TATSD Chapter 104

Yao Guizhi had been waiting for him for quite some time. Liu Yimian sprang from behind Ji Wei, waving her arms as she rushed toward him, twisting Liu Yimian’s ear, and pulling him aside with considerable force.

Liu Yimian had sensed this was coming as soon as Yao Guizhi approached.

When Yao Guizhi reached out to twist his ear, Liu Yimian crouched down and turned his head just in time for his ear to slip away from her grasp.

Yao Guizhi wanted to follow him, but Liu Yimian had already darted behind Ji Wei. She hesitated to make a move in front of Ji Wei.

“What are you hiding for? Don’t you know what you’ve done?” Yao Guizhi said, one hand on her hip and the other pointing at Liu Yimian behind Ji Wei, her tone brusque.

Her earlier ruckus had already attracted the attention of several students still inside the school. Though she had calmed down somewhat after Ji Wei arrived, many were still watching closely. Now that the commotion had started up again, curious faces began peeking from behind the door.

Yao Guizhi felt a sense of satisfaction; since Liu Chengyin could no longer study in the county school, Liu Yimian surely wouldn’t be able to stay either. He had to pay a price, making them feel a bit better after the anger they had bottled up that day!

With Ji Wei, this fierce figure, standing before her, she couldn’t do much to him. The best she could do was make him feel embarrassed enough to withdraw from school on his own.

“What a miserable fate for our Liu family! His father is bedridden, exhausting all our family’s money, and can’t even see a doctor. Chengyin is so filial, knowing that the little scoundrel holds resentment in his heart, yet he doesn’t dare confront him. Instead, he brought back some silver to pay for his father’s medical expenses…”

As Yao Guizhi spoke, she wiped her tears and moved toward the crowd, “It was only a couple taels of silver. His father raised him—how much did it cost? Now that he’s fallen ill, not only does he not visit him, but he’s also made this public, ruining Chengyin’s chance to study and achieve fame. This little scoundrel has such a venomous heart! Don’t let his face deceive you!”

“Was that Liu kid stealing money to pay for medical expenses?”

“Isn’t he just his brother? There’s no need to resort to stealing!”

“I can’t believe he harbors resentment against his father.”

“If there’s a reason, it can be understood.”

These snippets of conversation floated into Yao Guizhi’s ears. She squinted her eyes and smiled, quickly hiding it. One hand gently patted the girl in the cloth bag, who had started crying again, as she lamented, “My life is so miserable! His father is sick, needs medicine, and still has to support Chengyin’s studies. I hoped he would pass the exams and bring honor to the family, but instead, he was driven out by the brother he doted on since childhood…”

Yao Guizhi’s voice was loud and clear, as if afraid no one could hear her. Ji Wei, who stood nearby and was entirely unaware of the situation, began to understand what had transpired in the academy after hearing her speak.

“Liu Chengyin stole your money?” Ji Wei asked, gripping Liu Yimian’s thin shoulder, raising an eyebrow.

“He took two taels that I had hidden, and I haven’t gotten it back yet.” Liu Yimian’s cheeks burned with embarrassment.

Ji Wei had repeatedly advised him to be careful, yet he had still fallen for Liu Chengyin’s tricks.

He felt ashamed in front of Ji Wei.

Switching from a grip to a pat, Ji Wei said quietly, “This isn’t the time to dwell on that. That woman is slandering you, and you can’t just let her say what she wants without a response.”

“You know the truth of the matter better than anyone. If she speaks falsely, you should refute her to avoid misunderstandings among your classmates.” After saying this, Ji Wei gave Liu Yimian a gentle push from behind.

At first, Liu Yimian hesitated and walked slowly. But when his gaze met Yao Guizhi’s smug and malicious grin, a flicker of anger ignited within him, burning hot throughout his body.

He recalled the two glaring red marks on his skin and the cold, annoyed look Liu Chengyin had shot him earlier.

Yes, if it weren’t for her, he would still have his father, elder brother, and sister.

Now that she was here, he was no longer even a member of the Liu family. His elder brother was gone, his father was gone, and even his sister had married someone else.

And now she dared to slander him here!

Liu Yimian clenched his fists and jogged to stand in front of Yao Guizhi. Under Ji Wei’s careful nurturing, he had grown taller and fatter, his body now well-proportioned, and he stood a full palm’s height above Yao Guizhi.

This was the first time Yao Guizhi noticed that this timid and useless boy had grown much taller than her, and he seemed to possess a certain presence.

“What do you want?” Yao Guizhi asked, eyeing him warily and stepping back to create distance.

“Are you afraid I’ll hit you?” Liu Yimian smiled slightly. “I’m a scholar; I wouldn’t strike a woman. You need not worry. If I’ve offended you in the past, it was simply because I was uneducated and unaware of proper conduct.”

Yao Guizhi sensed something was off but couldn’t quite place it. She snorted coldly and continued to recount Liu Yimian’s so-called “misdeeds.”

Just as she started to mention Liu Shan’s serious illness and how he harbored resentment and refused to pay for treatment, prompting Liu Chengyin to resort to such underhanded tactics to rescue him, Liu Yimian interrupted her.

“You say Liu Shan is gravely ill? Whether that’s true or not remains to be seen. Everyone knows that Liu Shan is a heavy drinker, and our family is in debt. First, he sold me off, and then when that wasn’t enough, he sold my younger sister to a rich man as a concubine. Now he’s deep in debt, and when he thinks of my brother and me, he tries to extort us. When that doesn’t work, he resorts to this vile scheme to ruin my reputation in the county school. I’ve heard that Liu Chengyin, in a fit of rage, has been so distressed he hasn’t eaten for two days. As former classmates, we should go see him!”

Liu Yimian looked at the group of students standing behind him, speaking with a gentle demeanor and polite tone, showing no trace of resentment.

Those students, eager for a spectacle, didn’t care about the situation since it didn’t affect them. Seeing him speak like this, they chimed in.

“Yeah, we were classmates after all. Since he’s sick, we should go see him!”

“It wouldn’t hurt to visit Uncle as well.”

“Is Aunt welcome?”

The young student closest to Yao Guizhi asked with a grin.

Yao Guizhi’s face darkened, but she knew she couldn’t answer truthfully, so she forced a smile and replied, “Of course, they would be welcome. I’m sure Chengyin would be pleased.”

“Secondly, you claim to harbor resentment and not care for the Liu family. May I ask, since entering the Liu family, have you ever cared about my well-being? When I was ten and had a high fever, you only told me to drink more hot water and didn’t bother to check on me. Later, when I fell unconscious on the roadside, my uncle carried me back. If he hadn’t rushed me to the doctor, I might not have been standing here today!” Liu Yimian finished with a sharp retort.

“A child is tough; little ailments will pass in a few days…” Yao Guizhi mumbled, completely unaware that she had done anything wrong.

Liu Yimian let out a cold laugh and said to himself, “For the past six years, I’ve had to get up at the crack of dawn every day to cook, feed the chickens and ducks, clean the house, and wash your and your husband’s clothes. I wouldn’t be able to sleep until well after midnight. The roof leaks, and they wouldn’t even let me fix it. Every time it rains, the drips would soak the corner of the bed, rotting and molding it. Eventually, I climbed onto the roof to patch it myself. When the tiles grew slippery with moss, I stepped on one and fell from the roof, breaking my leg. Even then, I couldn’t afford to slack off for a moment—chopping wood, cooking, and washing clothes all had to be done.”

“Am I not a human being? After all these years, how could I not feel resentment?”

The grievances buried deep in his heart were finally surfacing, and Liu Yimian found it exhilarating. He had suppressed these feelings for so long that he had forgotten what it felt like to express them freely.

In truth, he owed them nothing anymore.

Liu Yimian spoke with conviction. For the first time in many years, he dared to confront his past life in front of everyone. He released his pent-up emotions and gained clarity about himself. He finally stood tall, able to be his true self!

The crowd began to murmur, clearly surprised that the usually gentle, polite, and patient Liu Yimian had endured such hardship. Yet, even amidst such difficulties, he maintained an optimistic spirit, which was indeed rare.

After this revelation, the way the onlookers viewed Liu Yimian softened significantly, becoming much more forgiving.

But Liu Yimian himself was still unaware of this shift.

This was a side of Liu Yimian that You Guizhi had never seen before. She was left speechless by his questions and could only retreat step by step, afraid to confront his piercing words. “Is it wrong for your parents to go out to earn a living and for you, as younger generations, to do some work?”

“May I ask how you and Liu Shan make a living?”

You Guizhi was momentarily at a loss for words.

Liu Shan was unreliable, fishing on some days and sunning his nets on others, earning little. He spent what little he earned on drinking, and You Guizhi occasionally made small things to sell for extra income. When You’s father was alive, he would hunt to help support the Liu family, but after he passed, life became unbearable, reaching a point where they had to sell people to survive.

If it weren’t for their children being hardworking and sensible, doing more and spending less, the Liu family would have struggled to make ends meet long ago.

“Liu Yimian! I am your mother! How can you speak to me like this?” You Guizhi was furious and raised her hand to slap Liu Yimian, but he quickly caught her hand, preventing the blow.

Liu Yimian’s gaze was cold and steady as he stared at You Guizhi. “My mother has been dead for many years. I am no longer a member of the Liu family, so please don’t mistake me for your son.”

From a distance, Ji Wei couldn’t help but laugh.

He never expected that after just a month apart, Liu Yimian would become so sharp-tongued, making him see him in a new light.

“You!” You Guizhi was furious.

“With both father and son bedridden, it seems that the Liu family relies on you, Aunt You. You wouldn’t want to ruin your health with anger,” Liu Yimian said earnestly, though his gaze held a hint of mockery. “As for the two taels of silver that Liu Chengyin took, I’ll consider that the last shred of filial loyalty between us. From now on, the Liu family and I are done!”

He pulled out a white jade hairpin and threw it forcefully to the ground.

The fragile hairpin shattered into four pieces.

“Shattered hairpin, severed ties! Let this be the proof!” Liu Yimian turned around and bowed to the shocked students watching, saying, “Thank you all for taking the time out of your busy schedules to watch this farce. Liu Yimian is grateful for your support!”

He bowed again.

Many people exchanged puzzled glances, completely bewildered by what was happening, and the atmosphere became strangely quiet.

“Wow—” The clear, youthful voice of a little girl broke the silence. You Guizhi quickly covered the girl’s small mouth, her eyes darting between the crowd and Liu Yimian, filled with resentment. With no other choice, she turned and ran away when no one was paying attention.

This farce didn’t tarnish Liu Yimian’s reputation; instead, it unexpectedly brought him recognition.

As the onlookers dispersed, Liu Yimian’s disheveled hair covered half of his face.

He could feel Ji Wei’s gaze on him. Bowing his head, he shyly stared at the tips of his shoes for a moment, then suddenly leaned up and pecked Ji Wei’s chin before quickly lowering his head again.

“It’s been a month since I last saw you, and you’ve become quite bold,” Ji Wei said with a smile.

“Brother Ji, why have you come back?” Liu Yimian looked at the small mound of dirt he had kicked up in the mud, pouting slightly. “I know—it’s because the new shop is opening, and you’re here to oversee it, right?”

Yong’an Street was just outside the county school; he had passed by it countless times and had known it was Ji Wei’s shop.

He was happy that Ji Wei came, but he was also a bit upset that it was for that reason.

Even Liu Yimian himself was unsure whether he should be happy or unhappy.

“No, you guessed wrong.”

“What is it then?” Liu Yimian suddenly looked up, his eyes sparkling as he gazed at Ji Wei, his small face full of hope.

“It’s—” Ji Wei pointed at the tip of Liu Yimian’s nose. “You forgot your birthday?”

Liu Yimian stared blankly for a moment, then it took a while for his sluggish mind to catch up. He gasped and hugged Ji Wei’s arm, jumping up and down. “You remembered! You remembered!”

“Stop saying silly things; of course, I remember,” Ji Wei said, giving his nose a gentle pinch. “In six days, you’ll turn sixteen. I’ll give you a surprise.”