Nian Jiaojiao sneered inwardly at the frenzied protagonist.
It seemed the opponent's protagonist halo was not insurmountable.
Xingyun, a little scared, leaned closer to Nian Jiaojiao.
"Wife..."
As Nian Father approached, he saw the two of them confronting each other and quickly stepped between them.
He said somewhat nervously,
"Zhenzhen, what brings you to Dabao's house? If there's anything, let's discuss it together when we get back."
Upon hearing that he intended to take Nian Jiaojiao home, Nian Zhenzhen's expression changed, and her lips pursed into a straight line.
"You father and daughter are truly something!"
With that, she turned and left.
After Nian Zhenzhen had walked away, Nian Father said eagerly,
"Dabao, your mother has agreed to let you come home. Pack your things, and let's leave this broken-down house quickly."
However, Nian Jiaojiao subtly broke free from his grasp and looked at the middle-aged man in front of her, whose complexion wasn't great.
"Father, there's no need. I've been away for so long, I've gotten used to it. Returning now would feel too restrictive."
"But..."
Before Nian Father could speak, Nian Jiaojiao cut him off.
"Besides, my mother may have forgiven me, but what about everyone else? You know they don't accept me. If I force myself to go back, I'll have to constantly watch what I say and do. Here, I'm living quite well."
Nian Father seemed unconvinced.
How could a house that was so drafty be considered good?
Nian Jiaojiao, seeing his thoughts, smiled faintly.
"Why don't you come in and take a look, Father?"
With that, Nian Jiaojiao led Nian Father inside.
As soon as Nian Father stepped in, he noticed that a new wooden door had been installed, and the hole in the roof had also been repaired, making it airtight. Although the room wasn't large, it was fully furnished.
There were many snacks on the table, and a pile of gifts by the side. What was that about?
However, seeing this, it seemed his daughter was indeed living quite well...
Seeing that Nian Father seemed reassured, Nian Jiaojiao poured a cup of tea and handed it to him after he sat down.
"Father, I'm grown up now and already married. You don't need to worry about me anymore."
The original owner had been so troublesome; judging by his shabby clothes, his life hadn't been easy. He probably wanted to save money for the original owner.
Thinking this, Nian Jiaojiao looked directly into his eyes and said sincerely,
"Look at yourself, wearing this during the New Year. It pains me."
"It's fine for your father to wear anything, Dabao. You don't need to mind me."
Hearing Nian Father's words, Nian Jiaojiao inwardly shook her head. This kind of parenting would only make the child more defiant.
"Father, if you dress like this, it will also reflect poorly on me in the village. People might say I'm an unfilial daughter."
Nian Jiaojiao changed her approach.
As expected, upon hearing this, Nian Father immediately accepted and said he would buy new clothes when he returned.
After chatting for a while longer, Nian Father took out a somewhat familiar cloth package from his embrace and placed it on the table.
"Dabao, this money is for you..."
Of course, Nian Jiaojiao wouldn't accept his money and refused, saying,
"Father, there's no need. It should be me filial to you."
As she spoke, she also took out five taels of silver from her embrace and placed them into Nian Father's palm.
"Dabao, where did you get so much money? You didn't go gambling again, did you?"
"Father, don't worry. I earned this money by writing books. You know I've started studying, and I never expected I'd have a talent for storytelling!"
Nian Father never doubted her in this regard.
He knew his daughter was the smartest in the world!
He tried to return the silver, but Nian Jiaojiao strongly opposed him.
Finally, Nian Jiaojiao said sternly,
"Father, you know I'm preparing for the imperial examinations now. Maintaining my reputation is extremely important. If rumors of filial impiety spread, my future official career will be over."
Hearing this, Nian Father was stunned.
"Is, is it really that serious?"
"Yes, so, Father, not only should you not give me money, but you must eat well, dress well, and live well. Take good care of yourself and become plump. When people see me with you, they'll praise me for being filial to my father," Nian Jiaojiao said earnestly.
Nian Father hesitated for a moment, but eventually accepted the silver.
...
The New Year had passed.
The first month was the time for visiting relatives and friends.
Nian Jiaojiao directly rented the village's ox cart.
Since the three brothers had no surviving relatives, Nian Jiaojiao had to take Yu Chuan to his maternal home.
"Will the three of you be alright at home? Perhaps you should come with us."
Before getting on the ox cart, Nian Jiaojiao asked hesitantly.
During the festive period, leaving them behind to go into town made her feel a bit uneasy.
"Wife, we won't be going. We're fine at home, and besides, we're not familiar with that place."
Xingyun, for once, was articulate.
Nian Jiaojiao thought about it and felt his reasoning was sound. Moreover, since the three of them were unwilling, she couldn't force them.
After taking the gifts to be presented with Yu Chuan, the ox cart slowly moved forward, making a "clip-clop" sound on the muddy road.
Xingyun watched the departing ox cart, and the smile on his face instantly fell.
Xuan Yi sensed his younger brother's despondent mood. Being a man of few words, he could only pat his brother's shoulder to offer comfort.
He naturally understood his younger brother's feelings.
For the three brothers, he himself was unsightly, the second brother had poor eyesight, and the third brother had mobility issues. During festive occasions like this, visiting others might lead to them being disliked. Some families might even find them unlucky and directly drive them away.
They had endured such experiences since childhood and were now afraid to face them again.
Meanwhile, on Nian Jiaojiao's side.
The ox cart was gradually approaching the village entrance.
Yu Chuan looked at Nian Jiaojiao, who was sitting opposite him with her eyes closed, wanting to speak but hesitating.
It's like this again!
Whenever they were alone, his wife would become taciturn and sometimes avoid any opportunity to converse with him.
Why was that?
Yu Chuan clutched his sleeves, the new fabric creasing deeply under his grip.
No matter what, on this solo outing, he was determined to find out the answer!
The ox cart swayed, and Nian Jiaojiao couldn't sleep. However, she didn't want to repeat the original owner's fate, so she tried to maintain a distance from Yu Chuan.
Suddenly, the ox cart stopped abruptly. Nian Jiaojiao lost her balance, and her forehead hit the carriage with a thud.
"Bang!"
The crisp impact sent a jolt of discomfort through her.
Nian Jiaojiao clutched her forehead and let out a groan.
"Ouch!"
Yu Chuan managed to protect his head, using his elbow to cushion the impact. He didn't hit as hard as Nian Jiaojiao.
Once the ox cart came to a steady halt, his first reaction was to check on Nian Jiaojiao's injuries.
"Wife, are you alright?"
Nian Jiaojiao took a moment to recover before saying,
"I'm fine. A warm towel applied at the mansion should do the trick."
After speaking, she frowned and was about to get out of the cart to check the situation.
Before she could lift the curtain, someone suddenly rushed into the ox cart.
Due to the backlight, Nian Jiaojiao couldn't see the person clearly at first. She only shouted at the driver,
"What's going on? Didn't we pay to book this ox cart? Why did you let someone else in?"