Sure enough, the moment Gu Nianchen returned from town and the whole family sat down to eat, Old Lady Gu brought the matter up once more.
“Yuge, Mother knows you’re the most sensible girl. Listen to me, dear—don’t go with Second Son to the army. Life there isn’t like home; you won’t have free rein to do as you please.
But don’t you worry. If you’ll only stay here in Gu Village, I promise to love and cherish you as my very own daughter.
And besides—didn’t you say you wanted to find a husband? I shall find you a fine match, a respectable family worthy of you. Living close by, your father and I can keep an eye on you and see that no one mistreats you. Isn’t that right, Eldest Daughter-in-Law?”
Old Lady Gu finished speaking and gave Li Cuihua a sharp kick beneath the table.
“Yuge, Mother speaks nothing but truth,” Li Cuihua quickly picked up the cue, heaping praise upon praise. “Stay here with us—we should all be heartbroken to see you go. And if it’s marriage you’re after, why, I have a cousin in my maiden family whose circumstances are truly excellent. Marry there, and you shall never go hungry—why, you could feast on meat every single day!
He once saw you, Yuge, and was utterly captivated. Only… because of your betrothal to Second Brother, I held my tongue. But now that the engagement is to be dissolved, I shall send word to my cousin tomorrow. I vow—you would run the household from the day you wed, and enjoy endless days of plenty!”
She painted the family as though they were noble gentry, wealthy and distinguished beyond compare—treasures found nowhere under heaven.
“Yes indeed, Yuge dear,” Old Man Gu chimed in eagerly. “Listen to your Eldest Sister-in-Law. We are all kin here. Your Mother and your Sister-in-Law would never lead you astray.”
The truth was—no one wanted to let their free drudge slip away.
“Oh? Is that so?” Xia Yuge gave a cold smile. “That family your Ladyship speaks of—are they truly so wonderful?”
“Beyond doubt!” Li Cuihua beamed, her face crinkling into a hundred folds of forced cheerfulness. “I have always loved you as my own little sister! Why on earth would I ever wish you harm?”
Desperate to keep Xia Yuge as their unpaid servant, Li Cuihua spun tales so glowing they outshone the stars themselves.
Xia Yuge’s mouth twitched. So—when force failed, they had switched to honeyed persuasion.
It was hard to strike someone who greeted you with a smile. But her palms, which had rested all afternoon, suddenly itched terribly.
What was she to do? She felt an overwhelming urge to slap someone again.
She glanced down at her hands, flexing her fingers quietly. Just as she prepared to speak and lay their hypocrisies bare, Old Lady Gu spoke first.
“Yuge, your Sister-in-Law speaks the truth. As the old saying goes—an arm may bend, but it always turns inward toward the family. You may not have issued from my womb, but ten years together is no small thing. How could your Father or I ever wish you ill? Second Son—say something!”
Afraid Xia Yuge would refuse, Old Lady Gu turned pleading eyes toward Gu Nianchen.
Before he could speak, however, Gu Xiaohua could contain herself no longer.
“Second Brother—look at her! That wretched… that Xia Yuge! How ungrateful can she be? Father, Mother, and Eldest Sister-in-Law have pleaded so kindly—and still she holds out!”
“Hmph! A true white-eyed wolf! Ten years of meals fed to a cur!”
Gu Xiaohua had never wanted Xia Yuge to leave—and after that stinging slap, she loathed her all the more. Worse still—if Xia Yuge departed, the bulk of every household chore would fall upon her shoulders. That was simply unacceptable.
Besides—these soft words had been agreed upon beforehand. If they all pretended kindness, surely the girl would be deceived into believing their concern genuine!
“Xiaohua—hold your tongue!” Gu Nianchen snapped, silencing her with a glare. “Speak one more word out of turn and I shall answer for it. Even if she is no longer to be your Second Sister-in-Law, she is still Yuge. Have you no manners at all?”
He turned then to Xia Yuge, his tone earnest.
“Yuge… I truly believe Father and Mother mean you no harm. I ask you—reconsider. Even were you to come with me to the base… given your circumstances, I cannot promise you would find a better match there.
But I make you this offer: if you agree to stay, in addition to what I have already promised, I shall send you an allowance of twenty silver dollars each month—until the day you marry. Would that satisfy you?”
Gu Nianchen spoke in earnest. Truth be told, Xia Yuge made a poor impression. And privately—he desperately wished to leave her behind. If twenty silver dollars a month could settle this, he would pay it without hesitation. After all—payments would cease the moment she married.
He had barely finished speaking when Xia Yuge let out a sharp, icy laugh.
“Gu Nianchen—you are truly one of them. Every last one of you—selfish to the bone, and utterly revolting.”
“Xia Yuge—what do you mean? How am I selfish?”
“If this family is so very fine,” Xia Yuge demanded, “then why not marry your own sister to him? Why keep such fortune and happiness from your own flesh and blood? Compared to your precious Xiaohua—what am I worth at all?”
“You… you shameless hussy!” Gu Xiaohua shrieked, losing all composure. “You worthless baggage! You cling to my Second Brother because you have no shame!”
Before anyone else could intervene—Gu Xiaohua had already flown into a rage.
“Xiaohua—silence!” Gu Nianchen barked, fearing his sister’s outburst would push Xia Yuge too far.
“Father! Mother! Look at Second Brother—he sides with that wicked woman and bullies me!” Gu Xiaohua wailed, her eyes burning with hatred. She would gladly have torn Xia Yuge’s flesh and drunk her blood.
Her brother might be ignorant—but she knew perfectly well. That family Li Cuihua praised so highly was no decent match at all. Hmph! She would never suffer such a fate!
“Xia Yuge,” Gu Nianchen pleaded, “Xiaohua’s words were harsh—but Father, Mother, and Eldest Sister-in-Law truly mean well. If you dislike this family, then—we shall find you another. There is no need for such bitterness. Besides—Xiaohua is still young. What suits you might not suit her. Let us speak more gently hereafter—lest we tear this family apart.”
“Second Son speaks wisdom!” Old Man Gu hastened to smooth things over. “If this match displeases you, Yuge—tomorrow we shall seek others. Surely there is one among them worthy of your hand!”
“Is that so?” Xia Yuge’s gaze turned piercing. “Then allow me to guess… what fine prospects have you lined up for me?
Why—this ‘excellent family’ your Eldest Sister-in-Law named… would it be Butcher Li of Li Village? The man who has already beaten three wives to death? Fifty-three years of age, barely five feet tall, nearly two hundred pounds, father to three sons and two daughters—and grandfather to two. Oh—and his eldest daughter is nearly ten years my senior. Am I mistaken, Eldest Sister-in-Law?”
Her voice cut like winter wind, and Li Cuihua blanched in terror.
“You… how… how do you know of Butcher Li?”
“Not only Butcher Li—there is also Blind Zhang from Zhang Village, Scabby Wang from Wang Family Hamlet, and Lame Ma from Ma Gully.” Xia Yuge rose, her eyes blazing. “Gu Nianchen—am I, Xia Yuge, fit only for such refuse in your eyes?
Very well. In that case—I shall not dissolve the engagement. I shall follow you to the army and make my grievance known to your superiors. Do as you please!
We shall see who breaks first. I shall hang myself before your very gates—and then we shall see whether your commanding officers choose to ignore my grievance!”
When it came to sheer resolve—Xia Yuge had never yielded to anyone. She held her tongue only because her soul remained weakened. Otherwise—she would never have suffered their deceit so long.
CRASH!
“How dare you!” Old Man Gu roared, slamming his fist upon the table. His eyes blazed with fury.
“Watch me!”
Enraged beyond bearing, Xia Yuge swept her arm—and overturned the entire table with a deafening crash.
Bowls, chopsticks, porridge, and vegetables went flying across the room, spilling broth and scraps everywhere.
All except for the braised pork—Xia Yuge had seized that bowl the moment before the table fell. She had no intention of going hungry tonight.
Old Lady Gu dropped straight onto the floor, stunned. Gu Xiaohua cowered behind Gu Nianchen, trembling. As for the rest—porridge and cabbage dripped from their heads and faces, leaving them a wretched, dripping sight.
Only six-year-old Gu Xiaoshan was snatched to safety by Gu Nianchen in the nick of time, escaping the shower of food.
Surveying the wreckage, Gu Nianchen stood utterly bewildered. How had a simple family meal dissolved into chaos?
Alas. He should never have expected decency from his parents. He had hoped for a final, amicable settlement. Instead—everything had shattered beyond repair.
Greed, it seemed, truly knew no bounds.
And the cause of it all—Xia Yuge—stood amid the stunned silence, bowl of braised pork in one hand and the two cleanest corn buns in the other. Without a backward glance, she walked steadily toward her room.
She had not yet finished eating. She had planned this perfectly—the moment she decided to overturn the table, she had made certain to secure her dinner first.
The door clicked shut. Only then did the Gu family rouse themselves from shock.
By then, it was too late. Broken crockery littered the floor. Old Lady Gu could do nothing but sit amidst the wreckage, beating her thighs and wailing.
That night, while Xia Yuge feasted on tender meat and rich gravy, everyone else went to bed with empty bellies. To the sound of rumbling stomachs and Old Lady Gu’s endless curses—this body, once belonging to the original downtrodden girl—slept more soundly than it ever had in all its life.