wei Yin then looked to his side.
Lu Hun's voice quickly appeared in her ears, "Azhu sensed Po Jun's murderous aura. If I go in, she won't dare to show herself again. So, you and Hu Datian have to go in together. Once inside, take all the water out of the room and pour it all out, leaving nothing behind. Then, have him stay in the outer room as usual. You go to Ayu's room."
Wei Yin nervously asked in a very low voice, "You...you want me to go alone?"
"Um."
His voice still sounded emotionless: "I'll keep an eye on things from nearby."
Wei Yin took a deep breath. She was a little scared to face the vengeful ghost alone. After hesitating for a long time, she had no choice but to bite the bullet and go in.
The three children sat on the bed in the inner room. Ayu nestled behind her brother Alang, looking at Wei Yin with a bewildered and seemingly unhappy expression. Alang sat in the middle of the bed, holding Ayu's hand with one hand and holding Ahu on his lap with the other. His gaze towards Wei Yin grew even colder. When Wei Yin looked over, he and Ayu turned their heads away at the same time. The two siblings knew what Hu Datian and Wei Yin were planning to do tonight. Only Ahu looked completely bewildered, staring at Wei Yin with his big, dark eyes full of curiosity.
After blinking twice, he quickly recognized Wei Yin and immediately whispered excitedly in Ah Lang's ear, "Second Brother, she's the lady who brought Ah Fu back that night. I told you about her. She's really beautiful, isn't she?"
Ah Lang frowned and covered Ah Hu's mouth, "Don't speak."
Ah Hu looked up at his second brother's firm little chin with a hint of unhappiness. It took him a while to pull Ah Lang's hand away from his mouth and ask Wei Yin without any fear.
"Madam, are you here to visit us? My sister promised me she would come to see us often, so you might see her soon..."
Before he could finish speaking, Ah Lang covered his mouth again. This time, Ah Lang was no longer as good-tempered as before; he was clearly angry. He glared fiercely at his younger brother: "Ah Hu!"
Ah Hu was reluctant and tried to break free from Ah Lang's embrace. Ah Yu called out to him angrily, "Ah Hu, listen to your second brother and stop making trouble, or we won't talk to you anymore!"
Upon hearing this, Ah Hu dared not move again. Although unwilling, he could only obediently shut his mouth.
Seeing the children chattering away in the inner room, Hu Datian scolded them, "It's so late, why aren't you all going to sleep?"
He instructed his son, "Alang, your father and this lady have important business tonight. You take Ayu and Ahu to bed early."
Ah Lang's cold gaze lingered on Hu Datian's face for a moment, his lips slightly pursed, "Understood, Father."
Hu Datian then cautiously looked at Wei Yin: "Madam?"
Wei Yin clearly sensed that Lu Hun hadn't followed her in. She glanced outside uneasily, took another deep breath to calm her racing heart, and then instructed Hu Datian, "Uncle, pour out all the water in the house. Don't leave a drop."
Hu Datian was surprised and quite puzzled, but seeing Wei Yin's serious expression, he didn't dare to think too much about it and immediately did as he was told.
After Hu Datian took all the water out of the house, Wei Yin checked it carefully twice more. She saw that even the half-jar of wine that had been hidden had been taken out and poured out. Only then did she go to Ayu's room.
The three children were not asleep. They kept looking around while Hu Datian poured water, especially Ah Hu, who was particularly curious. When Wei Yin went in, he was afraid that Hu Datian would see him, so he had to close his eyes and fall asleep.
Ah Lang and Ah Yu exchanged a blank glance before closing their eyes.
The night deepened.
The door to the inner room was closed.
The originally hot night breeze gradually cooled down as the night deepened. Wei Yin sat on a rattan chair next to the children's bed. This was a new rattan chair that Hu Datian had bought and specially moved into the inner room for Wei Yin to sit on tonight. Therefore, a brand new quilt was specially laid on the rattan chair.
Wei Yin had been pampered since childhood. Looking at the simple rattan chair with bedding and the humble little house in front of her, she frowned repeatedly. But she couldn't leave. She carefully sat down on the rattan chair.
Not knowing when Ah Zhu would arrive, she clutched the amulet around her neck, head bowed in thought. She vaguely heard a few noises coming from Hu Datian outside, but soon the noises stopped and turned into a low snore, as if he had fallen asleep from exhaustion.
Wei Yin wasn't sleepy at first, but as she listened, her eyelids began to droop.
Perhaps Ah Zhu wouldn't arrive until late at night, so she simply closed her eyes and took a nap to recharge.
However, what Wei Yin didn't know was that not long after she closed her eyes, the two children on the bed secretly stirred. They were the twin siblings, A Lang and A Yu. They hadn't fallen asleep yet. As soon as Wei Yin closed her eyes, the two children suddenly opened their eyes and woke up.
A note from the author:
----------------------
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com