Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands

Chapter 429 - 410: How Dare You Ask? (1)

Song Jinxiu said indifferently, "Third aunt, why are you looking for my grandfather?"

"What’s the matter? Hmph!" Mrs. Tian Song snorted coldly, "Do you still have the nerve to ask?"

Song Jinxiu’s face gradually turned pale, "Third aunt, I don’t understand what you mean."

"You don’t know? Then why should I say anything to you? I’ll tell your grandfather!" Mrs. Tian Song shot her a glare and was about to step onto the stairs.

Song Jinxiu quickly ran two steps, blocking her path, standing on the higher step, preventing Mrs. Tian Song from proceeding.

"What are you doing?" Mrs. Tian Song glared, "Get out of the way!"

"Third aunt, I told you, my grandfather is not at home!" Song Jinxiu refused to let Mrs. Tian Song enter the house and even pushed her outward.

Mrs. Tian Song was infuriated and grabbed Song Jinxiu back.

She was a robust woman, how could the slender Song Jinxiu be her match?

After a few rounds of pushing each other, Song Jinxiu was shoved to the ground by her.

Mrs. Tian Song spat at her and rolled up her sleeves, striding up the steps.

"What’s going on?" Mr. Song, who was resting in the bedroom, was awakened by the commotion outside, put on his clothes, and came out to see.

He looked up and saw Song Jinxiu on the ground.

Song Lizheng’s sister, Mrs. Tian Song, was striding up the steps and walking into the courtyard.

"Oh, it’s you, Jinxiu’s third aunt, what was all that about just now? Why are you two quarreling?" Although Mr. Song’s leg had healed, his body was still weak. To walk conveniently, he leaned on a cane.

Mrs. Tian Song shot a glare at the following Song Jinxiu, sneering, "Fourth uncle, aren’t you home? Why did Jinxiu say you weren’t?"

"Am I at home? I was resting, maybe Jinxiu didn’t know?" Mr. Song coughed twice, "Ah, third aunt, come inside to talk, it’s windy out here."

"I won’t go inside; I’ll just talk right here." Mrs. Tian Song pointed at Song Jinxiu and said to Mr. Song with a half-smile, "Fourth uncle, you better manage your granddaughter well, and tell her to stop seducing my Sanbao. Our Sanbao will never marry a woman like her!"

Mr. Song was shocked, "Wha... what did you say, Jinxiu..., third aunt, don’t speak nonsense, Jinxiu has always been well-behaved, when did she ever with Sanbao..."

Mrs. Tian Song crossed her arms, let out a cold laugh, "Come on, fourth uncle, she led our Sanbao into the woods. Our Sanbao checked her, said she was barren! A barren woman, still dreaming of marrying our Sanbao, humph, utterly shameless! Even if offered to our Sanbao for free, our family wouldn’t take her!"

Mr. Song was so shocked that his legs gave out, falling to the ground.

Mrs. Tian Song continued, "Our Sanbao doesn’t want her, so she went to drown herself to falsely accuse our Sanbao, trying to throw dirt on his head, truly shameless!"

Mrs. Tian Song shot a look at Mr. Song, flicked her sleeve, and left, reaching the steps, she saw the pale-faced Song Jinxiu standing there, gave a cold snort, and strode away from the Song Family.

Song Jinxiu ran over to help Mr. Song up, "Grandfather!"

Mr. Song pounded the ground with his hands, trembled with anger, "Jinxiu, are you trying to anger your grandfather to death?"

Song Jinxiu lowered her head, bursting into tears.

"Alright, alright, stop crying, help me up first." Mr. Song, having seen much in his old age, calmed himself down and didn’t panic.

Song Jinxiu wiped her tears and helped Mr. Song into the bedroom to lie down.

"Grandfather, are you alright after that fall?" Song Jinxiu cried out.

Mr. Song waved his hand, "It’s nothing, just tell me, what happened with you and Tian Sanbao? Did you two... did you two enter the woods together?"

Song Jinxiu lowered her head again, bursting into tears.

Mr. Song anxiously pounded the bed board, "Oh, just tell me! You can’t hide this matter from me!"

Song Jinxiu sobbed for a while before speaking, "No... it wasn’t me being proactive, it... it was Tian Sanbao, he kept finding me."

"He found you, and you agreed?" Mr. Song was so angry he pounded the bed again.

Song Jinxiu started crying again.

This time, no matter how Mr. Song questioned her, she said nothing, just cried.

Mr. Song let out a long sigh, "It’s all because you have no parents, and your grandfather is old and sickly with no one to decide for you."

Hearing these words, Song Jinxiu cried even more aggrievedly.

Mr. Song patted Song Jinxiu on the shoulder, "Alright, stop crying, as long as your grandfather still draws breath, I won’t let anyone bully you for nothing, go and rest in your room."

Song Jinxiu cried for a while, wiped her tears, and left Mr. Song’s bedroom, returning to her own room.

As she closed the door, she threw herself onto the bed, crying loudly.

Mr. Song sat up in bed.

He stared at the window for a while, put on an old cloak, and with his cane, went outside the bedroom.

From another bedroom, Song Jinxiu, upon hearing Mr. Song’s cane, immediately stopped crying, biting the edge of the quilt silently.

"Jinxiu, I’m going to Old Niu’s house to fetch something, you stay home and guard the door," Mr. Song called to Song Jinxiu’s bedroom door.

Song Jinxiu took a deep breath and responded, "Got it, grandfather."

Mr. Song glanced toward his granddaughter’s bedroom, then walked outside.

Instead of going to the nearby Old Niu’s house, he headed to the Song Lizheng’s house.

At this moment, Song Lizheng was resting at home.

He had just sent off his sister, who married into the Tian Family, and was frowning in thought when he heard someone calling him from outside the yard; he looked up to see Song Jinxiu’s grandfather coming.

Song Lizheng’s frown deepened.

"Ah, it’s Fourth Uncle. The wind is so strong today, and you’ve only just recovered. Why did you come out?" Song Lizheng stood up with a smile and greeted him.

Mr. Song’s expression was serious as he entered the house.

"There’s something I want you to get involved in." As soon as Mr. Song entered, he said immediately.

He didn’t avoid anything and didn’t care if Song Lizheng’s young son was playing with mud in the room, speaking directly.

Mrs. Tian Song ran to his house to make a fuss, and given her temperament, she wouldn’t keep this matter secret; she’d be sure to shout it everywhere.

Song Lizheng quickly said, "Fourth Uncle, please tell me what it is first. I will definitely help you if I can."

"It’s about Sanbao and Jinxiu. You know Jinxiu’s temperament; she’s timid, how could she possibly be with Sanbao..." Mr. Song, suppressing his anger, explained the situation with Mrs. Tian Song causing a scene to Song Lizheng.

Song Lizheng had anticipated it was about this matter.

Between Mr. Song and his nephew, he couldn’t favor either side.

Song Lizheng then began to pacify, "Oh my, this is their own concern; how can an outsider like me intervene? You wouldn’t want me to go and beat up Sanbao, would you?"

Mr. Song became even angrier inside; he knew Song Lizheng wouldn’t help him, but couldn’t hold back his emotions.

"Nephew, are you saying you won’t handle this and let the third niece talk about Jinxiu everywhere?" Mr. Song was furious.

Song Lizheng folded his sleeves, "Fourth Uncle, I can’t help; Sanbao also said Jinxiu was the one who provoked him first."

"You... you all..." Mr. Song was so angry his face turned pale, "Back when your family was struggling, I didn’t hesitate to lend money to your father. Now Jinxiu has trouble, and you’re washing your hands of it?"

Song Lizheng didn’t want to quarrel with him, soothingly said, "Oh dear Fourth Uncle, you can’t say that. I didn’t say I wouldn’t help. I mean... I need to investigate this matter. Answering suddenly when you request like this, how can I respond well?"

Mr. Song calmed his mind, "Fine, go ask Sanbao’s mother, I’ll head back first."

After Mr. Song left, Song Lizheng’s wife came out of the bedroom, stitching a shoe sole while saying, "Fourth Uncle still thinks he’s the teacher, everybody has to listen to him?"

"Whether he’s a teacher or not, this matter isn’t for him to decide. You know Third Sister’s temper, do you dare to provoke her?" Song Lizheng said rubbing his forehead.

Mrs. Song Lizheng snorted coldly, "That Jinxiu should look in the mirror, is she a match for Sanbao? Sanbao is good-looking and eloquent, unlike Jinxiu, who’s just like a dummy!"

"Enough, anyway, we can’t get involved in this matter. Let both families sort it out themselves." Song Lizheng warned his wife.

Mrs. Song Lizheng glared at him, "I’m not that foolish, eating too much to provoke your sister!"

This little sister-in-law at home is notoriously fierce; Song Jinxiu daring to provoke her son is truly foolish beyond measure!

.

Mr. Song returned home feeling silently frustrated.

He didn’t mention going to the village chief’s house to his granddaughter.

Once back in the bedroom, Mr. Song lay down immediately.

Angry.

He sighed deeply and pondered how to resolve the matter.

If the Tian Family were allowed to ruin Jinxiu’s reputation, she would remain unmarried.

But if they fought back hard, he and his granddaughter would stand no chance.

.

Li Yuzhu and Mu Yuanxiu returned to the Li Family’s bamboo house, and she didn’t let Mu Yuanxiu leave but asked him to stay.

Mu Yuanxiu had gone into the water to save someone, and Li Yuzhu was worried he’d suffer lingering effects, insisting on making some medicinal soup for him.

"Alright." Mu Yuanxiu replied with a bitter face, having no choice but to agree, "Don’t make too much, just select a few herbs and brew a small bowl will be enough."

"How can that be enough? A small bowl of medicine won’t have a good effect against the cold." Li Yuzhu disagreed, sitting at the kitchen table and writing a prescription.

"My health is fine; I don’t need that much of the medicinal soup." Mu Yuanxiu replied with a bitter face.

Li Yuzhu tilted her head and looked at him while writing, "Are you afraid of the bitterness, Mu Yuanxiu?"

Mu Yuanxiu froze, and with a stern expression, said, "How could that be?"

"Then just drink it; don’t save it for me. I have plenty of herbs stored up." Li Yuzhu resumed writing the prescription with a smile.

Mu Yuanxiu exhaled helplessly, rubbing his forehead.