Chapter Bonanza (2/5)

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

Once the door closed, only the three of them remained, along with their speechless fifth brother.

Tang Xianling cradled the baby, trying to soothe him. The little one looked just like Second Sister, and he remarked sarcastically, “Thank goodness Si-ger looks like Second Sister. If he’d taken after Second Sister’s husband, that would’ve been a disaster.”

The somewhat oppressive atmosphere in the room vanished. Jiang Yun chuckled. “You’re just talking nonsense.”

“Mother, just look for yourself. Si-ger has delicate, beautiful features; he really does resemble my Second Sister more. He’s so adorable.” Tang Xianling held the child close and brought him over.

Jiang Yun looked closely, and as she gazed, her eyes began to well up. She turned to Erniang and said, “He does look like her—just like your second sister did when she was little.”

Tang Zhen’s nose felt a bit stuffy. She didn’t know why, but seeing her mother look at her made her feel wronged and on the verge of tears. “Mother, why did you and Wu-ger come here?” 

“We were worried about you,” Jiang Yun said bluntly.

Tang Zhen turned her head away, sniffed, and then said, “I’m fine. Everything’s fine.”  

“Your life—” Jiang Yun began.

Tang Zhen looked back at her and said firmly, “Bo’an really treats me well.” Tang Xianling didn’t believe her and lowered his head to soothe the child.

Tang Zhen said to her mother and younger brother, “I’ve never had a son, and my mother-in-law and father-in-law have certainly had some complaints about it. But it’s not too bad—they haven’t been harsh or abusive toward my three older daughters. After Si-ger was born, my mother-in-law wanted to send him to the countryside, but Bo’an refused, saying, ‘He’s my own flesh and blood.’”

…It’s just one playing the good cop and the other the bad cop, isn’t it? Tang Xianling thought to himself.

As Tang Zhen spoke, a tender look came over her face. “We only have Bo’an in the family. We simply must have a son. When the next four children find husbands and marry out, having a son in the family will give them something to rely on.”

…Tang Xianling paused in the act of cradling Si-ger. Of course, he couldn’t blame Second Sister for these words. Given Second Sister’s upbringing and the environment she’d been immersed in since marrying into the Cui family, how could he blame her?

Jiang Yun said nothing, merely nodding slightly. She took Erniang’s hand and stroked it gently. Erniang’s hands were rough, her palms covered in calluses. Tang Zhen pulled her hand back, not wanting her mother to touch her, as if her mother were touching some shameful secret. But life was better now than it had been back at her parents’ home—everything was better. What was there to be ashamed of?

“Bo’an and I are still young; we’ll be able to have a son eventually.”

“The family can afford to raise them; business is better now.”

“Daniang can have a room to herself, and Erniang and Sanniang can sleep together. The two younger sisters are still small and afraid to sleep alone; they’re the closest of friends. Bo’an says that once the children are a bit older, he’ll set up another room so they can sleep separately.”

“Back then, I shared a room with my eldest and third sisters.”

The implication was that their living conditions were now better than when they were at their mother’s home, and life wasn’t so bad.

Jiang Yun just listened to Erniang speak, nodding from time to time and saying, “That’s so nice,” “I see,” and “Bo’an really treats Second and Third Sister well.” Tang Xianling couldn’t bear to listen to it several times but didn’t know what to say.

He felt a sense of stifling frustration.

“Our third sister came back with Xiangxiang for the funeral.”

Tang Zhen was taken aback at first: “Just third sister? Her husband didn’t come back?”

“No,” Jiang Yun shook his head. “Zhao Jing has a temper; he used to hold grudges against your father.”

Tang Zhen grew a bit anxious. “Stubbornness is one thing, but Jingshi is so far from the county seat. Sanniang is bringing the girl back alone—without a man in sight. Doesn’t Zhao Jing even care? What if something goes wrong?”

Tang Xianling glanced at his second sister. When she spoke of herself, she was all meek and submissive, but when it came to their third sister, she was genuinely worried and concerned. Second Sister… she had a good, soft heart—but it was precisely that softness that made her easy to manipulate.

“Exactly. I told your third sister, now that your father is dead, surely Zhao Jing isn’t going to hold a grudge against a dead man? I wonder if your third sister will come back this year,” Jiang Yun said.

Tang Zhen couldn’t help but think of herself. It had been years since she’d been back, and now that her father had passed away, she hadn’t even been able to attend the funeral. Logically, she couldn’t go back while she was heavily pregnant, so Bo’an should have gone in her place—but it was the busy farming season, and the family was about to harvest the crops. There was so much work to be done; they couldn’t expect her father-in-law to handle it all by himself. He was getting on in years, and Bo’an had to take care of him.

“Never mind. It’s not even New Year’s yet. We’ll see when the time comes,” Jiang Yun sighed. “Ever since your father died, I’ve been all alone at home. Sometimes I feel like there’s no point in living…”

Tang Xianling, standing nearby: ??? Huh?!

He never realized Mother felt so despondent. Is she that lonely? Does life even seem worth living anymore?

“It’s my fault. I’m an unfilial daughter for marrying so far away. What about my eldest sister? Didn’t our eldest sister go visit Mother?” Tang Zhen couldn’t hold back her tears and burst into sobs. Back then, she’d heard from her third younger sister that she didn’t want to marry a farmer and toil in the fields, nor did she want to live too close to home. She hadn’t liked being at home back then, but now that she’d married far away, as the years passed, she found herself missing home and her mother from time to time.

“Your eldest sister did come, but her husband’s family is in the midst of a property division, so she’s been caught up in all the chaos.”

From the way her mother spoke, Tang Zhen sensed she felt lonely and had no one to rely on. Of course, she couldn’t blame Wu-ger for this—he had his own hardships. Nor could she blame her eldest sister or third sister; after all, she herself had been unfilial.

There was a commotion at the door. Mrs. Cui had returned from buying groceries and was knocking on the door, calling for Mrs. Tang.

Normally, Tang Zhen would have gone to prepare the meal and entertain the relatives and guests. That’s how it had always been—whenever relatives came during festivals, she was the one who handled everything, including buying groceries. But today, she had left the grocery shopping to her mother-in-law. Hearing her mother-in-law’s voice, Tang Zhen felt a moment of fear, then hurried to get up and open the door.

Tang Xianling said, “Sister, you sit down and chat with Mother. I’ll go cook.” He was just paying lip service—he had no intention of actually doing it. It would be terribly rude for the Cui family to ask a relative who had traveled such a long distance to cook for them.

Tang Zhen still got up, hurriedly saying it was no trouble. “I’ll just tidy up. You and Mother have come a long way—please sit down and rest. We have some fruit at home; I’ll wash it and bring it over in a moment.”

“Oh, it’s no trouble at all. It’s not like I’m craving these few pieces of fruit—I eat all sorts of things at home. Father appeared in a dream saying he missed you, and actually, Mother and I miss you too,” Tang Xianling said, pulling his second sister close.

The door opened.

Mrs. Cui had originally called her daughter-in-law to cook, but surely she wasn’t going to make her do it? Was she supposed to wait on her daughter-in-law’s entire family of relatives as well?

“Mother, I’ll be right there. Just put the ingredients in the kitchen; I’ll be over in a moment,” Tang Zhen told her mother-in-law.

Mrs. Cui gave a nod.

Tang Xianling exclaimed, “I’ll go, I’ll go!” But his legs certainly wouldn’t move.

Tang Zhen had been married for many years and didn’t really know her Wu-ger very well. Mainly because her younger brother had changed so much, she actually thought he was going to the kitchen to work, so she hurriedly said, “You’re a guest—how could we let a guest do the work?”

“But Second Sister, you and Mother haven’t seen each other in years. We’ve finally managed to come, and the ride was so bumpy that Mother threw up several times.”

Upon hearing this, Tang Zhen paused in her steps toward the kitchen. “Mother, are you feeling unwell? Could it be heatstroke?” Jiang Yun had never actually vomited, but now she had to pretend. She waved her hand and said, “The bumpy ride made me a bit queasy, but I’m fine now.”

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Cui, standing nearby, felt it would be inappropriate to press her daughter-in-law. She could only engage in warm small talk, asking her mother-in-law how she was feeling, remarking that at their age they should rest more, and noting that they had the younger generation to look after them. She also praised Zhenniang for being capable and capable—

Tang Xianling cursed the old woman in his heart.

She was just paying her second daughter-in-law a backhanded compliment, implying that she worked tirelessly and dutifully without complaint.

It wasn’t that Tang Xianling lacked the virtue of respecting the elderly and caring for the young; rather, household chores—from cooking and cleaning to tending to the family’s daily needs—were a mountain of work. With one person earning money outside and another handling the housework, the burden shouldn’t fall entirely on one person. Family members are meant to help, support, and care for one another.

Using one’s seniority to constantly lecture and belittle the younger generation is truly detestable.

Anyone who didn’t know better would think your family was some high-and-mighty clan, and that you were some noble matriarch—why are you putting on such airs as the “Lady of the House”?!

He could see right through it: Father Cui and Cui Bo’an were cut from the same cloth. Earlier, Father Cui had told his wife to go buy groceries, bossing her around as if it were her natural duty. Cui Bo’an treated his second sister the exact same way.

In the past, it might have been Mrs. Cui who toiled tirelessly to run the household, but now it’s his second sister—Mrs. Cui has transformed overnight, going from a slave to a slave owner.

It was infuriating.

“Mother, Wu-ger, please have a seat. I’ll go get things ready,” said Tang Zhen.

Mrs. Cui beamed as she welcomed her mother-in-law. “Exactly, exactly. We must accept the filial devotion of the younger generation. It makes them happy, and it’s all out of their pure hearts.”

“Ah, Erniang is indeed dutiful. She was always so well-behaved and sensible at home. Back then, I felt so sorry for the child—every parent feels that way for their own child. Even in winter, I wouldn’t let her and her third sister do the laundry,” Jiang Yun sighed.

Mrs. Cui’s smile faltered slightly. “Don’t worry, sister-in-law. My family is a decent family. Since Zhen’er married Bo’an, I’ve treated her like my own daughter.” 

“It’s just that she’s had four children—”

Tang Xianling cut in, seemingly unable to discern what Mrs. Cui was about to say. “Then we’d better ask a doctor to give my second sister a thorough checkup, wouldn’t we? I’ve heard that having too many children is hard on a woman’s health, and if she’s working herself to the bone day and night, that’s just too much.”

Mrs. Cui had been about to say, “Even though she gave birth to four children who couldn’t carry on the family line, we never looked down on her,” but her young son-in-law had cut her off, turning the conversation in this direction. She was momentarily speechless.

“I think Auntie looks so healthy precisely because she only had one child with my second sister’s husband. She looks young and robust,” Tang Xianling said, offering a sincere compliment.

Mrs. Cui was in excellent health—her complexion was rosy, and she was robust. It seemed only natural that someone as capable as her should take on more responsibilities. Flattered by the compliment, Mrs. Cui… couldn’t quite manage a smile, but forced one anyway.

Tang Xianling said, “Really, you look so young and kind-hearted. If my father were still alive, seeing you, he wouldn’t have any more bad dreams or worries.” 

Was that a compliment? Mrs. Cui couldn’t think of anything else to say, so she just smiled and agreed, “That’s right, I care for Zhenniang with all my heart.” 

“My father really should come see you,” Tang Xianling nodded.

They chatted for quite a while at the doorway. Tang Zhen tried several times to go to the kitchen to work, but her younger brother kept distracting her. Mrs. Cui stood there chatting with them for a while. She really couldn’t delay any longer; if she didn’t start preparing the vegetables soon, it would be too late. She figured that if she went to work, Zhenniang surely wouldn’t drag her feet about coming to the kitchen.

“I’ll go get to work first. You two have a good chat,” Mrs. Cui said.

As soon as Tang Zhen heard this, she said, “Mother, I’ll go,” and started to leave.

Tang Xianling was about to say something, but his mother tugged at his sleeve, so he kept quiet.

Mrs. Cui and Tang Zhen went to the kitchen to start cleaning the vegetables and preparing the meat. Before long, the eldest brought Erniang into the kitchen to help their mother. Mrs. Cui smoothly assigned tasks to the two girls—picking green beans and sorting vegetables—so she could take a short break. She was exhausted from running around all day buying groceries.

Suddenly, her gaze caught something, and her hand, which had been pulling down her sleeve, paused.

“Who bought those things hanging around their necks? What are they?” Mrs. Cui asked.

Tang Zhen replied, “My mother bought them for all the children—silver longevity locks. I told her we shouldn’t have them; they’re too precious.”

The two little girls reached up to touch the longevity locks around their necks, clearly delighted. The eldest daughter said, “Grandma, it’s not just me and my second sister—my third sister and my little brother have them too.”

“Four of them?” Mrs. Cui gasped in surprise. She looked at her daughter-in-law, rolled up her sleeves again—which she had just let down—and said as she sorted through the vegetables, “I recall your family ran a soup shop in Fengyuan City?”

Tang Zhen replied, “Yes, my father opened a mutton soup and noodle shop when he was still alive.”

“Now that your father’s gone, your mother and your younger brother have taken over the business. From what I can see, they’re quite generous with you.” Mrs. Cui spoke bluntly; her daughter-in-law was as open as a book—she answered whatever was asked and did whatever she was told.

Tang Zhen also felt that her mother and younger brother had changed a great deal. She spoke honestly: “Back when my father was alive, we were actually quite frugal at home. I haven’t been back since I got married a few years ago. Seeing Wu-ger this time really surprised me—he’s changed so much, and Mother has changed too.”

“I thought so too. Your younger brother isn’t dressed like an ordinary person. When he first walked into the shop, I mistook him for the son of some landowner or local gentry.” After saying this, she added, “Though the way he speaks isn’t like you—it’s a bit off-putting, isn’t it? But it doesn’t seem like he’s doing it on purpose.”

Mrs. Cui was left at a loss for how to respond.

Tang Zhen hurriedly said, “My younger brother is shy by nature; he used to be quiet. He probably didn’t say the right thing—please don’t be angry, Mother.”

Mrs. Cui nodded, making no mention of whether she was angry or not. Seeing the silver longevity lockets hanging around her two granddaughters’ necks, she couldn’t help but wonder: Could the Tang family’s business be even bigger than hers?

Earlier, the matchmaker had said that Father Tang ran a noodle shop. After her daughter-in-law married into the family, she didn’t act like someone who’d been spoiled at home—she was quite capable, well-behaved, and hardworking.

But now her younger brother seemed like a spoiled brat, interrupting elders at will, grinning away, and showing no fear of anyone. And as for her newly found husband—judging by the way Bo’an and Old Cui treated him—he seemed to be someone with connections and considerable influence.

It’s really strange.

“Zhenniang, what does your younger brother do now? Is he a government official’s son-in-law?” Mrs. Cui asked. She had only caught a glimpse of the conversation and hadn’t quite caught it all; besides, she didn’t understand these matters.

Tang Zhen was taken aback. “No, no, no, Mother, you must have misheard. Wu-ger’s new husband’s ancestors were officials.”

“I heard you. It’s just that from the way your younger brother speaks and carries himself, he seems confident and capable.” He’d even suggested taking her daughter-in-law to see a doctor, since having too many children was hard on a woman’s health—and even though this daughter-in-law hadn’t given birth to a son, he hadn’t said a single harsh word about it.

Mrs. Cui asked for quite a while but couldn’t get any information out of her. Yet seeing this in-law family who had suddenly arrived today—their attire, speech, and mannerisms—all seemed to suggest they had struck it rich.

“True, you haven’t been back in years.”

Upon hearing this, Tang Zhen blamed herself. “It’s my fault.” All these years, with one child after another, the babies still so young, and the winter holidays so cold, she could never find the right time to go back.

Inside the house.

Tang Xianling placed his sleeping Si-ger back in bed. Xiao Sanniang, feeling a mix of curiosity and shyness, peeked at him from behind the doorframe. Tang Xianling beckoned to her, and the child obediently came over.

“Call me Uncle. Do you remember?” 

“Uncle.”

Tang Xianling then took some pine nuts out of his pouch. “These are hard to shell. Be careful not to hurt your teeth—I’ll shell them for you.” He didn’t hand them directly to Xiao Sanniang; instead, he shelled them with his hands, poured the kernels into his palm, and took turns eating them with her, one by one.

Before long, Xiao Sanniang was no longer afraid of this Uncle. Tang Xianling asked, “Do you have a name?”

The little girl shook her head.

“I used to be called Wu-ger—your Fifth Uncle,” Tang Xianling smiled. “It’s just as well you don’t have one yet. When you’re older, you can choose a name for yourself that truly suits you—whatever you like. If an adult were to name you now and it turned out to be an ugly name, it would be better not to have one at all.”

Jiang Yun listened as Wu-ger spoke to his granddaughter but didn’t stop him.

Xiao Sanniang listened, half-understanding, yet it seemed she grasped a little of it—so she could name herself? That was possible, then.

Just past noon, Father Cui’s voice rang out in the courtyard: “Old woman, is the meal ready yet? Don’t keep our guests waiting.” His tone was full of cheer.

“And some wine.”

Cui Bo’an called out, “Father, I’ll go fetch the wine.” 

“Then go on.”

In the kitchen, Mother Cui first replied, “It’ll be ready soon, it’ll be ready soon,” but inwardly she was surprised. They were even buying wine to entertain guests—Bo’an hadn’t shown this much care even toward his maternal relatives. It was truly odd.

Before long, the meal was ready. Cui Bo’an returned carrying the wine—fine wine at that—and said he wanted to have a hearty drink with his younger brother. Huangfu Tieniu laughed and agreed, saying he’d be happy to join him.

After that, they exchanged polite refusals before sitting down to eat.

“Zhen, don’t worry about it. Come sit down and have a meal with your mother-in-law and your younger brother,” Cui Bo’an called out to his wife. Tang Zhen said, “There are still two hot dishes—”

“I’ll handle it,” said Mother Cui.

Tang Xianling quickly interjected, “No rush, no rush. Let’s wait until everyone’s here and eat together.”

“I’m not hungry either,” Huangfu Tieniu said politely. “Let’s wait until Auntie and Second Sister are done with their work before we all sit down to eat.”

In the end, they all finished their chores and sat down to eat together.

Cui Bo’an poured wine for Huangfu Tieniu and made a round of toasts. Huangfu Tieniu was equally polite, showing no airs; he returned the toasts and said, “You’re Second Sister’s husband—we’re family. No need to be so formal,” and so on.

The two of them downed a few cups of wine.

Cui Bo’an kept steering the conversation toward the Huangfu family—out of curiosity, not suspicion. After all, the things this brother-in-law’s husband mentioned—banquets at the Lu capital, ancestral rites, and so on—were all things Cui had never even heard of. Even the Shi family, the wealthiest household in town, didn’t put on such a grand display.

He knew immediately that this brother-in-law’s husband had truly lived the life of a young master in his youth. He couldn’t help but think: The opera says that even the gatekeepers at a chancellor’s door are wealthy—and that’s certainly no exaggeration. The Huangfu family must have been prosperous in their ancestors’ time; even now, despite their current struggles and the division of the family, they still possess a depth of wealth and heritage far beyond that of ordinary people.

After a round of feasting and drinking, Cui Bo’an became quite drunk. He shouted loudly that he’d learned a lot today, declaring that they were all family and brothers. He admitted that the past had indeed been difficult, and that it was his fault—not Yun’s—that he hadn’t brought Zhenniang back to visit his in-laws.

“…Rest assured, my brother. We’ll see each other again this New Year. We’ll have another round of drinking then—it’ll be truly delightful.”

Huangfu Tieniu had drunk quite a bit; his face was flushed, but he hadn’t lost his composure. His eyes were clear, and he appeared calm as he politely acknowledged each remark.

Lunch dragged on for two hours. Tang Xianling was thoroughly bored and had no intention of staying there to chat with a drunkard, so he eventually went off to play with the children. In the end, he skipped the evening meal as well. Having just eaten, he said he wanted to leave, but Cui Bo’an kept insisting he stay the night, saying there was plenty of room and so on.

Huangfu Tieniu politely declined.

“I’ll walk you out,” said Cui Bo’an, his gait already beginning to splay outward.

Huangfu Tieniu supported him and said it wasn’t necessary. “Xianling misses Second Sister—”

“Zhenniang, don’t bother packing. You see Mother-in-law and Little Brother off. I’ll come pick you up later. I’ll take it easy…” Cui Bo’an felt like he was going to vomit but managed to hold it back. After all that turmoil, they finally left the Cui household.

Tang Zhen carried Si-ger to see their mother and younger brother off to the inn. Tang Xianling took the child from Second Sister’s arms. The three little girls hadn’t come along; they’d been left at home. The little one had woken up and was wailing for his mother—there was nothing to be done.

But as soon as Si-er was in Tang Xianling’s arms, he settled down. Tang Xianling said to Tieniu, “Isn’t he adorable?”

“Yeah, he’s cute. I smell like alcohol—I don’t want to bother you or the baby,” Huangfu Tieniu said.

Tang Xianling didn’t blame Tieniu for drinking too much; instead, he felt concerned. “Are you feeling sick from drinking too much? When we get back, you should wash up with some hot water and drink some hangover soup. If not, just induce vomiting, and you’ll be fine.”

“I’ll do as you say. I’m not feeling sick.”

Tang Zhen turned back and said, “Your second brother-in-law is in a good mood today and had a bit too much to drink. He doesn’t usually drink that often.” “It’s fine, Second Sister,” Tang Xianling said.

When they arrived at the inn, Second Sister went to speak with their mother in her room and took Si-ger with her. Tang Xianling didn’t want to intrude on their private conversation. He could tell that their mother had a better way of handling Second Sister than he did.

Given the current situation, it was impossible for Second Sister to get a divorce. From what he’d seen today, she still had feelings for her husband; whenever she spoke of him, there was a certain tenderness in her voice. How could they possibly divorce?

His mother must realize this too, so a divorce is out of the question.

Tang Xianling’s approach was simple and brutal; he figured that if he were in her shoes, he wouldn’t put up with this miserable life for a second. But Second Sister had grown up with a different set of values—you couldn’t just force things on her.

If Cui Bo’an from the Cui family were the kind of man who resorted to beatings and verbal abuse at the drop of a hat—a domestic abuser—then Tang Xianling would have had every right to curse him out. But the Cui family as it stands now… he really didn’t know what to say. If he pushed for a divorce and Second Sister refused, outsiders would just think her family had gone mad, ruining a good marriage.

“Speaking of the Cui family, I actually think Old Man Cui is pretty decent.” Tang Xianling wrung out a hot towel and handed it over. Huangfu Tieniu paused mid-wipe, staring blankly at his husband—Xianling had never praised Old Man Cui before.

Tang Xianling: “Just keep wiping. It’s all about comparison—I just don’t like Cui Bo’an.” Now he wasn’t even calling him “brother-in-law” anymore.

“I never liked people like that back when I was in school.”

“He’s all talk. Young as he is, he’s slick as a rat, full of paternalistic pretensions, loves to lecture people, and he’s a total chauvinist.”

Never mind the flattery and brown-nosing—in business, money can be hard to come by, and sucking up to bosses and clients is just a way to make a living.

Huangfu Tieniu obediently wiped his face upon hearing this, then held it up for his husband to inspect. Tang Xianling was in the middle of ranting, but when he saw Tieniu acting so “obedient,” he immediately realized the man was drunk—and quite tipsy at that. He was being incredibly well-behaved, just like a child.

“I wasn’t talking about you. You’re not like that.”

“That’s good, that’s great.” Huangfu Tieniu nodded, then looked at his husband again. “I’ve taken note of what you don’t like—I won’t do it.”

Tang Xianling simply couldn’t hold back. Not bothered by Tieniu’s breath of alcohol, he leaned in and planted a kiss on him.

“My Tieniu is the best!”

A little later, Cui Bo’an came to pick up Tang Zhen. He’d changed his clothes—he must have thrown up—and though he still had a hint of alcohol on his breath, he was much more sober. He called Tang Xianling “my younger brother” and “little brother,” acting affectionate and warm, as if they were close family.

Jiang Yun didn’t lecture him on anything, merely saying, “Erniang has just given birth. Even if you want another child, you should wait a while and let her recover first.”

“I know, Mother-in-law. I’ve told her the same thing. I said there’s no rush, but Zhenniang loves boys and wants another one—there’s nothing I can do about it.” Cui Bo’an said.

Tang Xianling: Fists as hard as iron.

They stayed in Cuilin Town for two days. During that time, Tang Zhen brought the children to the inn to chat with her mother, and Cui Bo’an also came by. He was very attentive, often bringing homemade food to share, chatting about everyday matters. Upon learning that Wu-ger and he had opened a restaurant, he praised us a few times.

Tang Xianling didn’t put on airs about it; he didn’t snap at Cui Bo’an to his face, figuring he should give him the benefit of the doubt.

When it was time to leave, Cui Bo’an was reluctant to part ways. He even promised that during the New Year, he would definitely bring Zhenniang back to visit her mother-in-law, assuring her that Zhenniang was doing well at home—with plenty to eat and drink—and that there was no need for her to send any financial support.

Upon hearing this, Tang Xianling immediately understood: the two taels of silver his mother had given to his second sister had indeed been handed over to him right away.

“……”

“……”

On the way back, Tang Xianling seethed inwardly.

“I know your second sister’s temperament. She’s always been indecisive since she was little—listening to your eldest sister, listening to your third sister. She doesn’t know how to speak sweetly. Anyone who flatters her a bit- and she’s easily swayed, her heart softens, and she loses her resolve. Especially since Cui Bo’an is someone who knows how to speak sweetly and charm people.” Seeing her Wu-ger speak up like this, Jiang Yun said, “She has her own life, and you have yours. Even I, as your mother, can’t reach that far.”

Tang Xianling: “Mother, I’m so frustrated I can’t stand it.”

“Wu-ger, she must come to terms with her own situation. All outsiders can do now is what Tieniu did—move out of his home—or, like we’re doing with the family restaurant, let Bo’an and the Cui family see that our family hasn’t fallen on hard times and can still provide a place for your second sister to stay. That’s all we can do.”

“I’ve lived most of my life. If it weren’t for your father’s death and your arrival—”

Jiang Yun paused and looked at Wu-ger. “I’ve just been muddling through life.”

“Your second sister has you. She knows you’re going to the Cui family this time. We all remember her—that’s enough. If one day things don’t go her way and she finally comes to her senses, she might open up to you. When that happens, remember to help her—don’t turn your back on her.”

Tang Xianling felt a pang of sorrow as he listened, though he wasn’t as defensive as he’d been earlier. “Don’t worry, Mother. Don’t treat her like a stranger—she’s my second sister.” 

“And you’re my son.”

Jiang Yun smiled. It was a blessing that her Wu-ger had such a kind heart.

Otherwise, she and her son would have died long ago. Once Wu-ger was gone, she wouldn’t have much time left either.