Ye Yao avoided the main point and didn’t mention the return gift, focusing solely on Madam Wang’s favoritism.
Madam Wang sat on the ground crying, while Ye Yao threw caution to the wind, lying flat on the ground and crying more miserably and pitifully than anyone else.
Aunt Liu, who lived next door, saw Ye Yao crying so heartbreakingly and couldn’t help but interject about how Ye Yao had been underfed while working in the fields and had fainted as a result.
“What? The Xie family actually treats their daughter-in-law so harshly!”
“This Madam Wang is way too biased, doting only on the eldest son. What, is the second son not your own flesh and blood?”
“Exactly! For all these years, the family has relied on the second son’s hard-earned money to get by. He hunted the game himself—what’s wrong with giving a generous gift to his father-in-law? You didn’t prepare anything for them, and now you won’t even let them prepare anything for themselves? In all the surrounding villages, I’ve never seen such a shrewish mother-in-law!”
The villagers discussed it among themselves, most of them speaking up for Xie Hanshuo. They said he had a hard life; the eldest brother was sickly, and Madam Wang, as a mother, was so biased that he and his wife couldn’t even get enough to eat at home—it was truly pitiful!
Ye Hanzhu was stunned. This… this… how did things turn out like this?
Before she could collect her thoughts, Xie Hanshuo was already furious: “What? They wouldn’t even feed you?!”
She could faint from hunger while working in the fields… In the times he wasn’t home, Ye Yao had actually endured so much injustice! The fire of anger in Xie Hanshuo’s eyes was gradually replaced by self-reproach.
He closed his eyes and hardened his heart: “Let’s split up the family.”
After getting married, it was possible to split the household and live independently. Xie Hanshuo originally hadn’t wanted to take this step, but he was often away hunting, and with his mother and elder brother acting this way, he truly didn’t feel at ease leaving Ye Yao at home alone.
“No way!” Madam Wang was thoroughly panicked now, stuttering, “Wh-why do you suddenly want to split the family? Second son, don’t be stubborn with your mother. Be obedient, we cannot split the family!”
Seeing that it was about to come to the point of splitting the family, Xie Moyan finally stepped forward. His face was as heavy as water, and in front of everyone, he put on the posture of a noble and upright gentleman: “Mother, stop making a scene. Younger brother has paid enough for this family over the years; don’t force him anymore.”
“Second brother, Mother is getting on in years now. Regardless, she is still your elder; you shouldn’t talk back to her. Let’s discuss whatever is wrong properly when we get back inside.”
Xie Moyan turned and lectured Xie Hanshuo, gaining enough of a reputation for being reasonable and magnanimous in front of others that no one could say a bad word about him.
“The Xie family’s eldest son is a reasonable man; he truly deserves to be a scholar.”
“Yes, yes, why make such a fuss over a small matter and split the family? Besides, the eldest son’s health is poor. If they really split… sigh, how would he even get by?”
Xie Hanshuo did not relent. He stared at the people before him with a blank expression, saying nothing.
But the family definitely wouldn’t be splitting today. Madam Wang wailed to the heavens, Xie Moyan helped her back into the house, and Ye Hanzhu feigned concern as she followed them inside.
Xie Hanshuo stood alone on the spot, his figure lonely and stubborn. Once he set his mind on something, he was never willing to turn back easily. But in the end, they were his own flesh and blood, and he couldn’t bring himself to be truly ruthless.
Just as his heart felt bitter, a hand quietly wrapped around his arm.
His figure stiffened, and he turned his head to meet Ye Yao’s eyes. The woman’s eyes were calm, clear as water, like a bronze mirror that could reflect a person’s heart—seeing through everything but not pointing it out.
Ye Yao shook her head gently and patted his arm as if soothing a puppy: “Let’s go back too.”
This time, Xie Hanshuo didn’t push her away, though he still kept a straight face, let out a low “Mm,” and allowed Ye Yao to lead him away.
It was rare to see him be this obedient, and Ye Yao secretly breathed a sigh of relief. With Xie Hanshuo’s personality, how could he possibly compete with the scheming Xie Moyan? Suffering losses was probably a daily occurrence.
However, after this commotion, it had given her an opportunity to “discipline” him while he was vulnerable. Hmm, it was time to give the second son of the Xie family a proper lesson.
As evening approached, the villagers saw that there was no more fun to be had at the Xie residence and dispersed.
Inside the room, Ye Yao was spreading out the bedding on the kang. Xie Hanshuo stood at the doorway, looking somewhat awkward. Even though he was a burly man over six feet tall, he was currently acting like he was dodging some wild beast, his earlobes flushed red, and he hesitated to approach.
“Why are you standing so far away? Do you think I’m going to eat you?” Ye Yao sat cross-legged at the end of the kang and called out to him: “Come here.”
Xie Hanshuo hesitated and moved forward two steps, saying in a muffled voice: “Why didn’t you tell me that they wouldn’t feed you?”
It wasn’t exactly that they didn’t feed her… After all, her fainting had been a deliberate performance. Ye Yao gave a light cough and, feeling a bit guilty, blinked: “It wasn’t that serious; the neighbor just exaggerated.”
“And you, don’t easily talk about splitting the family in the future. We’ve only been married for three days; aren’t you afraid of people in the village gossiping behind your back?”
Xie Hanshuo sneered, not caring in the slightest: “Do they talk about me any less as it is? I have never cared about what others say.” He just didn’t want Ye Yao to suffer injustices while being with him.
“You protected me today, and I will keep that in mind.” Ye Yao looked at him: “But have you thought about our future?”
Xie Hanshuo frowned, seemingly confused.
“Eldest brother is studying, which costs silver. Have you ever calculated where all the money you’ve earned over these years has gone?”
Xie Hanshuo fell silent. He had earned quite a lot of money throughout the year by farming and hunting. However, almost all of that money was handed over to his mother, used for household expenses, his eldest brother’s medicine, and the money for his studies… Yet his mother always said there was no money. Every month he brought home several taels of silver, and it was like throwing stones into a deep well—he never heard a splash.
Seeing him frowning and looking dejected, Ye Yao knew this big fool was naive and had no idea how much money had been swindled out of him. She probed: “Did you hide any private savings?”
Xie Hanshuo nodded.
Ye Yao held out her hand: “How much did you hide? Hurry up and give it all to me.”
Xie Hanshuo felt around his body and took out a purse to hand to her. There wasn’t much money inside, just a few dozen scattered copper coins. This was all his worldly wealth; he was pitifully poor.
So he earned that much all year long and only hid this little bit?
Ye Yao: “…”
She sighed as if accepting her fate: “Fine, I won’t worry about the past. From now on, you must let me manage the money you earn.”
“You saw it yourself; when you aren’t home, my life is extremely difficult. Tonight, you are to stay in the room honestly and sleep with me, do you understand?”
Xie Hanshuo’s brows locked together upon hearing this. If two people weren’t in mutual love, how could one insist on such a thing? He couldn’t accept it.
Xie Hanshuo’s tone was stubborn and cold: “I can give you all the money, but I still have to go sleep in the cowshed.”
Ye Yao: “???”
So he’d give the money, but he wouldn’t give himself? Xie Hanshuo was really…
Ye Yao was so angry she laughed, deciding to threaten him instead: “Then you can lay a pallet on the floor in this room, but you have to stay. Otherwise, tomorrow I will go out and tell everyone that you have a hidden ailment and can’t perform in that regard.”