WBSGVS Chapter 50

Cheng Yue’er, hearing what Qingli said, became furious, her face flushing red as she tried to argue, “No, no! That’s not how it happened at all!”

The three aunts looked at the two, unsure who to believe.

However, Qingli spoke with confidence, mixing truth and lies in a way that flowed far more smoothly than Cheng Yue’er’s mostly false statements. She straightened her back and said, “Yue’er, even though you’re young, you shouldn’t falsely accuse me to save yourself. The neighbors all saw what happened. Should I go call a few of them to testify? I jumped in the water to save you, and when I got back, my hair was still wet!”

“Yue’er!” The eldest aunt spoke up in a stern tone. “You’re still so young, how could you slander your sister-in-law like that? Your mother and your sister-in-law are only trying to help you!”

Cheng Zhaohua, who had been watching from the side, opened his mouth to explain but found himself at a loss for words. Though Madam Xiong kept saying it was Qingli’s fault if Cheng Yue’er hadn’t been so disobedient, would she have caused such anger and illness?

Cheng Zhaohua had always been lenient with women, especially attractive ones, so he remained silent and refrained from defending anyone.

Cheng Yue’er, now on the verge of tears, realized that if they brought in the neighbors, things would turn out exactly as Qingli said. Frustrated, she stomped her foot and ran inside. “Mother~~~”

The three aunts relaxed a little and said to Qingli, “You’re a good child. If it weren’t for you yesterday, Yue’er’s reputation might have been ruined, and she’d have a hard time getting married. If you’re not feeling well, you should rest. Don’t risk passing your illness on to your mother-in-law.”

“Thank you,” Qingli replied sweetly with a smile. “I’ll check on Mother and then rest.”

Hearing this, the aunts’ expressions softened even more.

Having such a sensible daughter-in-law in the family, the remaining two children of the Cheng family were sure to live well. They were no longer as concerned about Madam Xiong, the sister-in-law. Their visit had been mostly to ensure nothing happened to Madam Xiong, as they feared the other three Cheng family children would be left uncared for. After all, conflicts between sisters-in-law were common, especially with one like Madam Xiong.

The four of them entered the house, just in time to hear Madam Xiong comforting Cheng Yue’er, “Oh dear, what’s wrong? Did your sister-in-law bully you again?”

Cheng Yue’er cried uncontrollably, so upset that it broke Madam Xiong’s heart.

If the three aunts hadn’t just witnessed what had happened, they might have believed Qingli had wronged Cheng Yue’er. Their expressions became a bit odd.

The third aunt, unable to hold back, spoke first, “Big Sister, you can’t say that. It wasn’t the eldest daughter-in-law bullying Yue’er. It was Yue’er who was bullying her.”

Madam Xiong was taken aback, glancing from her daughter in her arms to Qingli, who was standing beside the three aunts. She suddenly didn’t know what to do. Wasn’t the plan for her daughter to bring them over while she pretended to be sick? That way, they could all see how unfilial Qingli was. In the best-case scenario, they could even force Qingli to kneel and serve her, breaking her proud spirit as a former lady of a wealthy family.

So how did it turn into everyone blaming her daughter?

Cheng Yue’er, feeling even more wronged under the gaze of everyone, pitifully said, “Mother, Big Sister-in-law is saying I made you sick!”

Madam Xiong immediately retorted, “Nonsense! You’re my precious girl. How could you make me sick?” She glared at Qingli, “You’re just stirring up trouble again, eldest daughter-in-law!”

The three aunts hadn’t expected yet another twist. They felt Madam Xiong was blatantly favoring her daughter while oppressing her daughter-in-law, though they also had their doubts.

At this moment, Qingli humbly stepped forward, looking aggrieved. “Mother, I didn’t say anything wrong. Didn’t you mention it was about the incident with the water? Didn’t you say it was all my fault for being flirtatious?”

Madam Xiong instinctively nodded.

Qingli continued, “And didn’t you try to hit me?”

Madam Xiong murmured, “But I didn’t mean—”

“I know you couldn’t bear to hit Yue’er, but you know what they say: ‘Spare the rod, spoil the child.’ Yue’er is becoming too bold and disobedient. Without some discipline, she won’t learn!” Qingli interjected, then added, “When I helped you by disciplining her, wasn’t Yue’er hiding in your arms?”

Madam Xiong suddenly realized what was happening and angrily said, “I meant you, not her. You hit me!”

“But that was because of Yue’er,” Qingli replied, her voice full of grievance as she looked to the three aunts for support.

After listening for so long, the three aunts finally understood. Qingli had been helping Madam Xiong discipline the child, but now Madam Xiong was upset because she felt her daughter was being mistreated. The eldest aunt, annoyed, snapped, “Big Sister, enough is enough!”

Madam Xiong, filled with pent-up frustration, tried to explain, “I’m telling you, this illness is because of her! Having this daughter-in-law is like bringing in an ancestor! She doesn’t do any work at all!”

Qingli looked surprised and said, “Mother, you’re mistaken. It’s my maid, Panshun, who’s been doing all the work inside and outside the house. How could you say I don’t do anything?”

“Panshun is Panshun. She’s your maid. That’s not the same!” Madam Xiong retorted.

Qingli lowered her head, saying nothing, her expression pitifully full of grievance.

The third aunt sneered, “Alright, alright, Big Sister. If you’re going to keep nitpicking like this, you’re crossing the line. You don’t look sick at all; your voice is strong and healthy. I’ve got things to do. I’m leaving.”

The eldest aunt also said, “I’m leaving too. Next time, don’t call us over for such trivial matters.”

Second Aunt, naturally, didn’t want to stay any longer either. In the blink of an eye, everyone had left. Neighbors who had already caught wind of the situation and gathered to watch the commotion approached as the three aunts came out, immediately asking, “Leaving already? Aren’t you staying for a meal?”

The eldest aunt wasn’t about to be polite to her sister-in-law and frowned, saying, “No, no, we won’t stay. My sister-in-law is still making a fuss at home, pestering her daughter-in-law while neglecting to discipline her daughter. She has too much time on her hands.”

Second Aunt, being more thoughtful, asked, “Did you see what happened yesterday? What was the situation? My sister-in-law got so angry she fell ill.”

A neighbor quickly replied, “What situation could it be? That girl ran off to make trouble with the young lady from the official’s house, causing her sister-in-law to fall into the water. When they tried to discipline her, she hid. That daughter-in-law of Zhaoyang’s is truly virtuous. My own wouldn’t handle it like that, especially since it’s still so cold.”

The three aunts were finally reassured and waved their hands, saying, “Exactly. We’ve talked to her already. Zhaoyang’s wife is quite capable. Please take good care of her. Our brother is gone, and our sister-in-law’s temper isn’t the best.”

“We will, we will,” the neighbors assured them.

After the three aunts left, Qingli didn’t stay with Madam Xiong for long either. She made an excuse, claiming she wasn’t feeling well, and headed back home.

Madam Xiong called after her, but Qingli pressed her hand to her head, saying she felt unwell, and left without looking back.

When she reached the courtyard, she saw Panshun picking vegetables while chatting and laughing with Cheng Zhaohua. As soon as they noticed Qingli, they quickly composed themselves and greeted her properly.

Qingli casually responded, pretending not to notice their earlier behavior, and returned to her room.

The noodles had already been prepared and were still warm. She sat down to eat but shook her head with slight discomfort.

The noodles tasted bland, and the flour was old, giving it an off flavor.

This simple meal was a clear indication of the Cheng family’s modest situation. Supporting a scholar in the family was already an impressive feat. Originally, they couldn’t afford to support Cheng Zhaohua, but after Cheng Zhaoyang’s leg injury, it became even more challenging.

Cheng Zhaohua, however, showed more promise and was sent to the county academy, which required even more money. With the Cheng family’s limited resources, they couldn’t make ends meet without the Luo family’s help.

But Qingli had no intention of allowing the Luo family to continue financing them.

As she pondered, a simple yet direct solution came to mind. She would find a chance to return to the Luo family and have the original owner’s mother pretend to be ill, requiring money for treatment. That way, when the Cheng family came asking for financial help again, it could be turned down with ease.

Of course, there was one more thing—she couldn’t allow the Cheng family to continue exploiting her under the guise of repaying her life-saving favor.

After finishing her noodles, Qingli took out Cheng Zhaoyang’s paper and pen and, recalling the original owner’s memories, began meticulously writing: “Fifteenth year of Qingle, April 25th—compensation for Cheng Zhaoyang’s leg injury, two hundred taels of silver. Fifteenth year of Qingle, June—compensation for Cheng Zhaoyang’s leg injury, thirty taels of silver…”

As she listed everything, Qingli realized they had still lost a lot of money.

The expenses for Cheng Zhaohua’s stay at the Luo family couldn’t even be counted properly. It was truly outrageous!

She only regretted that the bandits responsible for Cheng Zhaoyang’s injury hadn’t been caught yet. She needed to find a way to apprehend them, which would be the key to revealing the whole truth to the public.

Qingli ended up writing for a full hour.

She didn’t go out for lunch, and after a meal and a nap, she woke up and began practicing her martial arts stances and moves. By the evening, she had Panshun prepare hot water for a bath, and slowly began tidying up some of her previous belongings.

Afterward, she picked up a book and settled in to wait for Cheng Zhaoyang.

Sure enough, after returning home from work, Cheng Zhaoyang pushed the door open forcefully, almost the same way he had the day before. In a deep voice, he said, “Qingli, my mother is sick. Why haven’t you gone to see her?”

Qingli put down her book, her eyes already reddening with grievance as she said, “I’m sick too. Why haven’t you asked about me at all since last night?”

Cheng Zhaoyang’s demeanor immediately softened. “You’re sick too?”

Qingli rubbed her temples, her voice weak. “Yes, I’m sick. I fell into the water yesterday while saving Yue’er. You know how cold it is right now. The water was freezing, and I’ve caught a cold.”

Cheng Zhaoyang’s expression turned awkward.

But Qingli continued, “Cheng Zhaoyang, am I really important to you? From yesterday until now, you haven’t said a single word of concern for me.”

Cheng Zhaoyang’s face grew tense, afraid she would bring up the bandit incident again like yesterday. He quickly said, “Of course you’re important! I’ve just been worried and overwhelmed.”

Qingli tentatively asked, “Since I’m so important to you if I tell you that I was rescued from the water by the son of the Li family, will you be angry?”

“What?!” Cheng Zhaoyang was both shocked and furious. “You were saved by the son of the Li family?!”

Qingli immediately pressed a handkerchief to her face and cried, “I knew it, Cheng Zhaoyang! To you, I’m not important at all. The first thing you care about when you hear I fell into the water is my reputation. Do you like me, Cheng Zhaoyang?”

At that moment, Cheng Zhaoyang was past caring about anything else; he focused solely on one question: “Did he save you?”

Qingli glared at him. “Yes! What are you going to do about it?”

Cheng Zhaoyang was almost livid, feeling as if he had been cheated. Seeing her boldness only made his face turn green with anger. He raised his hand as if to strike her, asking, “What do you mean, what am I going to do?!”

Qingli became even more heartbroken, choking on her tears as she shouted, “Go ahead, hit me! If you do, I’ll lose my reputation! If you’re unhappy, let’s get a divorce! After all, you don’t like me. You don’t care about me at all. You keep talking about how you’re sacrificing your future and your leg for me—who knows if that’s even true?!”

Her words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Cheng Zhaoyang’s head, cooling him down as he forced a smile and said, “What nonsense are you talking about? In this situation, you think I shouldn’t be angry?”

Qingli replied defensively, “But I’m more important than your life! How can you get angry over something so trivial? Besides, if it weren’t for saving your sister, would I have fallen into the water? Now you’re blaming me? You’re angry with me?”

Cheng Zhaoyang felt exceptionally frustrated, gritting his teeth as he spat out a few words: “I’m a man, your husband. Now you’ve been rescued from the water by another man, and I can’t be angry?”

“You shouldn’t be!” Qingli retorted emphatically. “Besides, you should be grateful to him. If it weren’t for him, I’d be dead!”

“Impossible!” Cheng Zhaoyang gritted his teeth, fists clenched. The fact that he hadn’t struck her was already a testament to how restrained he was.

Disappointed, Qingli looked at him, then turned and picked up a small bag she had already packed. With a cold expression, she said, “If that’s the case, let’s get a divorce.”

“Not allowed!” Cheng Zhaoyang instinctively objected, wanting to reach out and grab her. He warned darkly, “Luo Qingli, stop right there…”

“Ah—” Qingli screamed in fright, shaking off his hand and running outside in a panic, shouting, “Cheng Zhaoyang hit me! Boohoo… I’m so scared! Cheng Zhaoyang hit me!”

Cheng Zhaoyang: “!!!”

Watching Qingli flee in a hurry, he took a deep breath and quickly chased after her. However, because of his limp, he couldn’t run fast. Frustrated, he stomped his foot. Noticing that the neighbors had gathered to watch the commotion, his face darkened like charcoal as he quickly returned and said to Cheng Zhaohua, “What are you still watching for? Go after her!”

“Oh, oh!” Cheng Zhaohua rushed out.

But by that time, it was already too late.

Qingli had completely vanished.

Seeing that Cheng Zhaohua returned without having found anyone, Cheng Zhaoyang felt darkness descend before his eyes, and his heart filled with anger, shock, and hatred. He was so furious that he felt like he might explode and angrily shouted, “Luo Qingli!”

Cheng Zhaohua was unaware of the details and was still dazed by what had just happened. Seeing his older brother so angry, he couldn’t help but ask softly, “Brother, what happened to sister-in-law?”

Cheng Zhaoyang forced a twisted smile, his tone dark as he replied, “Nothing.”

He wiped his face, his fury rising. He didn’t want to go find Luo Qingli after all that had happened. In this town, the only place she could go was the Luo family. Cheng Zhaoyang wasn’t worried about her disappearing.

Of course, it might even be better if she disappeared. Without Luo Qingli, the Luo family would feel more guilt and would have to pay up.

Although he had somewhat liked Luo Qingli before, now that he knew she had been pulled out of the water by another man, just thinking about it made him feel disgusted. Who knew if that man had taken advantage of the situation?

In the room, Madam Xiong and Cheng Yue’er, pretending to be ill, were about to laugh, saying, “Your brother has finally gotten back in control! If he hits her a few more times, she’ll listen.”

But after waiting and waiting, when the expected developments didn’t come, their expressions turned anxious.

Cheng Yue’er peeked outside and saw that no one was in the courtyard. She hurried back, saying, “Mother, Luo Qingli won’t go back to her family, will she?”

Madam Xiong’s expression darkened. “She’s become too bold! Don’t worry; she won’t dare go far!”

Cheng Yue’er’s face turned bitter; she still felt somewhat guilty. The Cheng family still relied on the Luo family, and it would be bad if Luo Qingli went back home to complain. She said, “But the courtyard is empty, Mother. She won’t go home, will she?”

Madam Xiong’s expression grew even darker, but she stubbornly insisted, “If she goes, then let her go. Just wait and see! The Luo family values their reputation. Once a daughter is married off, how many days can they shelter her?”

Cheng Yue’er considered this and, seeing her mother’s determination, felt her worries lessen. She nodded eagerly, “You’re right, Mother. In the end, she’ll have to come back in disgrace! I’ll just shut the door and let her bully me!”

The two of them exchanged glances, both feeling quite pleased.

The members of the Cheng family shared this mindset, so they all chose to ignore the situation, believing Luo Qingli would return.

Little did they know, the next day, there was still no news.

Cheng Zhaohua returned to the academy, leaving only Cheng Zhaoyang at home. He didn’t dare to face the situation, and Madam Xiong and her daughter didn’t want him to go either, so they waited another day.

On the third day, they finally heard a knock at the door. Madam Xiong eagerly went to open it, ready to speak sarcastically. However, when she opened the door, she found it was a man from the local yamen. “Who is Panshun? Your master has sold you to us. Come with us.”

The Cheng family members, who were busy instructing Panshun on her work, were left stunned: “?!?”