"Cui Rong, Cui Rong, come out! Mother is here to see you!"
"Hey, don't stop me, let me in!"
"Sister, elder sister, I know you're inside. Have you lived so well that you don't even recognize your own mother and sister?"
Liu Cui Rong, who was teasing Little Xi Tian, stiffened and looked up sharply towards the outside.
Little Xi Tian sighed inwardly.
The family had only been peaceful for a few days, and now someone was causing trouble again.
She didn't need to guess who it was.
Outside the Yun family's gate, quite a few villagers had already gathered.
After the autumn harvest, every household was idle, preparing for the winter.
There was little entertainment or leisure in the village.
Thus, any stir, gossip, or strange news would attract the entire village to watch the spectacle.
They saw Madam Lu, accompanied by her daughter Liu Cui Jin, kneeling outside the main gate, crying as if their lives depended on it, sobbing intermittently.
The Yun family members glared at the mother and daughter with indignation, their faces filled with disdain and disgust.
"Wuwuwu, Cui Rong, Mother knows you're angry with me. Mother was wrong, but you can't abandon your own sister!
She hasn't married yet, isn't it all so that she can support Mother in her old age and be filial?
But what have you done for Mother?
After marrying Yun Lao Er, you've eaten well and lived comfortably, keeping yourself plump and fair. When have you ever considered Mother?
Madam Lu blew her nose, almost fainting from crying.
The villagers gasped collectively upon hearing this.
They all looked towards Old Man Yun and Madam Gu, their expressions somewhat complicated.
Filial piety is paramount.
The villagers highly valued this virtue.
Liu Cui Jin knelt behind Madam Lu, her sly eyes fixed on Yun Da Man.
This man was becoming increasingly strong and manly.
Zhao Gui Hua frowned, staring intently at Liu Cui Jin.
That little vixen, trying to seduce her man.
How shameless!
Yun Er Man sighed, wanting to step forward to help Madam Lu, but was stopped by his mother.
Madam Gu narrowed her eyes and sneered, "Lu Hong Xia, when you severed your mother-daughter relationship with Cui Rong, did you ever think you'd come begging her one day?
Back then, Cui Rong sent you quite a bit of silver, and I turned a blind eye, not wanting to argue with you.
But you were never satisfied, your appetite growing larger and larger, forcing Cui Rong to pawn her jewelry and dowry just to satisfy your ridiculous vanity.
To put it bluntly, even if you died on the street, I wouldn't bother to spare you a glance!"
"You... what do you mean?"
Madam Lu's eyes widened, her lips trembling. "Cui Rong is my own daughter, she can't ignore me!"
"She was your daughter before, but now she is our Yun family's daughter-in-law!"
Madam Gu's face was cold, as if she had a frosty demeanor.
Her sharp aura put Madam Lu several streets away.
In the past, Liu Cui Rong had given Madam Lu a lot of silver. If she had saved it diligently, it would have been enough for her old age.
However, she squandered it lavishly, adorning herself with gold and silver, and liked to compare herself with the wives and daughters of wealthy families.
Liu Cui Jin had no great ambitions.
She was infatuated with Yun Jia Lao Da and only wished to marry into the Yun family.
Like her sister, she wanted to live a life of ease.
At this moment, Liu Cui Rong, rubbing her belly, ran out.
"Mother, Cui Jin?"
"Daughter, my daughter, wuwuwu!"
"Sister, I miss you so much!"
The mother and daughters embraced, their cries shaking the heavens, attracting even the village chief.
Yun Jin Shan carried Little Xi Tian out on his back and stood aside, watching the drama unfold.
"Oh dear, what's going on? Crying your eyes out!" the village chief asked, frowning.
Old Man Yun pointed his pipe at Madam Lu, "She's here to recognize her relatives!"
The village chief was stunned.
Ever since your family moved here, so many people have come to recognize relatives?
First, it was Yun Wang Cai's family, which caused a stir throughout the village.
After a few days of peace, another group arrived.
It truly lived up to the saying: 'The poor in the bustling city are ignored, but the rich in the deep mountains have distant relatives.'
Moreover, the Yun family wasn't considered extremely wealthy yet.
At best, they had solved the problem of basic sustenance.
"Wuwuwu, Mother, our house is big enough, and we have many rooms. Please let my mother and Cui Jin stay!"
Liu Cui Rong, with teary eyes, looked at Madam Gu. "From now on, your daughter-in-law will work harder and never anger you again, okay?"
"No!" Madam Gu said sternly, refusing outright.
There was no room for negotiation on this matter.
Madam Lu's eyes darted around, and then she suddenly jumped up, cursing loudly, "You ungrateful wretch, Gu Xiang Qing! If you don't let me in today, I... I'll smash my head against this pillar!"
The villagers gasped.
She was threatening to take her own life!
Old Man Yun's expression changed, and just as he was about to step forward to persuade her, Madam Gu glared him back.
"Fine!" Madam Gu smiled faintly and raised her chin. "See that pillar there? It's harder than stone. Go ahead and smash it!"
The villagers clutched their chests, looking utterly incredulous.
At this point, shouldn't the Yun family be stopping Madam Lu from harming herself?
Why was Old Madam Yun doing the opposite?
Little Xi Tian blinked her starry eyes.
She thought her mother was incredibly cool at this moment!
Madam Lu clenched her fists tightly. "I... I'm really going to smash it."
"Heh!~" Madam Gu smiled coyly.
Liu Cui Rong hugged Madam Lu's legs, sobbing. "Mother, don't do it!"
"You, let go of me! Today, I'll die to show her!" Madam Lu pretended to struggle free.
Just then, Yun Jin He, from who knows where, caught a cricket and with a 'swish,' it jumped onto Liu Cui Rong's face.
"Ah, what is that, ah ah!" Liu Cui Rong let go of Madam Lu's legs and reached out to swat the cricket.
"Ouch!"
Madam Lu swayed and stumbled towards the pillar.
The villagers held their breath, their expressions frozen.
They expected a tragic scene of bloodshed.
But to their surprise, Madam Lu braced herself against the pillar with her hands, trembling all over.
"Oh my god, I was scared to death, hoo! Hoo!~"
She took several deep breaths, her legs went weak, and she collapsed on the ground.
The villagers burst into laughter. "Hahahaha, after all that fuss, this is all you've got!"
"I knew she wouldn't dare to kill herself!"
"Haha, I'm embarrassed for her!"
Liu Cui Rong, having flicked the cricket away, stepped forward to help Madam Lu up. "Mother, get up, the ground is cold!"
"I won't get up. Cui Rong, come with me. Everyone in this Yun family is heartless; they're not worth your filial piety!"
Liu Cui Rong was somewhat speechless, rubbing her belly. "Mother, I'm carrying a Yun family daughter in my belly."
"Then hurry up and drink the medicine to abort the child?"
The Yun family: "......"
The entire village: "......"
Madam Lu's words and actions had simply shattered everyone's perception and lowered the bar.
"Mother, how long are you going to cause trouble?" Liu Cui Rong began to lose patience.
Madam Lu shakily got to her feet, her peripheral vision sweeping towards her second daughter, Liu Cui Jin.
"Cui Jin!" Madam Lu called out, then gestured towards Yun Da Man with her chin.
Liu Cui Jin understood, wiped away her tears, and looked at Madam Gu. "Great Aunt, I have something I'd like to discuss with you!"
Little Xi Tian curved her lips, a guess forming in her mind.
Zhao Gui Hua was equally on high alert, blocking her man behind her.
Liu Cui Jin pondered for a moment.
As if gathering great courage, she said earnestly, "Can I be Da Man's concubine?"