In the old lady’s room.
The aunt pressed a hand to her chest, putting on an aggrieved expression as if she had been deeply wronged, deliberately building suspense before speaking.
“Sister, I really shouldn’t say this, but your third son’s wife has absolutely no upbringing. I’m so angry.”
Old Madam Qin looked puzzled. “What happened?”
The aunt explained the situation from beginning to end.
“She told me to take Si Di and Pan Di to bathe…” She added at the end, “If she didn’t want to, she could’ve just said no. Why say such harsh things? Who does that?”
Old Madam Qin frowned. She had only met Su Manman briefly and didn’t know her well.
But from what she observed, Su Manman didn’t seem like someone who caused trouble without reason. She must have been provoked first.
Just like at dinner the night before—when the second daughter-in-law tried to be clever, she got bluntly countered.
Old Madam Qin asked, “Did you make any other requests?”
“What else could I request? Oh—just one thing. I asked her to lend her undergarments to Si Di and Pan Di for a temporary change.”
Old Madam Qin’s brow twitched.
“Temporary?” she thought. “When they leave, they’ll still be wearing them. Do you expect Manman to strip them off?”
She said calmly, “When you came earlier, I asked if you had everything. You said you did. I thought you weren’t lacking anything. Now you’re saying this and that is missing—I can’t help you. Just make do for tonight. Tomorrow morning I’ll personally go buy new ones from the shop nearby.”
Her words subtly criticized the aunt for trying to take advantage.
She didn’t mind small things being given away—but dragging Su Manman into it like that was inappropriate.
After thinking for a moment, she added firmly:
“Manman’s upbringing—I don’t want to hear that from you again. She calls me and Old Qin ‘mother and father,’ which makes her part of this family. Speaking ill of her is the same as speaking ill of us.”
The aunt was left speechless. “You… sigh…”
……
After finishing her bath, Su Manman returned to her room and sat in front of the heater drying her hair.
Someone knocked on the door.
It was Si Di, fidgeting nervously with her fingers.
“Aunt-in-law… can we borrow your snow cream?”
Su Manman reached out and picked up the box from the table.
“You can have it. No need to return it.”
After all, they were her mother-in-law’s nieces. And considering her mother-in-law—and the big gold bangle she had received—she could be a little generous.
Si Di bit her lip. “Thank you, aunt-in-law.”
Then she added hesitantly, “I heard at the main hall that Big Cousin and Third Cousin invited Uncle tomorrow to go fishing. Are you going? Me and my sister want to follow along.”
Su Manman thought for a moment.
Qin Xingzhi and Qin Xingyuan would go, and Qin Xingjian and Qin Xingyun would definitely join too.
Five men, three women.
Traveling in a group, chatting along the way, laughing casually…
That would be improper.
Very improper.
She was a proper, steady woman. She could not be so frivolous.
“No, you go,” she said, sending Si Di away.
After drying her hair, she lay down on the bed to rest.
Early morning in the Qin household was especially noisy.
The voices of young men laughing, and the aunt’s loud chatter mixed together, leaving Su Manman unable to sleep.
After getting up and tidying herself, she went to find Qin Lin.
From afar, she saw him surrounded by four nephews, fishing rods and buckets laid out on the ground.
So they really were going fishing.
Qin Lin noticed her and smiled. “Manman, good morning. Did you sleep well last night?”
“Not well,” she said bluntly. “Without you, I couldn’t sleep. And just when I finally did, you all woke me up.”
Qin Lin blushed instantly.
He really shouldn’t ask her anything in public—he never knew which answer would explode.
The nephews froze.
Was that something she could say?
They finally understood her flaw—she was a bit… odd.
Qin Xingyun mocked, “Before you were with my uncle, how did you sleep?”
Su Manman answered very seriously, “Of course I slept with my grandmother.”
Qin Xingyun: “……”
That wasn’t what he meant.
Qin Lin asked again, “We’re going fishing later. Are you coming?”
Su Manman answered decisively, “No.”
Qin Lin: “……”
Just now she said she couldn’t sleep without him.
Now she refused to go out with him.
All talk, no action?
……
After breakfast, the group left.
The house instantly became quiet.
Old Madam Qin approached Su Manman and invited her out.
On the way, Su Manman learned the purpose: buying undergarments for Si Di and Pan Di.
She then mentioned yesterday’s incident.
“The aunt asked to borrow mine. I didn’t agree.”
Old Madam Qin nodded immediately. “Good that you didn’t. How can undergarments be shared? We’re not close enough for that.”
Su Manman smiled. “I’m glad you understand.”
Old Madam Qin also smiled and took her shopping.
Inside the store, she even told Su Manman, “Pick something for yourself too.”
“I already have mine. Can I choose something else?”
“Of course.”
Su Manman picked two pairs of white cotton socks, a lace-edged apron, and a pair of cotton slippers.
Her own slippers were too thin; walking between her room and Qin Lin’s room made her feet cold.
……
Back home, she washed the items carefully and hung them in the sun.
When she returned to her room—
The door was open.
Her heart tightened.
Someone had been inside?
She rushed in.
And saw Qin Xingyun lifting the lid of the clay jar placed beside her bed.
Wasn’t he supposed to be fishing?
She rushed forward and shouted sharply, “What are you doing?!”
As she reached out to stop him, a sharp pain shot through her finger.
Damn it—he had already lifted the lid.
The scorpion, sensing a stranger’s presence, whipped its tail and struck instantly.
Su Manman’s hand trembled. The wound visibly swelled and turned black.
Qin Xingyun panicked. “I told you it was dangerous! What now? You’ve been poisoned! Let’s go to the hospital!”
He grabbed her to pull her away, but she shook him off.
“You idiot who deserves to be struck by lightning! If you knew it was dangerous, why touch it? If you hadn’t disturbed it, would it have stung you?! Now you’re satisfied—it stung me, and it’s going to die. And I can’t even go to work tomorrow!”
She was furious beyond reason.
She had spent a month finding that scorpion and two months carefully raising it.
And now it was ruined.
Qin Xingyun stammered, “I… I didn’t know it would react so fast. If you didn’t raise it, nothing would’ve happened!”
“Still arguing? What does what I raise have to do with you?! It was in the jar, it didn’t provoke you! Why did you touch it?! I even locked the door every time I left!”
She was nearly in tears.
Qin Xingyun panicked. “I… I just wanted to prove it! No one believed me!”
“You think your grandfather doesn’t know? Your grandmother definitely knows too!”
She kicked him out and locked the door.
Qin Xingyun steadied himself and rushed to the main courtyard.
“Grandpa! Something bad happened! My aunt-in-law got stung by her scorpion!”
Old Master Qin’s heart jolted. “What? That thing recognizes its owner—how could it sting her?”
Qin Xingyun froze. “You… you really knew?”
Old Master Qin stared at him. “Weren’t you supposed to be fishing with your uncle? Why are you with your aunt-in-law?”
Qin Xingyun looked guilty.
“The bucket wasn’t enough. I came back to get another one. I saw her door slightly open. I told you she keeps poisonous insects—you didn’t believe me. I just wanted to prove it…”
He swallowed.
“Who knew that thing was so fast. I barely lifted the lid, didn’t even touch the jar, and it struck immediately.”