Who knew that Miao Tian Bao noticed Tong Yu Er’s beauty on the day of the banquet? He got drunk after a few bowls of wine and snuck into her room to take advantage of her when no one was watching. Tong Yu Er’s face lost color as she ran out of her room in shock with Miao Tian Bao giddily following from behind.
Just as everyone was happily feasting, they were appalled at the scene. Rage suddenly flared up in Miao Chu He who was in the middle of giving a toast, and he threw the bowl of wine in his hand at Miao Tian Bao’s face. Several men seated nearby rushed up to pull Miao Tian Bao away.
When Madame Xia saw her son being bullied, she took it as an opening to create trouble again. This angered the clan elders leading to their third great-uncle giving Madame Xia a warning. He criticized that she did not raise her son properly and yet she still dared to raise more trouble. Did she want to have both her and her son placed in the ancestral hall?
As the little brother, he took advantage of his new sister-in-law and even chased her down to the main hall. If word were to spread, the Miao Family would become a laughing stock.
Madame Xia’s face turned white as she held her tongue while Miao Chu He kneeled before the third great uncle and the other elders as he saw this as an opportunity. He subtly implied that he would be returning to the academy soon and he would not be at ease leaving his wife at home. As such, he would like the elders to make the decision.
The elders were aware of Miao Tian Bao and Madame Xia’s attitude, but were stunned at his words. Miao Chu He was the Miao Family’s beacon of hope. If he had to constantly worry about his wife’s peace, compromising his studies, would he still be able to achieve a juren or jinshi?
Madame Xia was outraged, “What do you mean? Have there been any daughters-in-law that were absolved from house chores or serving their mother-in-law? Where would she go if not here? You are being unfilial!”
Their third great uncle glared at Madame Xia with anger, yet he said nothing to counter her outburst.
Madame Xia laughed coldly, she was secretly proud of herself as she thought: Go on, let’s give it a few days and we’ll see how I’ll deal with this little girl! She had the looks of a fox as if she just escaped from god knows where, she’s obviously not anything decent! Even if I’ve done anything to her, I doubt that she would dare to expose me!
At that, Miao Cui Lan sighed, “I need another person to help me with making beancurd, how about having Yu Er over to help me?”
“No way! I cannot allow it!” Madame Xia refused it curtly.
“Hmm, I think it’s decided then!” Their third great uncle coldly announced, “You said you want to have a daughter-in-law, yet did you spend any money on their wedding? The wedding banquet was planned and paid by Cui Lan, yet you shamelessly want to boss this young miss around using the excuse of being her mother-in-law? Don’t you know that Chu He needs to pay for fees to study in the academy? It has always been Cui Lan who paid for it all these years. Now that he has a wife and wants her to help his sister out, why should you have a say in it? Why do you care so much? Do you hope that Chu He could not pass his examinations? Let me tell you this, Chu He is our family clan’s hope. If you dare to mess with him, you will become an enemy of this entire village!”
Since everyone was siding with Miao Chu He and his sister, Madame Xia’s hatred grew greatly. She wanted very much to argue with their third great uncle without caring about the consequences, yet her husband was not there to back her up. Not to mention the several times she had to suffer, so she tolerated them and huffed, “Fine! If she wants to go, her pay must be given to me! She is my daughter-in-law, she can’t work for someone else without anything in return!”
Miao Cui Lan was angry yet she thought that it was amusing too, she simply agreed when she saw their third great uncle glanced her way, “Of course, she gets paid. It would be two silvers every month. She’ll get paid on the first day of the next month for this month’s work.”
Madam Xia thought that it was too little, and she mumbled about getting a higher pay but held her tongue at their third great uncle’s glare.
Everyone probably sighed internally, thinking that Miao Cui Lan really had it tough, while Madam Xia’s attitude only made her even more despised.
Eventually, the issue was settled. Everyone felt relieved and went back to feasting and drinking, only leaving after all the fun was over.
When everyone left, the sky was already dark. Miao Cui Lan and Lu Zhong led their three children to a villager’s home to stay for the night. Madam Xia continued to speak coldly to Miao Chu He, which he had already gotten used to. He acted indifferently as if he could not hear her since he had already grown up anyway. Moreover, he was the only prodigy in the village, Madam Xia did not dare to hit anymore. Even if she did tell him off or badmouth him, she would not dare to mention him by his name. It would have been a scene if he were to counter her arguments.
Madam Xia purposely criticized him from under the newly wed’s window. Miao Chu He was already immune to it and he simply brushed it off easily, but how could Tong Yu Er let it go so easily? She felt very uncomfortable deeply, it should have been her big day, yet she felt depressed without any lace of happiness in her heart.
Miao Chu He felt guilty when he got to know her state of mind. He took her hand and apologized softly, “Yu Er, you were unfairly treated because of me…”
This melted Tong Yu Er’s heart, she looked at him and smiled, “I’m okay, it’s only one night anyway. We’ll go to your sister’s place tomorrow. What about you? You must have come a long way to endure it all these years.”
Miao Chu He smiled gently, embracing her in a hug before sighing, “Luckily, my sister and brother-in-law were here so that I don’t feel so bad. Yu Er, when you’re living at my sister’s home after this, you need to…”
“I know,” Tong Yu Er lightly cupped his mouth, “You don’t have to worry when you’re at the academy. I’ll get along with your sister and brother-in-law nicely, learn to do house chores, and listen to them and help them out. No matter if it’s cooking, laundry, preparing firewood, or farming, I, I’ll learn them all. They’ve helped us out so much, we’ve to repay them properly.”
Miao Chu He beamed, “If you think this way, then I’ve nothing to worry about. Yu Er, I’ll live up to your expectations. In the future… we’ll talk about that in the future, I’ll prove it to you.”
Tong Yu Er shyly nodded as she laid in her husband’s arms gently, murmuring, “I trust you, I’m rarely wrong about things…”
Miao Chu He smiled, he held her while gently laying her down on the bed.
A beautiful bright day would come after this night.
As expected, on the next day at dawn, Miao Chu He left the Miao Family’s home with Tong Yu Er. Madam Xia coldly watched them while Miao Tian Bao’s lustful eyes never left Tong Yu Er’s body. She was so humiliated that she did not dare to raise her head. Miao Chu He was annoyed without that gaze that they left without having breakfast.
Miao Chu He stayed at the Lu Family’s home for three days before leaving for the academy, unwilling saying goodbye to his wife. Tong Yu Er had already changed into plain clothes and dressed up as an ordinary village housewife who helped with house chores.
On the day when all of them arrived back at the Lu Family’s home, Miao Cui Lan made it very clear to Miao Chu He and Tong Yu Er as she stated, “I know that you were a lady who came from a big family, but this is a path that you’ve chosen yourself. No matter what happens, you’ll have to continue walking down this path! Our family is just an ordinary peasant family, we can’t afford to serve a spoiled lady. Since we’ve already agreed that you will be helping us with our work, I will be straightforward with whatever you’ll need to do. So, don’t be offended by that and don’t be reluctant to do your tasks! You should ask me for instructions if you’re lost with anything, don’t keep it in your heart. If you’re unsatisfied with anything, you should tell it to my face as well, we’ll figure it out! If you’re shy to tell them to me, you can tell Chu He when he’s back. If you think that it’s too tedious and you’re suffering here, or that you don’t get along with us, you may leave anytime, we’re fine with it and I won’t have anything to say about it. I hate women who badmouth people the most, if anyone dares to speak ill of us, I will kick them out if I found out about it! One more thing, you should change your living habits from home since you’ve seen my family, we can’t live up to your family. Of course, now that you’re my brother’s wife, I will naturally protect you and I won’t let anyone bully you. I just wanted to make things clear with the both of you in case things go wrong and more troubles are brought to us.”
Miao Chu He had always known that his sister was straightforward. He thought that she made a good point, but he did not know if Tong Yu Er had anything to add about it so he glanced over at her.
Tong Yu Er felt a little uncomfortable in the beginning as she felt like she was relying on someone for a living. However, she felt better after listening to Miao Cui Lan’s little speech, so she beamed, “I would be damned if I don’t realize your kindness! I don’t have any skills, please teach me, I’ll be willing no matter what you want me to do! Don’t worry, sister. I’ll do my part properly in the future. I won’t let you and my brother-in-law down!”
“That’s right, sister. Yu Er isn’t one of those spoiled rich ladies. You don’t have to take her as an outsider.” Miao Chu He added.
Miao Cui Lan smiled, “If you say so, I won’t worry at all! After this, this will be your home, you can live peacefully here.”
Miao Chu He and Tong Yu Er thanked her again.
As expected, Tong Yu Er helped Miao Cui Lan out with work everyday once Miao Chu He left. Miao Cui Lan was understanding and did not order her to help with the more difficult chores. Mostly, she would be asked to clean the yard, prepare meals, boil water, pick the vegetables, clean the house, feed the chicken and ducks, shower Xiao Xue and Xiao Shu as well as to take care of them. Sometimes, she would be asked to help in making beancurd, beancurd skin and hard beancurd.
Tong Yu Er was very hardworking and she was very gentle too. All her work was done with care. She never slacked off and she was a fast learner. Miao Cui Lan and Lu Zhong pitied her, and they treated her very nicely, while Xiao Xue, Xiao Shu and Lu Qi liked having her around too. Their family lived peacefully together and soon Tong Yu Er slowly let what happened go as she subconsciously became a part of this family.
It was a pity that some people just did not want a peaceful life, as they constantly looked for trouble.
Within a month, their peace was disrupted.
“Auntie! Auntie! Oh, no! That rascal Miao Tian Bao from the Miao Family is here!” Lu Xiao Shu and Xiao Xue ran in while Tong Yu Er was cleaning the yard.
Tong Yu Er was startled, the broom in her hand fell onto the ground with a “thud” and shock replaced the color on her face. Even though Miao Chu He and her purposely set Miao Tian Bao up on their wedding day by paying someone to get him half drunk before inciting him with words to encourage him to do those distasteful things, but the lust in his eyes was not any bit fake. It disgusted Tong Yu Er and she was so uncomfortable that it took her a long time to get over it.
Unexpectedly, it was him again!
