Xiao Yin and Xiao Fu were eavesdropping at the corner.
The two of them were hiding by the wall, secretly listening to Xiao Yuan speaking with the Old Master inside the house.
Xiao Yuan was saying one thing after another, and eventually he started crying out loud. Basically, he was accusing the Old Master and Xiao Jue of not caring about him and treating him poorly, speaking nonstop, not giving them a chance to reply.
Xiao Yin found it amusing to listen.
She gave Xiao Fu a thumbs-up, "Sis, our dad is really sothing. It’s truly impressive. How co I didn’t notice before?"
Xiao Fu gave Xiao Yin a light slap, "Mischievous, how can you talk about dad like that?"
Just then, Xiao Yin saw Anning entering the room with a plate of corn cakes.
Xiao Yin quickly continued to eavesdrop.
Anning entered the room with the cakes on her tray, a look of embarrassnt on her face as she placed them on the table, "Dad, big brother, you should have so first."
She stepped back two paces, feeling particularly awkward as she looked at the Old Master, "Dad, this is all we have at ho now, please make do with it. Normally... I ntioned I would go out to borrow so money to get better food for dad and big brother, but we’ve already borrowed quite a bit. People in the village refuse to lend us money anymore, truly..."
Anning spoke while wiping her tears, "I feel so sorry for dad and big brother, letting you eat this."
Xiao Yuan picked up a piece of cake to eat. He tasted it delightfully, clearly having reached a point where even these cakes were hard to co by.
"What about the kids?"
Xiao Yuan asked, "Did you save so for Yin’er?"
Anning didn’t dare to look at Xiao Yuan, "Saved, saved."
"Did you really save any?" Xiao Yuan asked with so anger, "Yin’er told earlier she had to dig for wild vegetables because she was too hungry to bear it. Wife, we can go without food, but Yin’er is still young, you can’t do this."
Anning stepped back, hardly daring to look at Xiao Yuan, "I, I really saved so."
She hung her head, teardrops falling one after another, "At first I suggested we build just two simple grass or earthen houses, but you insisted on building a house with brick and tile, saying we needed this setup for students. Building this house depleted our family savings, and we even borrowed money from Fourth Brother and Sixth Brother. Tell , how will we repay them? If I don’t live frugally now, what will we do in the future?"
"Why are you saying such things?"
In a burst of anger, Xiao Yuan stood up, pointed at Anning, and cursed, "Didn’t you see dad and big brother here? Why are you saying this now? You’re doing it on purpose, you woman. Just three days without a beating and you want to tear the roof off. Watch beat you to death."
With that, Xiao Yuan raised his hand to strike, but Anning quickly dodged while continuing to cry, "Dad, you must stand up for . I married into the Xiao Family and bore five children, never enjoying a single day of happiness. When the Xiao Family was exiled, I never complained and followed without a word. I’ve never wronged the Xiao Family, but now... Your son is beating just because of a word from you, dad. Are you just going to sit by and watch..."
Anning cried and ran outside, shouting as she ran, "Oh dear, my Aweng sees my husband trying to beat , where’s my Brother Ying? Ying Ge’er, Rong Ge’er, hurry back and beg your grandpa to say sothing. I’ve been like cattle and horses in the Xiao Family for so many years, and now your dad wants to beat just because of your grandpa’s words. What’s the point of living? I might as well be dead."
Her cries and shouts were heard by Hui Family too.
Hui Family ca out with Xiao Keke to console Anning, "Third Sister-in-law, stop crying. Dad doesn’t an that, dad definitely isn’t inciting Third Brother to beat you. As a eunuch, how could he do such a thing? Even if he didn’t like you before, given our current situation, how could he provoke Third Brother to beat you to death and marry another?"
The volu at which Anning and Hui Family were talking was so loud that several households not too far away heard it.
Many people ca to watch.
Those going to the fields also stopped by to watch the spectacle.
Xiao Yin, being a smart child, heard Anning’s theatrical cries and rushed over to hold Anning’s hand, tears welling in her own eyes, "Mom, I’ll beg grandpa, I’ll beg dad not to hit you. You got injured and beca seriously ill on our way to Southern Yi, but you can’t endure a beating nor the stress, mom. Don’t be upset, don’t cry. If anything happens to you, I won’t live either. There’s no point living without a mother, death would be better."
"Third Sister-in-law, your health is more important. What Yin’er says is right. You can’t endure stress. On our way here, we encountered many refugees; it’s because you risked your life to protect us. If you hadn’t saved Third Brother, we wouldn’t have made it here. But you hurt yourself to save us. The doctor said you need to be well-maintained and eat well. But we have no money, no money to buy supplents for you. Third Sister-in-law, just thinking about it pains my heart, it makes feel awful."
Hui Family held Anning’s hand as well, also tearful, "Third Sister-in-law, I’ll go plead to dad, asking him to lend us so money. We’re also his sons; Dad and mom’s money shouldn’t only go to big brother and second brother. Third Brother and our husband are legitimate sons, not born to a mistress. So why are they so disregarded by dad and mom? Why does dad prefer to care for the second brother who was born to a mistress, but not for Third Brother and our husband?"
Oh dear, the information in Hui Family’s words was even more extensive.
Villagers knew that the Old Master Xiao had arrived with the first, second, and fifth branches of the family. They speculated why they ca in two groups if they were all one family. Could it be that the third and fourth branches were born to a mistress? Were they illegitimate?
But now when hearing these words, things didn’t add up.
It turns out the third and fourth branches are legitimate, born to the proper Madam, while the second branch was born to a mistress.
Why would the Old Master split the third and fourth branches out then? No family does this; separating out the bastards, not keeping them, but splitting the legitimate children out.
If the third and fourth branches were of poor character, it could be excused.
But since they’ve been in the village for quite a ti, everyone has gotten along. These two n are truly good people; everyone gives them thumbs up. Third is straightforward, Fourth is righteous, even Lao Liu is warm-hearted. Such good kids, all legitimately born, how were they treated so poorly?
For a ti, many villagers started discussing.
The Old Master and Xiao Jue inside the house heard these comnts, almost passing out from the anger.
But what could they do?
Two respected n, one a father-in-law and the other a big brother, could hardly go out and quarrel with two won?
Instead, Xiao Yuan erged with a face full of anger, imdiately saying, "You two, stop talking. Family scandals shouldn’t be exposed. What are you talking about? Isn’t it embarrassing enough? What if dad gets even angrier? What will we do then?"
He turned to the house and shouted, "Dad, Mrs. Liu is just making a fuss. I’ll deal with her later, please don’t be upset..."
"You still want to hit , huh?"
Anning heard this, couldn’t catch her breath and imdiately fainted.
Xiao Fu was standing next to Anning, and seeing her gasping heavily, quickly supported her to prevent her from falling.
Xiao Fu looked at Anning’s pale face and began crying, "Dad, if you must hit, hit . It’s all my fault, don’t hit mother. Mother’s health hasn’t fully recovered, if anything happens to her."
Xiao Yuan was also in a panic and quickly embraced Anning, "Do you think I want to hit your mother? She’s my wife. If it weren’t for her provoking your grandpa, why would I hit her? Even if your grandpa is in the wrong, he’s an elder. Your mother said such things openly, not knowing family matters should be kept secret. Really... Hurry and help your mother inside, I need to find a doctor quickly."
Xiao Yuan shouted back into the house, "Dad, Brother Ying’s mom has fainted. I need to find a doctor right away. Please rest for now, I’ll cook so at for you later. You can taste your son’s cooking today."
The Old Master was so angered his face turned green, "No need, I can’t afford to eat your food."
He pulled Xiao Jue along, "Eldest, let’s go."
Xiao Jue, while walking out, still said, "Dad, we won’t live here anymore."
"Live where?" The Old Master nearly choked in anger, "Can’t you see they’re acting?"
"Surely not."
Xiao Jue was still skeptical, "Third Brother’s couple can’t be so cunning, they’re the most honest."
Such words were overheard by those outside, and people started discussing. Everyone felt Xiao Yuan and his wife were being sowhat unfairly treated. The couple had reached such an extre, fainted and all, yet their father still accused the son and his wife of putting on a show.
Look, even the big brother couldn’t stand their treatnt and admitted the couple’s honesty and straightforwardness.
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