Chapter 7: Acting

stumped. Indeed, the scene of their first meeting was still vivid in his mind. It was because he saw the courage and ferocity of a warrior in him that he risked his life to acknowledge him as his fat...In the main room, Zhao's bellow echoed clearly within Gu Huanxi's carriage, let alone to the few people by the door. Li Qiuhua jumped in fright, her head bowed as she mumbled a curse under her breath.

Xu Huai-li habitually complained about him, "It's all you, dawdling around. Look, you've made our mother like this! If she gets sick later, you'd better be ready to pay for medicine!"

Xu Huaiyi looked up at him.

Xu Huai Li glared back angrily, impatiently urging, "What are you still looking at Get going, or I'll have your mother come and fetch you!"

Xu Huaiyi took a deep breath and silently recited the names of his daughter and granddaughter-in-law three times. Only then did he barely maintain the persona of the original owner, preventing himself from snapping back. However, after turning around, he locked the door and walked sullenly towards the main room.

Xu Huai Li didn't move, a sneer curling at the corner of his mouth.

Li Qiuhua tugged on his sleeve and pointed at the copper lock, whispering, "What do you think he locked the door for"

Xu Huai-li wasn't interested in knowing. "What does it matter to you Anyway, that person inside won't live long. Even if there's a dowry, isn't it still going to be this family's property when they die It doesn't make a difference whether it's sooner or later."

"Well, I guess so..." Li Qiuhua muttered. Unconvinced, she pressed her ear against the door but heard nothing. "Why is it so quiet in there I'm still getting nervous..."

Xu Huai Li dismissively said, “She’s probably just left with her last breath, what else could she say Come on, forget about her. You better go to the main hall and listen carefully, absolutely don't let Lao San easily sweep this under the rug…”

Li Qiuhua was surprised and said, "Could it be that you still think the third brother was sincere in doing all of that"

Xu Huai-li sneered, “You forgot the old saying, a dog that bites doesn't bark. The third child seems honest enough, but what he did wasn't honest at all. He sold bracelets and then talked so much, what was the point Now the whole village is spreading it everywhere. They say that our Xu family's second house is heartless and wicked, forcing their daughter-in-law to die. With this reputation, every single one of us in the family will be too embarrassed to leave the house! Even Lao Wu can forget about taking the civil service exam anymore. He’s clearly trying to drag down the whole family with his wife!”

Li Qiu Hua gasped, "No wonder Uncle came running at the news. Lao San, Lao San, he really has this kind of cunning and courage Could it be you're overthinking things"

Xu Huai Li stared deeply at the main room, "Stop talking nonsense and go when I tell you to."

Li Qiuhua shrank her neck and ran to the main room.

At this moment, in the eastern room of the main house, the scene resembled a serious meeting. On the kang sat Uncle Xu and Xu Maoshan. Zhao's wife and young daughter Xu Honglian sat cross-legged by the window, while Xu Huaiyin sat on a stool with Wang Suyun standing behind him. Xu Huaigui stood in the middle, trying to appear meek and honest, lowering his head to avoid revealing too much of his contrasting personality from before.

When Old Zhao saw his behavior, she immediately became angry and didn't give him any face as she scolded him, "Third son, are you filled with porridge in your head You do all sorts of foolish things! Even when going to fetch medicine, you manage to bring misfortune upon the whole family. If I had known you were such a disaster magnet from the start, back then when I gave birth to you, I should have drowned you in the chamber pot..."

When she had finished scolding, Xu Maoshan only coughed once and interrupted unpleasantly, "That's enough. You'll never finish scolding. Big Brother is here, he will naturally handle things. What do you have to worry about"

Zhao Pozi snorted and unwillingly shut her mouth.

"Big brother, look at this…" Xu Maoshan turned his head to look at his older brother Xu Mao'yuan, with a face full of worry. "Sigh, misfortune has struck our family... I thought he was the most honest and well-behaved, but who knew he could cause such trouble. It's all my fault for failing to discipline him properly. I've dragged you into this, making you suffer and having to find a way to resolve this mess for this little scoundrel…"

The two sang back and forth. Xu Maoyuan frowned after listening, and asked Xu Huaigi, "Huaigi, what's really going on Why are the villagers all talking about how you sold the last piece of Gu's dowry"

Xu Huaiyi thought about these years, Xu Mao yuan's character was still loyal and honest, so he nodded and said in a deep voice, "It's a silver bracelet. My father-in-law gave it to my daughter-in-law as a dowry. There's only that one left. It was originally kept as a souvenir, but now..."

He hesitated, as if in pain unable to speak. After taking several deep breaths, he choked out, "Dr. Jiao said that without medicine, my wife wouldn't last. I... how could I just watch my own wife die I can only use my silver bracelets to pay for the medicine, and hold on for these two days."

Upon hearing this, Xu Maoyuan unconsciously nodded, "What you're doing isn't wrong..."

Old Zhao immediately became furious, throwing down the patched-up old clothes in her hands. She scowled and pointed at Xu Huaiyi's face, scolding him, "Fool! What kind of precious thing is your wife Does she need to spend two taels of silver for medicine If she wants to die, just let her die! Nowadays, half a bag of grain can get you a young girl back. But you, you actually took your silver bangles as collateral to buy medicine for her Does she deserve it Don't you worry about her eating the medicine and not enjoying any blessings, dying even faster! That little wretch, an infertile chicken, is she really your daughter-in-law She's more like a sworn enemy of our Xu family! One silver bangle, worth over ten taels of silver, just gone like that because of her! Ah..."

She clutched her chest and dramatically cried out in pain, looking as if she were deeply offended.

In the past, Xu Huaiyi would have been terrified by her like this and immediately knelt down to beg for mercy and confess his guilt. Zhao Pozi also used this tactic to control him and his wife, with unfailing success.

But this time... the expected scene didn't appear, instead it was time for a showdown of acting skills.

Xu Huaiyi's knees felt like they had been nailed with steel. He stood straight, his head held high, and his body no longer trembled. His face was full of expression: pain mixed with grievance, tears sparkling with a heartbreaking mix of stubbornness and helpless despair. In short, it was impossible to describe in words.

Everyone in the house was stunned.

Wang Suyun was the first to come to her senses and discreetly nudged her husband.

Xu Huai Ren could only stiffen his face and speak, “Third Brother, what are you doing Look how upset mother is. You’ve fallen back into your old ways. Don't you hurry up and apologize”

Xu Huaiyi's face was a mixture of pain, disbelief, and he questioned back with anguish, "Big brother, what do you think I did wrong Was it wrong to take my daughter-in-law to see a doctor Or was it wrong to sell her dowry Do you even think, like everyone else, that my daughter-in-law is better off dead than alive"

He wouldn't dare answer that, Xu Huai-ren immediately chuckled and said, "I don't mean that at all. Of course, I hope my sister-in-law is healthy and well. She should give birth to many children for the Xu family! It's just... about selling her dowry..."

“I can’t sell my dowry, how will I have money to buy medicine I don’t want to sell it either, but I really have no choice...” Xu Huaiyi choked with tears, covering his face, ashamed and self-blame, remorsefully confessing, “I’m sorry, father-in-law. Before he passed away, my father-in-law was so kind to me, treating me with great kindness. I promised him that I would take good care of Huanxi, but I didn’t do it...”, woo woo... If you hadn't come, I would have been tortured to death by Xu Huaiyi...""Shut up!" Xu, the village head, rushed over angrily and slapped him hard across the face several times.A few thump...