“Great-grandmother, I’m not tired!”
Lan Su’s childish, high-pitched voice made everyone present laugh.
Even a three-year-old child could regain faith in life; they could endure as well!
After breakfast, Min Ruolan softly asked Lan Shuang, “Shuang’er, today Scholar Lin and his wife will come. You’re good at judging people—stay and help keep an eye on things.”
“Sure.”
Lan Shuang agreed immediately. The sunlight was just right as she brewed a pot of tea and sat at the desk that Min Ruolan had tidily arranged.
She glanced at the courtyard, where Min Ruolan was washing clothes for Old Madam Lan and Lan Su, and couldn’t help but sigh.
Her elder sister-in-law truly loved her husband, with a deep and steadfast affection.
As she drifted in thought, a knock sounded at the door. Soon, Min Ruolan led in a fair-skinned young man.
Beside him, his wife was sturdy and imposing, immediately scanning the room. Scholar Lin lightly tugged her sleeve.
“Don’t look around so much.”
“Got it,” she replied, her tone a bit perfunctory.
Min Ruolan disliked impolite behavior, but for her son’s sake, she suppressed her exasperation and smiled, waving at Lan Su.
“Su-ge’er, come greet Scholar Lin.”
“Little student Lan Su greets the scholar.”
Dressed in a blue robe, Lan Su bowed politely, displaying the manners that seemed etched in his very bones.
“This child is quite adorable.”
Lin’s wife, with her sun-kissed complexion, smiled, while Scholar Lin gently steadied Lan Su.
“No need for formalities, little sir. I’ll carefully teach you from now on.”
Recalling the sum Min Ruolan had handed over for his tuition—more than any villager could offer—he inquired carefully about Lan Su’s previous studies.
Min Ruolan’s expression softened as she said to Lin’s wife, “Lin madam, let’s go sit in the courtyard and rest a bit.”
“Sure.”
Lin’s wife was straightforward and followed Min Ruolan. Lan Shuang lingered outside, quietly observing for a while.
Scholar Lin was impressive in his own right.
Nearby, Lin’s wife sat under the eaves, sewing, while Xu Chahua chatted with her.
Min Ruolan whispered to Lan Shuang, “Shuang’er, what do you think of Scholar Lin?”
“He has some knowledge. He’s more than capable of teaching Su-ge’er. But he has double peach blossom eyes.”
Lan Shuang narrowed her eyes. Min Ruolan was confused.
“What does that have to do with the shape of his eyes?”
“Don’t let your second sister-in-law and you be alone with him.”
Lan Shuang’s subtle warning startled Min Ruolan, who laughed quietly.
“We’re both married. But you should be careful to protect your own reputation.”
“That’s not so easy to manage.”
Lan Shuang had carefully observed Scholar Lin’s features. He was talented and knowledgeable, outwardly gentle, but unfortunately of a flirtatious nature. She didn’t know if his wife was aware of this.
At that moment, Lin’s wife was comforting Xu Chahua.
“Chahua, you’re married into the Xu family. Don’t make things too difficult with your own clan. Otherwise, if you’re wronged in your husband’s family, no one will defend you.”
Being a Xu family girl herself, she was a distant relative of Xu Chahua.
Xu Chahua nibbled on her steamed egg custard. “Thanks for your concern. But my husband’s family treats me well. I’m a simple person—whoever is kind to me, I am kind back.”
Lan Shuang almost laughed out loud. Her second sister-in-law was indeed charming in her own way.
As expected, Lin’s wife was momentarily stumped and didn’t comment further.
At noon, Scholar Lin took his wife home for lunch. Lan Shuang pulled Xu Chahua along to watch some mischief.
“Second sister-in-law, let’s go check your Xu family ancestral hall.”
“Sure! I’ve been wanting to go see it anyway.”
Xu Chahua was more than happy to supervise her cousins—after all, they always bullied her family.
The two of them walked through the village, and the villagers cast wary glances in their direction.
Lan Shuang’s outburst the previous day had spread throughout Xu Family Village.
Before they even reached the Xu family ancestral hall, Lan Shuang vaguely heard one agonized scream after another.
“Ah, it hurts so much…”
“Mother, help! I’d rather die!”
“Child, oh… my son, oh…”
“…”
Xu Chahua’s face was full of confusion. She instinctively quickened her pace, only to be pulled back by Lan Shuang.
“Second sister-in-law, with your big belly, be careful walking.”
“I think I hear my eldest aunt wailing at them in there…”
Xu Chahua was puzzled. It was just a night of kneeling in the ancestral hall—did it really have to be so dramatic?
She wasn’t alone in thinking this; Min Ruolan, also watching the scene unfold, had a twitch at the corner of her mouth.
“Your eldest aunt is even more dramatic than the actors in the theater.”
Xu Chahua thought it over carefully, then nodded in sudden understanding.
“That’s really true.”
Lan Shuang: …
Only she knew that Xu Da-bo’s family wasn’t acting—the real culprit behind their suffering was her.
As they drew closer, they could faintly see several people gathered around the ancestral hall. Since Xu Chahua was a married daughter, she wasn’t allowed inside.
They stood at the entrance, watching, while some villagers whispered among themselves.
“What’s going on?”
“Didn’t they only kneel in the hall for one night? Why are there such cries of pain?”
Lan Shuang feigned confusion, and Hua-shen, apparently the village know-it-all, explained in detail:
“Chahua, I think the ancestors in the hall are showing their displeasure. Your parents must be unhappy with how they’re bullying you, so your eldest uncle and his family are covered in huge sores. The barefoot doctor who went in said their bodies are oozing pus, and they’ve dirtied the whole hall!”
Not just the villagers—Xu family members heard this and looked disgusted.
“No way…”
Xu Chahua was stunned, her mouth slightly open as if she could swallow an egg, completely frozen.
Even Min Ruolan was so surprised she forgot to react, and after a long moment, she finally let out a restrained laugh.
She wasn’t the type to laugh out loud; raised as a refined young lady, even her laughter was controlled.
She covered her mouth. “Chahua, isn’t this so satisfying? We didn’t even have to do anything.”
“Yes.”
Xu Chahua had no cunning. With tears in her eyes, she believed what Hua-shen said.
“Back when my parents were alive, they loved bullying me and my brother. Father often fought with my eldest uncle over it. They’re going overboard now, but surely it’s them… taking revenge on my behalf.”
Lan Shuang: …
Silly second sister-in-law, it’s actually me taking revenge.
But the excuse these people gave her was perfect—it spared them from being blamed.
“The more it hurts, the better!”
Min Ruolan snorted, confident that no one would have the energy to cause trouble at their house again.
As they spoke, Xu Da-bo’s family was carried out of the hall, each writhing in pain on the stretchers.
“Ah, it hurts so much…”
“I’m going to die, I can’t stop scratching!”
“Li Zheng, something’s not right. This must be what Chahua and the others did!”
Xu Da-bo’s mother still had some sense. She curled up in pain on the stretcher, her small eyes accurately fixed on the spot where Lan Shuang and the others stood.
Xu Li-zheng frowned slightly, about to speak, when Xu Chahua, angered, shouted loudly:
“Eldest aunt, don’t slander us! This is clearly your own problem!”
The innocent second sister-in-law’s outraged expression was so convincing it looked perfectly genuine.