Chapter Thirteen: The Profligate Old Man

“Grandmother, actually…”

Before Su Jinyu could finish speaking, Wang Qiaohui hurriedly interrupted her.

“Jinyu, you don’t need to speak up for that old hag anymore! I’ve seen her wicked face many years ago. If your father hadn’t seemed decent and honest back then, I wouldn’t have agreed to let Yue’er marry into the Su family!”

Wang Qiaohui’s face was full of regret. “Looking back now, I was truly foolish! If Yue’er hadn’t married your father, she wouldn’t have been forced to go to the frontier to do business right after giving birth to Jinxiao, before her confinement period was even over. That old witch is heartless and cruel—she made your father and mother send fifty taels of silver to them every year! Now that Yue’er has met with an accident and passed away…”

Perhaps unwilling to lose face in front of the younger generation, Wang Qiaohui raised her sleeve and wiped the tears from her face fiercely.

She clenched her teeth, showing a fierce glare. “That damn wicked woman! How could heaven be so blind as to let her go to hell first!”

When it came to his only daughter, Li Yongzhi’s smile faded and he spoke with pain, trying to console, “Enough, Mother Hui. Yue’er is gone. What matters now is raising her two children well.”

“Grandmother, I’m not trying to defend the Sun family. I’ve already separated myself and my younger brother from the Su family. From now on, my brother and I have nothing to do with the Su family.”

The other Li family members showed looks of delight upon hearing this.

Wang Qiaohui had not expected her granddaughter to be so resolute, and an expression of admiration appeared on her face immediately.

“As expected of my clever granddaughter! You’ve got the bravery and spirit your grandmother had back in the day! That whole family is a den of wolves and tigers—it’s right not to have any ties with them!”

Su Jinyu then told Wang Qiaohui about how she had beaten up the Su family members and about the drugging incident last night.

“Lately, I often dream of an old man with a white beard. He teaches me strange methods of martial arts and some medical skills. Every day when I wake up, I feel exhausted all over, and my head is dizzy. I don’t know why I have these symptoms.”

Su Jinyu knew that once the Li family returned to the village, her actions wouldn’t stay secret. Instead of them becoming suspicious after finding out, it was better to confess first.

To prove her story, Su Jinyu lifted a stone lion statue at the shop’s entrance—it weighed about a hundred pounds, yet she lifted it with one hand. The Li family truly believed her then.

“Father, Mother, could what Jinyu said be a divine visitation in a dream?” Li Tianhe guessed confidently.

“Unless a god personally guided her in a dream, I can’t think of any other explanation. It must be a blessing from heaven that Jinyu learned these celestial skills. The heavens are protecting our Li family!” Li Yongzhi stroked his beard and smiled, reaching a conclusion.

Su Jinyu silently praised herself for her skillful bluffing.

Afterward, the siblings and several members of the Li family went to the Fulai Tavern for a hearty meal.

Upon leaving the tavern, Grandfather Li Yongzhi secretly took out his purse, a worried look on his face.

“Just found Jinyu and Jinxiao, and you’re already looking so glum. Old Li, do you want a beating?” Wang Qiaohui’s face darkened.

“Mother Hui, all the silver is spent.”

“I gave you all the silver I had, and you spent it all? You old spendthrift! All you ever do is drink your money away. Today, I’m going to beat you till your head’s full of lumps!” Wang Qiaohui shouted angrily and rolled up her sleeves, ready to strike.

Su Jinyu quickly intervened, “Grandmother, don’t blame Grandfather. It’s because he bought clothes, shoes, and new cotton quilts for us siblings that the money ran out.”

Originally, each of them was to get two sets of clothes. Later, uncles and aunts picked out two more sets, and grandmother chose two more, so altogether, she and her little brother each had six sets of new clothes.

The Li family selected only the finest fabrics that wouldn’t irritate the skin.

“Good thing I prepared ahead and didn’t put all the silver with you, you spendthrift. We still have five hundred wen left.” Wang Qiaohui glared at her husband, disappointed.

At first, Su Jinyu thought the Li family had some wealth to be so generous, but she soon realized they were just as poor.

Still, the Li family genuinely cared for the siblings. Now, with their protection, new clothes and shoes, and a hearty feast at the tavern, perhaps this was what family warmth felt like.

“I still have two taels of silver. Grandmother, please take it.” Su Jinyu took out a worn purse and handed it to Wang Qiaohui.

“Silly girl, how could grandmother take money from a young one like you? Put it back. Out here, you might attract thieves!”

Wang Qiaohui refused to accept it, so Su Jinyu gave up.

At the city gate, Old Zhao’s ox cart was already waiting. They also ran into Yang Lizheng’s son, Yang Lao Da, who was driving a donkey cart into town on business and was just about to return to the village.

Su Jinyu hurried to pay the fare for all the Li family members. Luckily, there were two carts; otherwise, so many people wouldn’t fit.

The guards at the city gate were strict, thoroughly checking everyone and every vehicle passing through. Su Jinyu recalled that the inspection hadn’t been so intense when they entered earlier that morning.

The guards held several wanted posters, as if looking for someone.

Su Jinyu glanced at one: the man’s features were striking and refined, with deep-set eyes and an air of noble authority.

He was handsome.

But she hadn’t heard of any major incidents in the city recently. She guessed the man was from out of town. She didn’t know what crime he had committed, but the wanted posters had reached this small county.

On the way back to the village, villagers in the two carts whispered among themselves as they looked at the Li family.

“It must be about the Su family mistreating those two children. The news reached Li Yue’er’s family, so the whole Li family came here to settle the score. What a mess!”

“Let’s hope that family’s misdeeds don’t ruin our village’s reputation!”

...

“Sun Zhaodi, you old witch, you bullied my daughter and mistreated my grandchildren. You old wretch, come out and apologize!”

Wang Qiaohui returned to Su Jinyu and her brother’s home, grabbed an axe, and stormed fiercely toward the Old Su family to confront them.

The villagers of Qingyuan Village heard the commotion and came out to watch.

“I heard that Li Yue’er’s mother was a hunter’s daughter, known for her fierce and bold nature. Looks like the Old Su family is in for trouble!”

“In my opinion, they deserve it! Li Yue’er was such a good daughter-in-law, yet the Old Su family was never satisfied. They even disregarded her children. Anyone would think the third Su son was adopted with how biased they are!”

Outside the Old Su family’s door, the villagers chattered nonstop. Wang Qiaohui called several times but no one answered. She raised her leg and kicked the door fiercely, shattering it instantly.

The villagers present stepped back in fright.

No wonder she was the hunter’s daughter—she was truly formidable!