The Song family, at this moment, was receiving several uninvited guests.
The sun was good today, and Mrs. Xu was airing out bedding in the courtyard when she saw these people suddenly barge in. Her face turned cold involuntarily.
"What are you here for again?"
Song Hai stroked his beard, his eyes full of calculating gleam. He said with a half-smile, "Sister-in-law, you haven't forgotten, have you? Big brother borrowed fifty taels of silver from our family before he died. It's been so many years, and you still haven't paid it back. Am I not allowed to come collect on the debt?"
"You shameless bastard!" Even someone with as good a temper as Mrs. Xu was twisted with fury.
Her dead husband had never once mentioned such a debt to her, yet this Song Hai came every year with his men to make a scene, refusing to leave until he'd squeezed some silver out of them.
Song Hai's expression shifted. "A debt must be repaid—that's only natural! Even if big brother is dead, you should repay it in his stead, and what's more, Yubai is a Xiucai. Do you not care about face at all?"
Mrs. Xu shielded Song Jun and Song Xiang, glaring at them. "Don't you dare! I've been unwell, and I spent all the family's money on the doctor a few days ago!"
Song Yubai heard the commotion and called out from his room, "Mother, what's wrong?"
Mrs. Xu's heart trembled. Her son's leg hadn't healed yet—if he got anxious and rushed out of bed, what if he hurt himself again?
So she steadied herself and said, "A-Bai, it's nothing! Don't get out of bed. It's just your second uncle and his people."
Song Yubai knew exactly what kind of man his second uncle was. Hearing this, how could he stay lying down? He struggled to get up.
Song Hai, however, seemed to have lost patience. He waved his hand and gave the order, "Brothers, let's go in and search. Anything valuable, we'll sell it for drinks!"
Song Hai and his gang of cronies scattered and charged into the various rooms.
From inside came Song Yubai's furious roar, "You bastards, stop!" followed by a series of crashes and bangs.
Mrs. Xu stood in the courtyard, tightly shielding the two children, her body trembling with rage, yet utterly helpless. All she could do was watch these bastards run amok in her home.
Before long, the men came out of the house, each wearing a look of displeasure.
Song Hai said with a dark face, "I heard your family married off a daughter-in-law from the prefectural city this year. Didn't she bring any dowry?"
He didn't live in the village and only came to the Song house once a year, so naturally he knew little about Yu Wanzhu's situation.
Mrs. Xu said nothing, only glaring at him with fury.
Song Hai found it boring, cursed "What bad luck," and was about to leave with his men.
Just then, Yu Wanzhu and Song Xiaolan returned. The two groups faced each other across the broken wooden gate, both startled at the sight of the other.
Seeing that it was that bastard second uncle at their home, Song Xiaolan's brows shot up. She shot him a furious glare, then ran into the courtyard. Only after confirming that her mother and younger siblings were all safe did she let out a breath of relief.
Song Hai received his niece's dirty look and snorted disdainfully, then turned his attention to appraising Yu Wanzhu at the gate.
After looking her over, he suddenly burst into mocking laughter. "Pfft, hahaha… So this is my nephew's wife? Look at that build—sturdy as an ox! Can my frail little nephew handle that at night?"
As he spoke, he even gestured with his hands to measure Yu Wanzhu's figure.
Amid his laughter, Song Hai didn't forget to look up and ask Mrs. Xu, "Sister-in-law, where did you dig up this fat cow? She's so plump—how could she possibly match my nephew? If you couldn't find him a wife, you should've told me! As his second uncle, how could I neglect my nephew's marriage?"
The men behind him all doubled over laughing.
Mrs. Xu's face went pale. She spat at him, "You call yourself a second uncle?!"
Having suffered such humiliation, Yu Wanzhu's face instantly darkened. Did these people think she was easy to bully?
She clenched her fists, then suddenly lashed out with a kick, striking Song Hai square in the knee.
Song Hai's laughter cut off abruptly. A sharp pain shot through his leg, his knee buckled, and he dropped to the ground.
The others stopped laughing, only then realizing that this fat woman before them didn't seem so easy to mess with.
Song Hai clutched his leg and howled in pain, grinding his teeth as he said, "Brothers, teach my disrespectful nephew's wife a lesson!"
Mrs. Xu and Song Xiaolan were startled by this. Both of them, faces twisted with indignation, tried to rush forward but were blocked by the men, leaving them to stomp their feet helplessly in place.
Mrs. Xu, frantic with rage, shouted, "Song Hai, she's your nephew's wife! How dare you!"
Song Hai spat and sneered, "Since when does a nephew's wife lay hands on her elder? Sister-in-law, since you haven't taught your daughter-in-law properly, I'll help you discipline her!"
With that, he waved his hand, and the men charged at Yu Wanzhu with menacing momentum.
Yu Wanzhu, however, remained calm. Though they were many, they had no real skill to speak of. She nimbly dodged their attacks, even managing to leave a few marks on them.
Song Hai had recovered by now. Seeing that several grown men couldn't get the better of this fat woman, he narrowed his eyes with venomous intent. Suddenly, he snatched up a brick from the ground and, limping, circled around behind Yu Wanzhu.
Song Xiaolan saw this and shouted, "Sister-in-law, watch out!"
But it was too late—"Smack!"—
The crowd fell silent.
Yu Wanzhu swayed twice, then finally couldn't stay on her feet and collapsed to the ground.
Song Hai rushed forward and slapped her face hard several times. "Bitch, you fat cow, how dare you hit me? I'll ruin you!"
Yu Wanzhu only felt a splitting headache, her head ringing, and the sounds around her seemed indistinct. She kept her eyes open, watching Song Hai's slaps land one after another, yet she couldn't feel the pain on her face.
At that moment, Song Yubai stumbled out, supporting himself against the wall, and happened to see this scene. His heart raced with anxiety, and losing his footing, he tumbled down the steps into the courtyard.
Song Hai was still slapping Yu Wanzhu. Song Yubai, both frantic and furious, suddenly let out a sharp cry—
"Second Uncle!"
Song Hai stopped and looked up at him.
Song Yubai's face was as dark as water, his temples throbbing violently, his voice cold as if it had frozen into ice.
He spoke slowly, word by word: "Second Uncle, I'll call you Second Uncle one more time. Do you truly intend to do this? Yu Wanzhu is my wife. Even if she's fat, even if she's ugly, that's my business. I won't allow you to bully her!"
He sneered coldly and said in a chilling tone: "To insult her is to insult me. Have you forgotten, Second Uncle? I am already a Xiucai now. Have you not considered the consequences of your actions? One day, when I become an official, are you not afraid I'll settle every score one by one?"
Song Hai's heart jolted. He had only been venting his anger and had overlooked that this fat woman was the wife of his Xiucai nephew.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, quickly calculating in his mind.
The reason he dared to come here every year to extort money without restraint was precisely because there was no evidence left behind—his cowardly sister-in-law and bookish nephew could do nothing to him.
But if he truly offended Song Yubai and earned his resentment, and later when he became an official came seeking revenge, then the one at his mercy would be himself.
With this thought, Song Hai slowly stood up, forcing a genial smile onto his face. "Nephew Yubai, what are you saying? I was just helping your mother discipline your wife, so she doesn't get the upper hand over you…"
Before he could finish, Mrs. Xu cut him off: "I'm not dead yet. I don't need you to discipline my daughter-in-law for me!"
Song Hai's smile stiffened for a moment, then he continued to cover for himself: "Good nephew, don't overthink this. Your Second Uncle is hoping you'll pass the imperial exams and bring glory to the Song family. When I tell others about it later, your Second Uncle will share in the honor too."
Song Yubai sat on the muddy ground of the courtyard, watching coldly, and did not respond.
Song Hai let out a dry laugh or two. As he turned his head, he suddenly spotted the basket that had fallen from the fat woman, with a wild pheasant inside.
His eyes rolled, and he pointed at the pheasant. "Sister-in-law, Nephew Yubai, since you have no money to repay the debt, we'll let it go this time. But these brothers who came with me can't make a trip for nothing. Besides, I took a kick as well. This game isn't worth much, so I'll take it to go with the brothers' drinks!"
He hadn't gotten the money and had taken a kick besides. If he went back empty-handed like this, his pride would be wounded.