"Mama! I can’t lift it, this wooden basin is too heavy." The young girl’s tender voice echoed in the room, accompanied by sniffles.
"Alright, alright! Leave it there! You shed tears of gold over a few words. Go to the courtyard and wash the vegetables; it’s ti to cook. Your father is hungry after forging iron, so we need to prepare the al soon."
Mrs. Zhang looked at her daughter in front of her and felt a wave of irritation. She felt sluggish, didn’t want to do anything, craved sour foods, got angry over little things, and never seed to sleep enough.
This made Mrs. Zhang think of a possibility; maybe she was pregnant? Little Yue was already four years old, and her belly had remained silent. She had even consulted a doctor, who said there was nothing wrong.
Since they had Little Yue, her husband obviously wasn’t the problem, but she just couldn’t conceive again. This made her temperant more irritable, and she found Little Yue increasingly displeasing.
She always thought, why couldn’t it be a boy? Her husband was the first son of her mother-in-law; she knew very well the nurous items Little Uncle gifted her mother-in-law each year.
If she gave birth to a boy, wouldn’t her mother-in-law’s possessions be reserved for her son in the future? After all, he would be the first grandson!
As for Little Uncle, he couldn’t care less about the Gu Family’s paltry assets; she was well aware of that in her heart.
Thinking she might be pregnant again, Mrs. Zhang felt a surge of happiness.
Ming Mo and Ming Yan exchanged glances, knowing the young master was fond of Miss Xiao Yue and would surely be upset seeing her aggrieved.
Gu Chengyu’s expression darkened as he watched the door open and a little girl step out, head lowered, still wiping away tears, heading towards the well in the courtyard.
Gu Chengyu called out, "Little Yue!"
Little Yue turned her head and exclaid with delight, "Little Uncle!"
Little Yue shouted joyfully, then dashed over, clinging onto Gu Chengyu’s leg like an ornant.
"Little Uncle, when did you co back?"
"I ca back yesterday to take you to Shangling Village. Do you want to go?"
Gu Chengyu tweaked Little Yue’s nose and looked at her tear-streaked face, using a handkerchief to wipe it clean.
His robe had gotten wet, sared with Little Yue’s tears and black smudges, likely from the dirt on her hands that had been wiped on her face and then transferred onto his robe.
Little Yue felt a bit hesitant, "I need to ask Mama!"
"Mama! Little Uncle is back." Little Yue released Gu Chengyu’s leg, though her hand still clutched the robe, unwilling to let go.
Inside, Mrs. Zhang listened as Little Yue conversed with soone outside. Realizing it wasn’t her husband, she prepared to step out and check.
Upon hearing Little Yue call for her, Mrs. Zhang exited the house, "Oh! Is it really her Little Uncle back? Co inside and sit; your third brother will be here shortly!"
"Sister-in-law!"
Gu Chengyu had scrutinized Xiao Yu, noticing she seed a bit thinner, her clothes were sowhat dirty, and her hair was not neatly combed.
Still, she looked fine, not malnourished, and her dress wasn’t a hand--down from Mrs. Zhang; it was sothing his second sister had made before.
Thankfully, his sister-in-law wasn’t like He, and people like He weren’t nurous. Always thinking sons were treasures, while daughters were weeds.
Although Mrs. Zhang found her daughter displeasing, she hadn’t resorted to harsh treatnt. A farm girl still had to help with chores.
In any case, at least she wasn’t in the sa miserable situation as Si Ya.
Gu Chengyu sighed. In ancient tis, preference for sons over daughters was the norm.
He couldn’t argue this matter with Mrs. Zhang; he could only address it with his third brother or perhaps take Little Yue to Shangling Village to stay with their mother.
She’s still a granddaughter, and although his mother might keep a stern face, she wouldn’t mistreat Little Yue. If his second sister gets married, Little Yue living in the village might bring more life to the family.
"Sister-in-law, Little Yue is still young. Let’s not make her do such heavy work. I won’t co in to sit; mother asked you all to co back for dinner. Fourth brother and others will also be there. I’ll take Little Yue ahead so her grandparents, who haven’t seen her in a while, can have so ti with her."
Mrs. Zhang’s smile froze slightly on her face, "Oh! Then take Little Yue with you! We’ll co back in the afternoon."
Now that Little Uncle is a scholar, her family will rely on him in the future, so she dared not object.
However, if Little Uncle liked Little Yue, it was also good. Having soone to help raise a daughter made her happy.
Especially with another on the way, she didn’t have the energy to care for Little Yue now.
Little Yue imdiately bead with joy. Although Grandma kept a stern face, Grandpa would give her treats, and there were playmates in the village. But most importantly, Little Uncle would be ho.
"Why not stay for a al?" Mrs. Zhang was no fool like He. Why cause trouble for the soon-to-be affluent, soon-to-be influential Little Uncle? Only a fool would do that.
"No need for the trouble, sister-in-law. Please inform third brother; I’ll take Little Yue with now. You should co back earlier this afternoon."
Gu Chengyu, standing at the entrance to the inner courtyard, lifted the curtain, allowing the outer room to see what was happening here.
Yet, since his third brother wasn’t around, it’d be best to avoid suspicion.
"Xiao Bao! Xiao Bao! It’s urgent, hurry! Sothing happened at your place!"
Ming Mo and his companions were driving the carriage back to the village when they heard Aunt Wang’s voice.
Gu Chengyu was puzzled, wondering why Aunt Wang was still on the road when she should have returned to the village at this hour. And she ntioned sothing happened at his place?
Gu Chengyu peeked outside the carriage and noticed Aunt Wang riding the village’s Old Wang’s ox cart, heading toward the town.
"Aunt Wang! What’s going on?"
Aunt Wang leapt from the ox cart when she reached the carriage and hastily climbed onto it, "Hurry back! I’ll explain on the way."
"Gu Family’s fifth, you need to go back quickly! Sothing’s up at your place!" Old Wang advised Gu Chengyu from the roadside.
"Aunt Wang, what exactly happened?" Gu Chengyu was anxious, fearing sothing had happened to Mr. Gu or Mrs. Lv.
Aunt Wang, now inside the carriage and catching her breath, exclaid, "It’s your good second brother again! He got caught in bed with Wang Yue by her in-laws, and they plan to drown them in pig cages! They’ve already tied them up."
"Oh no! Silly ! Little Yue is here!"
Aunt Wang hadn’t expected Little Yue to be present, promptly clapping her mouth closed. Such matters weren’t ant for little girls to hear.
"Grandma Wang!" Little Yue called out sweetly, then nestled closely next to Gu Chengyu.
"Why did my second brother go to Wang Yue’s place again?" Gu Chengyu, relieved to learn it wasn’t Mr. Gu who was in trouble, relaxed.
About his second brother—he’d just heard of this incident from Aunt Wang in the morning, and in only a few hours, news of this magnitude erged.
Wang Yue had also gone to town earlier and surely visited her in-laws on her way back, where his brother must have gone to see her.
He had intended to discuss it with his eldest uncle, but before he could, his second brother had already stirred up such a storm.
"Your second brother brought this upon himself! In broad daylight and he still went over to Wang Yue’s house. How could your sister-in-law be so oblivious to her husband’s affair? She hasn’t appeared yet; I have no idea where she is either."
Speaking of this, Gu Chengyu was at a loss too. His sister-in-law was ho last night, and now she’s gone the very next morning. Could she have returned to her parents again?
"Please tell the situation in more detail, Auntie!" Gu Chengyu, having cald down, figured that as long as Aunt Wang reached out to him, and since it was rely a threat of drowning, the actual deed hadn’t occurred yet.
Before heading back, he needed to devise a plan. His father wouldn’t just watch as Gu Chengyi faced such a dire fate; he must have been devising a plan to rescue him.
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