“What is there to explain?” Zhang Dacheng looked utterly shameless.
“What sin did my Zhang family commit? We must have had eight lifetimes of bad luck—spending three taels of silver to marry a woman who can’t bear children! What, are you trying to end the Zhang family line?!”
“Pah! Three taels of silver? When we saw you, a widowed mother and orphaned son, struggling, two of those three taels were money we advanced for you!” Su Wanhe’s nostrils flared with rage, veins bulging on his hands.
He Erhua laughed viciously, hair disheveled. “Advanced? Do you have a written note?”
“You!” Su Wanhe’s face flushed red, then white.
When Su Miao married, she had believed they were becoming one family. Why divide things so clearly? She hadn’t even written a receipt for the two taels. Who could have expected Zhang Dacheng to be such an ungrateful beast, now denying everything outright?
“Father-in-law,” Zhang Dacheng called out with a grin, perhaps worried someone might truly collapse from anger. “My mother worked hard raising me alone. Didn’t I marry a wife so she could enjoy some comfort?”
The moment Su Tian heard that, fury surged.
“Your mother had it hard? Was that caused by my sister?” Su Tian cut him off coldly, eyes sharp with disdain. “Or has my sister been the one having it hard since she married in? Your mother gave birth to you and raised you, what does that have to do with my sister? If you think your mother suffered, then you should go earn more money, hire ten or eight servants to attend her like some landlord! Instead, you torment your wife and dress it up as righteousness. Your mother suffers because you’re useless and can’t earn a proper living!”
That struck Zhang Dacheng squarely in the pride. His face darkened instantly.
“Hah. Who do you think you are? She married into my family. Alive, she’s my family’s person. Dead, she’s my family’s ghost. Whatever I do, you have no right to interfere! Su Miao will live this kind of life for the rest of her days!”
“Divorce!”
The sharp cry cut through the air, almost splitting the speaker’s throat.
They all turned.
Wu Fen stood there, eyes swollen, scratch marks on her face still seeping blood. She stared fixedly at Zhang Dacheng. She pulled Su Miao to her side and stepped forward.
“Divorce! From now on, whether my Su Miao lives or dies has nothing to do with you!”
“Mother…” Su Miao trembled, frightened by the intensity in Wu Fen’s voice.
Su Dashu frowned slightly. “Second daughter-in-law…”
In these times, hardly any family had someone divorce. Such matters would be whispered about behind one’s back for years.
“Master of the house, can you bear to see Miao-jie’er waste her life in this wolf’s den?” Wu Fen pleaded with Su Wanhe through swollen eyes. “Our family can afford to feed her now!”
“Wait! Did I agree to this divorce?” Zhang Dacheng interrupted. “If we divorce, my silver will be wasted. I won’t allow it!”
Su Wanhe felt sick just looking at him. “You won’t allow it? Then we’ll settle this at the magistrate’s office!”
From the crowd of onlookers outside, someone called out, “The magistrate won’t help! That old woman’s maternal uncle’s son’s cousin works there! You won’t win!”
The Su family looked toward the crowd, but faces blurred together. There was no way to tell who had spoken up.
Zhang Dacheng seemed to remember this as well, a mocking smile creeping onto his face.
Su Dashu’s patience snapped. “Tian-jie’er, take your sister. We’re going home!”
Zhang Dacheng lunged forward, blocking Su Tian and grabbing Su Miao’s arm to drag her back. Su Wenzu leapt and kicked him squarely in the lower back. At once, Su Tian seized Su Miao and swiftly slipped into the carriage.
Meanwhile, Su Wanhe and Su Wanqing appeared to restrain Zhang Dacheng and his mother, but in truth, their fists and kicks landed freely.
Su Wanhai vaulted onto the carriage and snapped the reins. “Erlang! Sanlang! Get on!”
Reluctantly, the two men shoved He Erhua and Zhang Dacheng to the ground and jumped aboard.
“Hyah!”
With a crack of the whip, Su Wanhai drove the carriage away at full speed, dust billowing up and covering the two sprawled figures.
“Bah! Bah! What are you looking at?!” Zhang Dacheng spat viciously at the gawking villagers before slamming the gate shut with a loud bang.
Inside the carriage, Su Miao sat in a daze, as if unable to believe she had truly left that nightmare behind. Wu Fen held her tightly, one hand stroking her back again and again.
The emptiness in Su Miao’s eyes gradually focused. Clear tears welled up—one drop, two drops—soon falling like broken pearls down her gaunt cheeks. She bit her lip hard to stop herself from sobbing, but before long her breathing grew ragged. Soft, broken cries escaped as her shoulders shook. Both hands clutched tightly at Wu Fen’s clothes, as if afraid this was all just a dream.
The carriage was unnaturally quiet except for Su Miao’s weeping. Everyone understood she needed this release.
By the time the carriage stopped again, Su Miao had cried herself into exhaustion and fallen asleep. Su Wanhe gestured that he would carry her inside. Wu Fen followed close behind.
Su Tian turned toward the kitchen to prepare something soothing for her sister.
As she passed through the courtyard, Shen Wenzhao was still playing with An’an. Seeing the look on her face, he did not ask questions, only brought An’an along to the kitchen.
Su Tian decided to make sweet glutinous rice dumplings in syrup. Before marriage, Su Miao had loved sweets. She would also simmer the old duck soup they had promised earlier, adding angelica and goji berries to nourish and restore her.
She scooped glutinous rice flour into a basin, alternating cold and warm water while kneading vigorously. Once it formed a smooth dough, she pinched off small portions and rolled them into round balls.
The large and small pair beside her watched eagerly.
Unable to endure their staring, Su Tian pushed the basin toward them. “Don’t just watch. Roll the rest into balls like I did.”
“Heehee!” An’an reached in excitedly but was lightly tapped on the back of his hand by Shen Wenzhao. “Wash your hands first.”
An’an obediently followed him.
Su Tian lit the stove and set water to boil. She crushed a handful of peanuts, then glanced back at the still half-full basin of dough. Rolling up her sleeves, she joined in. Soon, a large bowl brimmed with plump white dumplings.
When the water boiled, she dropped them in. Once they floated to the surface, she scooped them out and rinsed them in cool water for a firmer texture. In another pot, she dissolved chunks of brown sugar in fresh water. Finally, she added the dumplings back in and simmered gently until the syrup thickened, finishing with a sprinkle of crushed peanuts.
She served Shen Wenzhao and An’an each a small bowl to taste. Not too much since there was still dinner later.
The dumplings were soft yet chewy. Four or five could be scooped up at once, coated in glossy syrup that clung to the spoon, leaving sweetness lingering in the mouth.
Leaving the pot over dying embers to keep warm, Su Tian turned to the duck. She chopped it into pieces, blanched them, then stir-fried until the color changed. Sliced pickled radish went in next, releasing a savory fragrance. She added half a pot of water and reduced the heat to simmer. By her reckoning, it would be ready around the time Su Miao woke.
Shen Wenzhao and An’an sat at the kitchen threshold. An’an hugged his bowl, eating without looking up. Shen Wenzhao took a bite, then slowly stirred the dumplings in his bowl, watching Su Tian thoughtfully.
His gaze was too direct to ignore.
Su Tian set down what she was holding and asked casually, “Young Master Shen, are you trying to stir the dumplings dizzy before swallowing them whole?”
“You’re unhappy,” he said, certain. She lowered her eyes, fingers idly pressing against the edge of the table.
“Mm.”
“Because of your sister?”
“Mm.”
“Did something go poorly?”
Su Tian forced a small smile. “Not really. I’m just angry the Zhang family went too far. Back then they came humbly again and again to beg for the marriage. It hasn’t even been that long, and their true colors are already exposed.”
“Tomorrow my Second Uncle will take Eldest Sister to the magistrate’s office for a divorce. If that Zhang Dacheng dares play tricks or schemes again, I’ll chop him up and feed him to the dogs.”
With that, she stepped out, leaving Shen Wenzhao watching her back in silence.
As the evening fell, Su Tian knocked on Wu Fen’s door. “Second Aunt, has Eldest Sister woken?”
There was a rustle inside before the door opened. Tear tracks still marked Wu Fen’s face.
“Tian-jie’er, you’re here. Your sister just woke up. Go in.”
Su Tian entered.
Su Miao had not slept so peacefully in a long time. Color had returned faintly to her face. Leaning against the pillow, she smiled at Su Tian. It seemed she and Wu Fen had spoken at length.
“Tian-jie’er.”
Su Tian hurried to sit beside her. “How do you feel?”
“Much better. After crying so thoroughly today, the heaviness in my chest has eased. I feel lighter.” Su Miao’s brows curved gently. She had always been mild and tender by nature, only unfortunate in her choice of husband.
Seeing she truly seemed improved, Su Tian relaxed. “That’s good. I made old duck soup, and your favorite sweet dumplings. Eldest Sister, do me the honor of trying a little.”
Su Miao reached up to touch her cheek. “I haven’t yet tasted Tian-jie’er’s cooking. How could I refuse?”
Su Tian smiled brightly and helped her put on shoes. After tidying up, they went together to the main hall.
The Su family was already seated. When Su Tian and Su Miao entered, they were met with concerned gazes from all sides.
“Miao-jie’er looks weak. Wenchen, hurry and ladle your sister a bowl of duck soup,” Zhang Guihua said kindly, scolding lightly.
“Grandmother…” Tears gathered again in Su Miao’s eyes at the sight of her still-loving grandmother.
Zhang Guihua’s heart ached. She rose with a handkerchief and walked over. “This child, crying at every turn, just like when you were little!” She dabbed her face briskly.
Su Miao laughed through her tears, taking the handkerchief to wipe her eyes. “It’s because I saw you. I missed you terribly.”
Zhang Guihua’s eyes reddened as well. She sniffed and sat back down. “Talking nonsense. Drink your soup. You’ve grown thin as a stick!”
“Yes!” Su Miao answered crisply and took her seat.