To make a good impression on the Ji couple, Grandma Gu stewed an entire chicken.
She even added hazel mushrooms, cooking everything in a large basin. The aroma alone was mouthwatering.
“Yun’er’s parents, things are difficult at home, and we don’t have much to offer. Please don’t take offense.”
Grandma Gu spoke graciously as she placed a chicken leg into each of their bowls.
Song-shi put her chicken leg into Ji Yun’s bowl.
“Yun’er, you eat.”
“Mom, there’s no need to be so polite. We’re family now, and there’s no one else here. Everyone should eat. Afterward, go home early. And remember to think carefully about what I told you.”
“Okay.”
Grandma Gu winked at Gu Zhou, signaling him to put some food into Ji Yun’s bowl.
This was a perfect opportunity for him to show how considerate he was.
Gu Zhou…
Doesn’t she have hands? Why does he have to do it for her?
Besides, he felt embarrassed making intimate gestures in front of the elders.
Grandma Gu practically winked her eyes sore, but Gu Zhou remained completely unmoved.
She was so angry she could have stomped her feet.
What a fool!
If you don’t know how to behave yourself, you’ll regret it someday.
Grandma Gu winked at him again.
“Gu Zhou, haven’t you noticed that your wife has changed?”
“Yes!”
It was already impressive enough that Ji Yun’s brain had improved to the point that she knew to put food into her parents’ bowls.
And the things she had said were quite sensible too. What did she mean by telling them to think carefully about her words?
He had a vague guess in his mind, but it seemed too outrageous to say out loud.
“Grandma…”
Grandma Gu proudly announced, “Your wife has gotten better. She can count, sing, and even massage someone’s shoulders…”
Ji Yun’s lips twitched.
Was she a bird or something?
Gu Zhou grinned from ear to ear.
“I knew it. The things she said just now definitely weren’t something a fool could say.”
The moment he said the word “fool,” the Ji couple’s expressions turned unpleasant again.
“Gu family, if you dislike my daughter, perhaps we should just take her home.”
“No! She’s the wife assigned to me by the government office. Why should you be allowed to take her away?”
Besides, he had already supported the little fool for a whole day. She was obedient and even helped with the chores. He thought she was pretty good.
Ji Yun…
So this is how you can talk about a forced marriage?
She was impressed.
What kind of new son-in-law argues with his father-in-law like this?
And this was their first time meeting.
This guy is really something else!
Grandma Gu immediately smacked him.
Whether she actually hit him or was just pretending was anyone’s guess.
“You brat! Is that how you speak to your father-in-law? You’re the junior here, so show some respect and apologize!”
“Grandma, they were the ones being unreasonable first.”
“Shut up!”
After scolding Gu Zhou, Grandma Gu turned to the Ji couple with an apologetic smile and tried to smooth things over.
“Yun’er’s parents, I’m sorry. I failed to teach Gu Zhou properly. This boy is too straightforward and offended you. We apologize.”
“As elders, we should be more understanding. Don’t take what he said to heart. I’ll apologize to you on his behalf.”
“Hmph! I can’t accept that.”
Ji the Eldest slammed his chopsticks onto the table, his face flushed with anger.
“On the very first day of marriage, he already dares to give us attitude. Won’t he completely cut ties with us in the future?”
Song-shi tugged at Ji the Eldest’s sleeve, signaling him to take a step back.
Their daughter was already married into this family. If they made things too hostile with the Gu family, their daughter would be the one to suffer.
“I didn’t mean that. We already agreed that we’d take her back to her family tomorrow. We’ll be relatives from now on. How could we completely cut ties? Dad, you’re thinking too much.”
“Don’t call me Dad. I can’t accept that.”
Ji the Eldest felt utterly humiliated as a father-in-law.
Who has ever seen a new son-in-law argue with his father-in-law the very first time they meet?
He had truly seen everything now.
Grandma Gu hurriedly tried to mediate.
“Apologize to your father-in-law and mother-in-law.”
“Mother-in-law, don’t say anything more. No matter what, I’m taking Yun’er home with me today—”
“Why? I don’t agree!”
“Mother-in-law, Gu Zhou, you two…”
The dining table descended into chaos as everyone started arguing.
Ji Yun slammed her chopsticks down and coldly glared at them.
“Are you going to keep arguing forever? Are you going to let people eat in peace or not?”
Grandma Gu shrank back slightly.
This girl’s presence is way too intimidating.
For some reason, it felt as though she were the grandmother and Ji Yun were the young wife of the household.
Ji Yun had no time to care what they were thinking.
She simply took advantage of the moment to settle things.
“Dad, Mom, go home after you finish eating. Take what I said seriously.”
“…Okay!”
After speaking to the Ji couple, she turned toward Gu Zhou.
“And you. Why are your eyes bulging like copper bells? What, are you planning to fight with my parents? You think you’re so tough?”
“Wife, they were the ones being unreasonable first.”
Gu Zhou immediately shrank his neck.
“Is a family supposed to be a place where everyone argues about who’s right?”
Gu Zhou…
Isn’t it?
“Apologize!!!”
The little fool’s gaze was extremely intimidating.
Before he knew it, Gu Zhou lowered his head.
“I’m sorry. Please don’t take offense, you two. I was wrong. We’ll go back to your home tomorrow.”
Song-shi tugged at her husband’s sleeve, signaling him to let things go now that they had gotten what they wanted.
Ji the Eldest said, “All right. I’ll be waiting for you tomorrow.”
After the meal, the Ji couple left uneasily.
Ji Yun cleared the table, then glanced at the person across from her.
“If there’s something you want to know, just ask. Stop sneaking glances at me.”
“I wasn’t!”
“You’ve been staring at me how many times already, and you still say you weren’t? If you don’t ask now, I’m leaving.”
Grandma Gu secretly chuckled.
As expected, every tough person has someone who can bring them down.
Even this stubborn boy had someone he was afraid of.
“That… when did you get better?”
“When I woke up at the government office.”
“If you were already better, why were you eating spiders?”
“I wasn’t eating them. I was just… playing with one.”
“You have a strange hobby. Do you always talk this unpleasantly?”
Ji Yun…
She wanted to punch him!
Was something missing in his head?
“If you don’t like the way I talk, you don’t have to listen.”
Ji Yun turned around and walked toward the room.
Grandma Gu scolded him, “You really are an idiot. Can’t you say something nice?”
“She said herself that I could ask whatever I wanted.”
Gu Zhou quietly defended himself.
“You silly boy. You really don’t understand women.”
“I’m not a woman, so of course I don’t understand what women are thinking.”
Grandma Gu was completely speechless.
“Forget it. There’s no point explaining this to you. Go into the forest and see if you can catch some game. Tomorrow is the return visit, isn’t it? We need to prepare a generous gift. That’s how we show our sincerity.”
It seemed the Ji couple weren’t very satisfied with him.
Hopefully, they would forgive him at least a little when they saw the gifts.
“I understand.”
When the Ji couple returned home, the courtyard still smelled of fried eggs.
Their expressions immediately darkened.
“Hmph. The moment we leave, they start eating good food.”
“Husband, I think our daughter had a point.”
Ji the Eldest was still furious.
He immediately made up his mind.
“We’re separating from the family. I can’t live this miserable life for even one more day.”
Song-shi nodded.
Only if they became independent and managed their own household could they help their daughter.
“Husband, what do you plan to do?”
Before he could finish speaking, a sharp and bitter voice came from the courtyard.
“You finally decided to come back? I thought you were planning to stay at her husband’s house forever.”
Song-shi became nervous.
Ji the Eldest immediately stepped forward and stood in front of her.
“What family would have the bride’s parents follow their married daughter around and live with her?”
“Good that you understand that. All right, since you’re back, go work. Look at the state of the fields!”
“We… aren’t going.”
“Eldest, are you trying to rebel?”
The old woman narrowed her triangular eyes, making her look even more vicious.
“I’m upset. I don’t feel like working.”
“What a joke! I’ve never heard of anyone refusing to work just because they’re unhappy. And what do you have to be unhappy about? The government ordered the marriage to the fool. If you have a problem, take it up with the government!”
“Mother, do you really think we’re fools?”
Ji the Eldest’s anger erupted.
“If you hadn’t tied up my wife, would Yun’er have been sent to the government office?
“Fine, you sent her there. But you didn’t even give her water or food. She almost died of thirst!
“Mother, don’t forget that we were the ones who found the water for the family. We’ve been saving it for ourselves just so she could have one more sip.”
“…I forgot.”
“Mother, we’re not three-year-old children. We put up with all of this before because of Yun’er. But now that Yun’er is married, there’s nothing more for us to say.”
“What are you planning to do?”