Lin Yue’s gaze fell on the Shen couple ahead. It suddenly dawned on him that they must have instructed Shen Lingzhi to relay these past events to him. Earlier, when they spoke, the three in front had moved at a deliberate, unhurried pace—clearly waiting for them intentionally.

Lin Yue felt a pang of emotion. This family was considerate, after all. Well, he’d just treat it as broadening his horizons. It was the first time he’d witnessed such extreme partiality.

The thought made Lin Yue cough uncomfortably. He felt a pang of guilt, as if he were somehow immoral. Before he could justify himself, Song Xunchun beckoned from ahead, “We’re almost there. Come closer, let’s go in together.”

Lin Yue strode forward. “Coming, Mother.”

Just two steps away, Song Xunchun grabbed Lin Yue’s arm. “Stay with Huaizhi for now. Just call out to people. If you’re willing, keep Grandma company. Don’t worry about anyone else.”

Lin Yue gave a slight nod. “I understand. Don’t worry.”

As they continued walking, Shen Huaizhi slowly fell behind Lin Yue and whispered, “If anyone says something unpleasant, don’t hold back. Don’t let it get to you.”

Due to Grandfather Shen’s favoritism, Shen Zhengchu and his uncle Shen Da had a distant relationship growing up, while he was much closer to his younger brother Shen Yunchu. After that incident, the two brothers had almost no private contact. Shen Zhengchu’s family visited twice a year, bringing rice, flour, and clothes for Grandma Shen—though nominally, these gifts were for the elderly couple of the Shen household.

In this day and age, not all parents are perfect. When Shen Zhengchu and his wife insisted on dividing the family estate years ago, many villagers whispered behind their backs, calling them unfilial. It was only because Grandma Shen repeatedly spoke well of them outside the home that their reputation was largely salvaged.

Later, when Shen Huaizhi began his studies, the importance of reputation grew even greater for the imperial examinations. If rumors of filial disrespect spread, no villager or Xiucai would be willing to vouch for him. Without such sponsorship, he couldn’t even take the lowest-level examination for Tongsheng. Shen Zhengchu’s family, wary of backlash, had maintained a careful facade over the years. And each time they delivered gifts, they made a grand show of it. Combined with Grandma Shen’s frequent praise of their filial piety, the rumors gradually died down.

Grandfather Shen was deeply dissatisfied with this. Whenever he saw them, he wore a sour expression, his reactions ranging from cold remarks to outright curses. Shen Huaizhi himself didn’t care, but he refused to let Lin Yue suffer the humiliation.

Lin Yue had thought today wouldn’t involve him, but Song Xunchun and Shen Huaizhi took turns briefing him. Even Shen Zhengchu and Shen Lingzhi, on the other side, were looking at him with worried expressions, which made him feel tense.

He blurted out, “If I can’t hold back, can I talk back?”

Shen Huaizhi paused for a moment before nodding. “Yes, just don’t get yourself worked up.”

Lin Yue flashed a smile. “Alright, I got it.”

Uncle Shen’s house sat in the village center, not far from the Shen residence. Within a quarter of an hour, the group arrived at his doorstep.

The courtyard gate stood open. Song Xunchun peered inside and called out, “Sister-in-law, are you home? We’ve come to see Father and Mother.”

A woman in the courtyard smiled as she came out to greet them. “We’re here! We were just waiting for you. Come inside and sit down.”

Sister-in-law Yan Lanying was warm and pleasant to talk to. Before Shen Zhengchu’s family split off, she and Song Xunchun got along reasonably well. There were some bumps, but they never fought. After the events of that year, when they gained the upper hand, the two grew distant. Still, they maintained a cordial facade. When they met in the village, they always greeted each other with smiles, leading the uninformed to believe they were very close sisters-in-law.

Song Xunchun and her group followed into the main hall. She and Shen Zhengchu led the way, setting down the items they carried on the table. With a faint smile, she said, “Father, Mother, Yue’er came to visit yesterday. Today, I’ve brought him to meet you. Here are some rice and flour, along with two pieces of meat. It’s a gift from the young couple, hoping to add a dish for Grandfather and Grandmother.”

Turning to Lin Yue, she added, “Yue, these are your Grandfather and Grandmother.”

Lin Yue curtsied respectfully and addressed them politely, “Grandfather, Grandmother.”

Song Xunchun then pointed to the others, introducing them one by one. “This is your eldest uncle and aunt, your cousin-in-law. Your cousin and little nephew aren’t here right now.”

Yan Lanying added, “Your cousin is studying in town, and your little nephew is still asleep. We’ll bring him next time to meet his uncle.”

After greeting everyone, Lin Yue quietly stepped back, observing the two elders seated above him out of the corner of his eye.

Grandma Shen was a petite old woman, her face etched with the wrinkles of time. Her eyes, clouded by age, still radiated kindness and affection at a glance. She wore indigo-dyed cotton robes, with patches faintly visible on the sleeves—neat and tidy nonetheless. Her salt-and-pepper hair was combed neatly back and wrapped in a matching headscarf, giving her a sharp, composed look.

As for Grandpa Shen, Lin Yue tried to avoid preconceptions but still found him intimidating. His prominent cheekbones, furrowed brow, and deeply lined forehead gave him a stern look as he coldly observed them.

Grandma Shen,. Liu-shi, knew her husband’s temperament well and spoke first: “Good, good, good. Now that Huai has married a husband, he must treat him well. May the young couple live happily together.”

She didn’t let Lin Yue step forward, merely praising, “Young Master Yue is truly handsome. Our Huai is blessed.”

Lin Yue smiled in response, “Hello, Grandma. I’m Lin Yue. We’ll live well together, you can rest assured.”

“Rest assured, rest assured. You’re both good children. Grandma trusts you completely.”

Just as the grandmother and granddaughter were about to say more, Grandfather Shen interrupted them.

Shen Ping glared at Shen Zhengchu and snorted coldly, “So you did show up. I thought you didn’t even know which way the family gate faced. It’s so late—why didn’t you just come tomorrow?”

Seeing his father-in-law Shen Zhengchu refusing to engage, Lin Yue silently complained to himself: Tomorrow I have to visit my parents’ home. Who’s going to come see you?

Shen Ping grew even more furious at his second son’s attitude. Turning to Song Xunchun, he snapped, “Struck dumb? I say marrying you, this troublemaker, is what drove my second son to demand a family split. What good life did he get out of it? He doesn’t even honor his own parents!”

He immediately turned his wrath on Shen Huaizhi and his brother: “You two think you’re grown men now? Can’t you speak up? How did you even pass the Tongsheng exams? Not a trace of your cousin’s discipline. And you—if your son grows up this disobedient, don’t blame the Shen family when he gets beaten by his wife!”

After berating each one, he delivered his grand finale: “This whole family is like this. You don’t even smile when you come to visit. Someone might think you’re here to mourn my death.”

Uncle Shen, who always obeyed his father most, chimed in with Shen Ping’s tirade. “Father, please calm down. Second brother, you should discipline the children properly. If you can’t manage, learn from my son Wenzhi.”

Lin Yue stood frozen in shock. His gaze accidentally met Shen Ping’s. Just as he lowered his head, Shen Ping pointed his finger at him. “A young ger with no decorum whatsoever, all dressed up like a peacock. Utterly improper.”

Lin Yue: ???

He had just gotten married yesterday. Today he wore a newly made dress—turquoise blue—with a red ribbon in his hair. Was that considered flamboyant?

Seriously? Was the entire Shen family made of dough? How could they tolerate this? Lin Yue scanned each member of the family—all four wore expressionless faces. Looking up at Shen Ping, with his sharp, scathing expression, he couldn’t hold back any longer.

Who tells a young couple the day after their wedding that they look like they’re attending a funeral? It’s utterly inauspicious and shows no respect for taboos.

“My apologies. I’m young and didn’t realize this was considered decked out. Had I known, I’d have come wearing a sackcloth.”

“I got married yesterday, and today my face looks like I’m at a funeral. How inappropriate! Next time I attend a funeral, I’ll come smiling. I guarantee you’ll be satisfied. If you’re still unhappy, jump up and yell at me—I won’t say a word back.”

Shen Ping was used to being the undisputed ruler of the household; no one dared contradict him. Lin Yue’s sudden outburst infuriated him to no end. Panting heavily, he pointed at Lin Yue and shouted: “Shut your mouth, you insolent brat! I’m the head of this household—you have no say here. Dare utter another word, and I’ll have Huaizhi divorce you.”

Shen Huaizhi stared fixedly at Shen Ping, his gaze as cold as ice. He didn’t look at his own grandfather at all. His voice held not a hint of emotion. “I won’t.”

Lin Yue lifted his chin, looking down at him. “You call this being the head of the household? I’ve only heard of such titles in wealthy families in the county town, those with fortunes worth a thousand taels. With just these mud-brick houses and a few pots and pans, what right do you have to be in charge? And after you’re in charge, won’t you give me a share? Who needs it? And you want to divorce me? Go ahead if you dare. Then everyone will know you’re an old man who disrespected his elders and was biased, scolding his new son-in-law away on his second day in the door.“

”You, you, you get out!”

“Hmph. I’ll go stand at the door and cry. Let the whole village know I’m being driven to death just after entering this household. If Lizheng doesn’t come to defend me, I won’t live another day.”

“What? You still want to hit me? Let me tell you, I’ll fight back. Don’t cry when I break your legs.”

“You, unfilial son! Shen Zhengchu, you unfilial son! I raised nothing but a wolf in sheep’s clothing! Are you trying to drive your old father to his grave?”

Shen Zhengchu had wanted to speak up long ago, but he feared disrupting Lin Yue’s performance. They’d worked so hard to bring their son’s husband home—if he got upset, it would be disastrous.

“Didn’t you know I was unfilial ten years ago? Why ask now? You said yourself I wouldn’t care about your old age or funeral—have you forgotten?”

“Besides, my son’s husband is none of your concern. I’ll handle him, father.”

Shen Ping glared at him. “I should’ve strangled you long ago, you debt-collecting ghost.”

“If you’d strangled me, who would’ve earned money for your eldest son and grandson? Your grandson’s been studying for over a decade—he still hasn’t passed the Tongsheng exams.”

Shen Ping’s cane thumped rhythmically on the floor as he bellowed, “Get out! All of you, get out! A family of ingrate wolves and debt collectors!”

Lin Yue couldn’t take it anymore. “What’s that supposed to mean? My husband passed the Tongsheng exam and didn’t bring glory to the Shen family. Or is it your grandson who’s become a top scholar? Let me see this marvel for myself.”

“How can you speak so viciously? How many years did you pickle that tongue to make it so bitter? Yes, yes, we’re ingrateful dogs. But isn’t your eldest son one too? Why does he wear cotton robes while you’re still clad in hemp with patches?”

“I’m not leaving until the villagers come to judge this. I’m a kind soul—they need to know there’s someone like you in this village, someone who wants to be a murderer. Today, you regret not strangling your son back then, and tomorrow you might strangle a neighbor. I’ll make sure they avoid you, so they don’t have the misfortune of crossing paths with you.”

Shen Ping flew into a rage, raising his cane to strike him, but Shen Huaizhi grabbed his wrist.

Back then, he’d watched helplessly as that very cane beat his father’s back. Not today.

“Get out of my way! Your education’s gone to the dogs! Tomorrow I’ll report your entire family to the authorities for disobedience and have you all arrested.”

Lin Yue stood with his hands on his hips. “Go ahead. Start by arresting my uncle—he wears cotton while dressing his Father is in hemp. Then arrest my cousin. All those years of schooling wasted Grandfather’s savings! He disrespected his elders and neglected the young. How could his nephew be anything but unfilial? He clearly failed as a role model. Then arrest the rest yourself, too. Not a single Shen family member will be left. Who knows if the old ancestor’s coffin lid can hold him down—might he come haunting you in the dead of night? “

”You… Shut your mouth.”

Shen Ping’s hand gripping the cane shook like a sieve, his face flushed crimson. His labored breathing echoed across the distance. Lin Yue suddenly felt a twinge of worry—was he about to collapse?

He’s so skilled at cursing, yet a few retorts left him this flustered? I haven’t even scratched the surface yet.

Just then, Grandma Liu of the Shen family spoke up. “You two go back now. Don’t come over this year.”

Lin Yue thought he was angry, but when he looked up, he found her remarkably calm. She waved her hand gently twice and even smiled at him when she saw him watching, as if to reassure him not to worry.