A few days later after Miao Chu He went back to the academy, there was an uninvited guest at home.
The person was in her thirties. She wore a scarlet ruddy patterned robe and yellowish half-satin damask skirt, and her hair was bunned with a silver hairpin. She had a long face, thin lips, triangular-looking eyes, and sharp brows. At first glance, it was clear that she was not someone to be trifled with.
When she pushed open the courtyard gate, Lu Qi was playing with Lu Xiao Shu and his sister on the mat in the courtyard. “Oh? Isn’t this lively?” That loud voice made her and her sister turned to look.
Miao Cui Lan also turned and took a closer look at the uninvited guest. Her expression changed and she demanded, “Why are you here?”
“Chi” The person raised a brow and said calmly, “Why? You don’t welcome me here?”
Miao Cui Lan gently smiled and said, “Why don’t you just say if you’ve something for me?”
“Is this how the Lu family treat their guests? I travelled all the way here and yet you don’t even bother to invite me into your house to take a rest?” The person giggled and said, “I thought the ties between both of our families are deep, if not, why would you fork out money and effort to support my son, Miao Chu He, to study at the academy?”
At that moment, Lu Xiao Shu immediately understood that this annoying lady must be her poor uncle’s stepmother, Madame Xia.
When Miao Cui Lan heard the two words, ‘my son,’ coming out from Madame Xia’s mouth, her expression changed and she was secretly furious. Nonetheless, she knew that this was Madame Xia reminding her not to cross the line and that Miao Chu He was still her son!
“Come in!” Miao Cui Lan finally forced those words out of her mouth.
Madame Xia glanced at her with a smile and turned her waist to enter the house. She completely ignored the expression on Miao Cui Lan’s face.
Miao Cui Lan washed her hands before going into the house. She told Lu Qi, “Be good and stay in the courtyard with your sisters. Do not run about, and don’t let the other families’ chicken come in to snatch the feed. Do you understand?”
Lu Qi nodded.
Miao Cui Lan entered the house and calmly said, “Say it, what do you want here?”
(Chuckles) Madame Xia smiled and said, “I say, Cui Lan, Tian Bao is your brother just like Chu He, you mustn’t favor one and discriminate against the other! Your father has passed on, and it was hard for a widow like me to raise both of them up—-“
“I think you’ve gotten something wrong! I am no longer a member of the Miao family, and I have no father. What’s the point of you telling me all these?” Miao Cui Lan responded with a hint of sarcasm.
Madame Xia laughed and said, “You mustn’t say that. Blood relations will never change. That is innate and you cannot break away from it, don’t you say so? If not, why did you come to attend your father’s funeral?”
It would be fine if she did not bring up that incident, but now that it was brought up, Miao Cui Lan smiled and said with ridicule, “But weren’t you the one who didn’t let me in? Don’t tell me you forgot that you even did that infront of so many people?”
Madame Xia did not feel a single strand of embarrassment, and she replied self-righteously, “Back then, there were so many people present. What could I possibly do? If I did not do that, it would mean that I’m opposing your father? How can you simply take whatever I did back then to heart?”
For a moment, Miao Cui Lan was speechless by her shameless words and tone. After a while, she finally gave a cold smile and said, “Now that you came here to find me, aren’t you scared that my deceased father won’t rest in peace and find you for what you’re doing now?”
Madame Xia grunted, “How could this be the same? He is already glamorously buried, it already counts as me not letting him down! I still have to plan for my future, right? I’m now a widow, if I don’t rely on the rest of you, then who can I rely on?”
Miao Cui Lan exhaled angrily. Her face tightened but she did not speak. She was so furious in her heart that her thoughts became irrational, yet she could not say a word.
Shameless, really shameless! Miao Cui Lan cursed to herself.
Madame Xia smiled and said, “Actually, I am not asking for much. Like I said, Tian Bao is also your father’s flesh and blood, and also your younger brother. As a sister, you should be fair! Chu He went to the academy, it is now time for Tian Bao to go there too. As for the cost—”
“As you can see for yourself, our house currently has three children!” Miao Cui Lan coldly said, “It will be out of my capability to fork out money. You should think of another way to do so!”
In the years when Miao Chu He attended the academy, all the expenses including food, shelter, clothes for the four seasons were all paid by her. Her dear father and stepmother did not pay a single cent for his studies! It was already so disappointing, yet, Madame Xia was not embarrassed to ask Miao Cui Lan to bear the expenses of her bast*rd son. Dream on!
Madame Xia sneered, “Why? Aren’t you cruel? Hmph, that girl that you picked up is just a money-losing thing, yet you have the ability to raise her while ignoring your own biological brother. I say, Cui Lan, if you do that, your father will not be able to rest in peace!”
Miao Cui Lan had already treated Lu Xiao Shu as her biological daughter. When she heard how Madame Xia spoke about her, she was trembling in anger and she sneered, “This is Lu family’s business and we do not need an outsider to make any comments! You don’t have to say anymore, just put away that wishful thinking of yours!”
“Alright then!” Madame Xia became angry too. She suddenly stood up and sneered, “Then let me tell you clearly! Now that I am a widow, I am unable to support the family. As for the academy, I think that Chu Hu should not attend anymore. It is more important for him to come back home and do farm work! There’s already not enough rice to eat, what’s the point of studying? Hmph, moreover the Miao family never had any luck to become an official. Given his ability, for him to become a scholar is already considered an unexpected accomplishment! Now, he still dreams to climb higher? He must be dreaming!”
“You!” Miao Cui Lan coldly glared at her.
The family could not survive anymore? No food to eat? Who was she trying to lie to! There were dozens of acres of land, mountains and forest. On top of those, there was still a sum of money that her father accumulated before he passed on. Miao Chu He did not even have a single share of all that, and yet she still dared to say such things? How dare she come to rip others off?
But what a pity. She could not do anything to her a decade ago, but now, she would not give in to her!
“Hmph, as a mother I cannot be unfair, right? If one studies, both must study. Otherwise, both should not!” Madame Xia sneered. She complacently thought that she had hit Miao Cui Lan’s weak spot.
Miao Cui Lan’s anger had reached her limit, and violence clamored within her. Only by fiercely beating up that woman could the anger in her heart subside. Madame Xia saw her reaction and started laughing even more complacently!
She knew that Miao Chu He was her weakness; as long as Miao Chu He was involved, she was sure that Miao Cui Lan would give in!
Hmph, Miao Cui Lan ah Miao Cui Lan, you had underestimated me. If I did not have complete certainty that my plan is perfect, why would I even bother coming to your house?
“Sure!” Miao Cui Lan suddenly laughed.
Madame Xia was joyfully satisfied, “It seems like you have agreed to it? That’s good, I can rest my mind! Tian Bao is your little brother too, once he has a promising prospect, he will definitely repay you!”
“I thought that you are too poor to afford any food? Didn’t you want Chu He to go back to help you with the labour work?” Miao Cui Lan sneered and said, “Save your breath here and go ask him!”
“You!” Madame Xia was stunned and looked at Miao Cui Lan in astonishment.
Miao Cui Lan coldly replied, “I want to see if you have the courage! Now, Chu He is Miao family’s only scholar. The uncles and patriarch value him very much, and are waiting for him to graduate and bring honor to the ancestors and people of the village! Madame Xia, if you think a stepmother can have greater power than them, you can go ahead and try!”
“You. This is my family’s matter, what can they do about it?” Madame Xia was shocked and angry.
Miao Cui Lan did not refute and sneered.
Would the uncles interfere, Madame Xia should know best!
“I don’t welcome you here, get out now! I still have work to do. Get out!” Miao Cui Lan came around and got up suddenly. Without any politeness, she pushed Madame Xia out.
“Just you wait, Miao Cui Lan!” Madame Xia yelled in anger after being pushed out in a sorry plight. She stood at the gate and scolded before leaving angrily.
In the courtyard, Miao Cui Lan let out a sigh of relief. She knew that the incident today was only temporarily over. Who knew what other plans Madame Xia had in mind.
Afterall, she was Chu He’s “mother”. Moreover, now that she had become a “pitiful” widow, the majority in their society would be in favor of her.
It seemed like there might not be any more peaceful days in the future…
