Xu Wanying's inner complaints were even louder than the chubby boy's: [Ugh, I can't take it, I really can't. How can I get him to stop? Otherwise, I'm really going to fall asleep.]
[Actually, using the chubby kid's boxing as a hypnotic method would be great; it's practically a godsend for insomniacs. But I eat and drink my fill every day and sleep until the sun is high in the sky, so I don't want to keep sleeping.]
[This chubby kid usually seems pretty clever, why is he suddenly so dull? What's the point of just boxing? We need to come up with something new!]
Upon hearing this, Jiang Pan immediately withdrew his hand, stopped his movements, and humbly asked her for guidance.
"Third Aunt, I think just practicing boxing is boring. I don't know much, but Grandmother and Mother both say that you are knowledgeable and experienced. Do you have any suggestions for me?"
Since Xu Wanying said that, she must have something on her mind. Why not tell her and let him do as she says?
If we go along with what my third aunt wants, we can surely make her happy.
"I'm not a martial artist, and any ideas I have are just nonsense. If I were to rashly bring them up and happen to tarnish the way of martial arts, that would be my fault. You just keep practicing your punches and don't worry about me!"
Xu Wanying immediately waved her hand to indicate her refusal.
The system couldn't stand it anymore and couldn't help but expose her thoughts.
[Host, the way you're saying this, isn't it just that you really want to offer advice, but know it'll be terrible, so you're giving a heads-up beforehand? It's just like trying to fool a child!]
Xu Wanying immediately retorted, her tone highly indignant: "Ha, System, do you have a problem with me today? I'm just speaking normally, and you're interpreting it maliciously. Besides, who are you calling a child? I got half-dead from that chubby kid the moment I arrived. Who's more like a weak, innocent child here?"
Once she mentions that he's half-dead, it's a sure-fire kill, since what the chubby guy did was really underhanded.
Even if the original owner had used despicable means to scheme for this marriage, he shouldn't have been the one to do it. It's only because Xu Wanying didn't suffer a concussion that she was so lucky.
Hearing her recount the past by the riverbank, he instantly became even more listless.
He didn't regret smashing his third aunt at first, after all, his third uncle was a man of great talent and integrity, and his third aunt was not worthy of him at all. But after a magical artifact appeared, he realized that he was terribly wrong.
That smash almost destroyed the artifact.
"Third Aunt, it's alright. You can give me any suggestions you may have, and I will do my best to help you. I was ignorant before, which caused you to be recuperating in the courtyard and unable to leave the house. Although Grandmother and Mother have brought you many apologies, and I have gone to your house several times to apologize and even got beaten, I have not been able to make any compensation myself."
“I am still young and have little gold or silver. Everything I have is thanks to my elders. The only thing I can do is to practice boxing and make fun. Auntie, please consider this as a way for me to put my mind at ease.”
He clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, speaking quite eloquently, his face serious and earnest, as if he had transformed from a mischievous child into a mature adult in an instant.
"Alright, let's get this straight: this is a suggestion I reluctantly made after you begged me repeatedly. If you're unwilling, that's fine, but you can't suddenly turn your back on me!" Xu Wanying emphasized again and again.
Pan Ge'er immediately assured her, "Third Aunt, please rest assured, I will never turn against you."
"You'd better have also suddenly turned on me when you hit me with that teacup before," Xu Wanying muttered. By bringing up this old grudge, she had Pan Ge'er's Achilles' heel.
As expected, Jiang Pan remained silent, seemingly unsure how to respond.
The system, however, saw through Xu Wanying's intentions and couldn't help but question: "Host, just how unethical is your suggestion? You're constantly trying to sow discord here, bringing up old grievances to increase Jiang Pan's guilt and make him subservient to you."
Xu Wanying immediately became unhappy and couldn't help but say, "Hey, system, you need to have a conscience! It's not like I offered the suggestion; he asked me repeatedly, okay? How could I bear to refuse a cute little boy's request?"
The system scoffed at her remarks: [Heh, before it was a fat guy and a little beast, now it's a cute little boy. Host, you're quite the master of changing faces.]
“Third Aunt, please speak, your nephew will certainly do it!” Jiang Pan bowed again, his words earnest.
Even though he knew from his inner voice that his third aunt was trying to trick him, he wasn't afraid of being tricked. He would do anything to make his third aunt happy.
"Okay, Hongmei, go and get my rouge, face powder, and red hair tie," Xu Wanying instructed. Hongmei immediately went into the inner room to rummage through the items.
Jiang Pan blinked and couldn't help but ask, "Third Aunt, I'm a boy, I don't need rouge and powder. If my grandfather and father find out, they'll beat me to death."
“You’re still a boy, not a man, so don’t take this serious approach. It’s almost New Year’s, we need to be festive. If your grandfather and father want to fight, go to your grandmother, she’ll definitely be able to save you,” Xu Wanying corrected him.
"But—" Looking at the bright red face in the box, he couldn't help but take a step back, feeling genuinely scared.
"There are no buts. Didn't you just say you'd compensate me? Are you just talking the talk? Well, your words are much more powerful than your fists!" Xu Wanying looked at him, her face showing dissatisfaction.
"Alright." Jiang Pan stood in front of her, closed his eyes, and gave her a look of resignation.
Jiang Jinyu spent half an hour outside to clear her head before the psychological trauma finally subsided.
After much hesitation, she finally decided to go back. She couldn't leave her chubby nephew to face her third sister-in-law alone.
Third Sister-in-law is really a troublemaker; Little Fatty is no match for her at all.
Jiang Jinyu and her maid had just entered the courtyard and hadn't even gone inside when they heard a noisy and unfamiliar sound of music.
[Quickly use nunchucks, hmph ha hee, quickly use nunchucks, hmph ha hee! Martial arts practitioners, remember, the benevolent are invincible; who is practicing Tai Chi, creating such a magnificent spectacle...]
She paused, realizing the singing was coming from a man, clearly not her third sister-in-law; it must have been produced by some magical artifact.
Such dynamic music must be intended to enhance the dynamic scene.
Wow, the little chubby boy is really good! He's got that New Year's vibe all to him!
Beneath this music, Xu Wanying sighed, and she would even hum along, her enthusiasm undiminished even if she sang the lyrics wrong.
Pan Ge'er must have gone to great lengths to make his third sister-in-law so happy.
Jiang Jinyu stood at the door, suddenly feeling a sense of trepidation and a little scared.
She couldn't even imagine what she would see after pushing open that door.
She mentally prepared herself repeatedly, and finally mustered the courage to step over the threshold and go inside.
"Auntie, you're finally back!" The chubby boy shouted as soon as he saw her, his voice trembling.
Her eyes were even glistening with tears; she was truly heartbroken.
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