novelraw Chapter 1384 - 272: Neither Able to Live nor to Die (Part 2)
Chapter 1384 - 272: Neither Able to Live nor to Die (Part 2)
Yan Song furrowed his brow, unable to understand.
A vague suspicion lingered in Yun Ya’s heart; for a woman to do something like this, it often boiled down to love...
Ha... The men of the Yan Family’s second branch are always in demand, with women fighting tooth and nail to win them over, resorting to all sorts of despicable means.
"Stop guessing; I’ll tell you why." A steady voice suddenly came from outside the door, and Yun Ya looked up to see Zhuang Xiyue walking in.
"Aunt Zhuang, what brings you here?" Yun Ya hurriedly stood up to welcome her.
Zhuang Xiyue smiled as she held her hand, "I came to see you all. Have you had dinner yet?"
Yun Ya shook her head, "Not yet."
"I figured as much. Ah Yun, bring the food in, please."
Ah Yun came in with a food box, opened it, and laid out two plates of dishes and two bowls of plain porridge, "Don’t go hungry; we can talk while eating."
Yun Ya and Yan Song sat down, and Yun Ya took a sip of the porridge to warm her stomach. She looked at Zhuang Xiyue and said, "Aunt Zhuang, what do you know?"
Zhuang Xiyue sighed and gazed out the window, "Father-in-law was a renowned scholar in the Capital City when he was young. At fifteen, he was already publishing articles in Ming Bao, well-versed in classical texts and eloquent in speech. He even studied abroad, combining wisdom with humor, and romance with talent. When the new nation was just established, and everything was in disarray, those conservative ladies and socialites had never seen such a charming and talented man. It could be said that all the ladies in the Capital City were enamored with him at the time. But Father-in-law already had a childhood sweetheart, and the two of them were a perfect match, admired by everyone. Where there are admirers, there will naturally be jealousy. Mother-in-law inevitably became the imagined enemy of all these women, who wished they could use the world’s worst insults to attack her."
Yun Ya stopped eating and listened quietly to her narration.
"Among these ladies, there was one woman who was truly unique. She showed utter disdain and even used sensationalism to describe Father-in-law. Naturally, this drew his attention, though he had no ulterior motives. Occassionally, when he saw her articles in the newspaper, he found them quite interesting. However, Mother-in-law thought this woman had some talent. After several coincidental encounters, they became confidants and inseparable friends. Unbeknownst to them, she became closer to Father-in-law. Father-in-law, however, noticed this woman’s hidden motives several times and warned Mother-in-law to stay away from her. Rarely having met a kindred spirit, Mother-in-law was unwilling to sever ties, but then one day, the three of them suddenly fell out, leading to their estrangement, and almost causing a breakup between him and Mother-in-law. Later, this woman got married, but her husband, though of noble birth, was a lecherous man, and her life after marriage was difficult. She later discovered her husband had secretly fathered an illegitimate child..."
Zhuang Xiyue paused here, turning to look at Yun Ya and Yan Song, "I suppose you’ve already guessed that this woman is Pei Ying. What exactly transpired between her and Father-in-law and Mother-in-law has now become impossible to ascertain, but it’s not hard to imagine. Her marriage to Fourth Uncle was also a calculated move."
Zhuang Xiyue’s knowledge of this came from her mother, who was a classmate and good friend of Pei Ying at the time. Yet, she distanced herself from Pei Ying after discovering the latter’s true intentions of becoming a mistress, which was completely out of line with her values.
Yun Ya hadn’t expected such hidden stories to exist, making it evident that Pei Ying approached Mu Ziling with ulterior motives back then. After the conspiracy fell apart and they were estranged, she naturally harbored resentment, marrying Yan Guobai to disgust them. Her marriage was filled with agony, while the other couple was deeply in love. It would be unbearable for any woman. Never underestimate a woman’s jealousy; its strength can rival that of an atomic bomb.
"Thus, in her malice, she took advantage of Lu Xiane to harm Grandma and then erased all evidence. Even Lu Xiane didn’t realize her manipulative hand. This woman hid deeply, even more venomous than Lu Xiane. A biting dog doesn’t bark, as they say, and indeed it is true."
Pei Ying had spent these years chanting sutras and appearing compassionate, but that’s because she harbored guilt. A wolf in sheep’s clothing like her is more disgusting than the likes of Lu Xiane.
Yan Song clenched his fists, his eyes filled with fury. Why are there so many parasites in the Yan Family? He and his father had sacrificed so much for this family, and what did they receive in return? Deception, betrayal, and harm...
Zhuang Xiyue sighed, "I never told your father about this because he is too sentimental and might not be able to accept it right away. In the future, don’t tell him either. If he ever finds out, you can place the blame on me. He may be angry for a while, but he won’t be too harsh on me."