Matchmaker Liu choked, inexplicably flustered: “What you’re saying is really unpleasant to hear. Wang-shi wants you to live the second half of your life in riches and honor, it’s also for your own good!”
“Dong Xiangshen’s age is even older than yours, Aunt.”
Matchmaker Liu didn’t take it seriously: “So what? A man pops a pill and is still fierce like a tiger.”
“Once you enter the door, you’ll be the stepmother. If you can get pregnant, everyone will be overjoyed; if not, you can still pick up what’s ready-made.”
Yu Tingwan said coldly: “Let’s not mention that the original wife hasn’t even been dead a month yet, the Dong family’s white lanterns \[funeral mourning decor] haven’t even been taken down. And those concubines he took in those years before, what end did they come to? Not a single one lasted half a year before being tortured until there wasn’t a patch of good skin left, rolled up in a mat and thrown into the deep mountains, becoming food for wolves, tigers, and leopards.”
She asked lightly: “I have no grievance nor enmity with Aunt, why does Aunt want to harm me?”
Matchmaker Liu’s smile didn’t change: “Listen to what you’re saying. Those people died because their fate was bad, they couldn’t enjoy blessings, what does that have to do with the Old Master Xiangshen?”
Yu Tingwan didn’t want to argue with her: “Aunt has matched quite a few couples these years, right?”
“You’re this kind of petty person, smooth-tongued, shameless, and harmful to others. You’ve pushed quite a few good girls from proper families into fire pits.”
“That Wei family young man has blood on his hands from the battlefield. If he wakes up and learns that his own little sister died after getting married, what kind of end will you have?”
Matchmaker Liu stomped her feet: “You’re cursing me? Others all say the Hu family’s niece is full of problems, I didn’t believe it before. I’ve been running around all busy for whose sake? Don’t be ungrateful!”
She finally understood why Wang-shi disliked Yu Tingwan!
This girl was really not likable!
She was so angry she was about to leave!
In matters of marriage, it’s the parents’ orders and the words of the matchmaker. Yu Tingwan’s parents weren’t around, so Wang-shi, this maternal aunt, had the authority to make the decision!
Matchmaker Liu was angry—this time she was really going to make this marriage happen!
“If I remember right, Aunt has been widowed for three years now, hasn’t she?”
Yu Tingwan looked at her flustered and exasperated back, but her eyes carried a strange glint.
Who would’ve thought, this Matchmaker Liu would be caught in bed committing adultery not long after, becoming a person everyone shouted to beat.
“Aunt has no children under her knees, no ties or restraints, why suffer to stay a widow? Just to be praised by the village people as ‘chaste and virtuous,’ that even after your man died, you still didn’t remarry?”
Matchmaker Liu stopped walking, suspicious, feeling like there was something behind her words.
As expected, Yu Tingwan dropped a bombshell that stirred up a thousand waves: “But how would they know, Aunt was secretly rolling in the hay with Father-in-law.”
Matchmaker Liu suddenly froze.
“Aunt’s dirty business in private, who knows whether one day it might accidentally slip from my mouth and spread.”
Clearly the cold wind was bone-piercing, yet her back was drenched in sweat. She refused to admit it, shrieked: “You’re spouting nonsense!”
Yu Tingwan curiously asked: “Does your father-in-law take those pills?”
Takes them, fierce like a tiger.
Yu Tingwan continued: “Aunt is already this age, how come your dudou [belly-binding undergarment] is still embroidered with mandarin ducks frolicking in the water?” [Note: Embroidered mandarin ducks represent love and sexual harmony.]
I’m not proper—what’s it to you!?
Yu Tingwan tilted her head, shyly asked a third time: “That birthmark on Aunt’s butt, how did it end up looking like a butterfly? Don’t say your father-in-law likes it—I find it quite nice too.”
How could Yu Tingwan know such private matters?
Matchmaker Liu nearly fainted. She forced herself to stop trembling, frantically glanced around, voice stammering: “Don’t say anymore!”
But the latter was smiling sweetly, without a trace of threat visible.
Matchmaker Liu felt cold all over, half her scalp went numb on the spot—how could she still dare play any tricks?
Her teeth chattered as she squeezed out a sentence: “Your maternal aunt has a vicious heart and can’t tolerate you, so she plotted to ruin the second half of your life. But not me. That Dong Xiangshen already has one foot in the coffin—Miss is at the age of youth and beauty, naturally she should be matched with a talented young man.”
Yu Tingwan glanced at the sky, seeing one matter settled, her mood brightened.
The faint smile at the corner of her lips didn’t fade. She slowly and methodically helped tidy her disheveled clothing, which made Matchmaker Liu’s body tremble three times.
“Auntie’s character is lacking, but shouldn’t you still weigh the consequences of being pointed at by a thousand, spat on by ten thousand, no?”
Matchmakers are best at reading people’s faces and emotions—how could she not know Yu Tingwan’s intention by now? She buried the terror spreading inch by inch from her chest: “What do you want me to do?”
The sky was cold, the earth shook, and a thick layer of ice had formed on the river’s surface.
The sky was gloomy and gray; after three days of continuous snow, every place was bone-white. One step down and you’d sink deep, shoes and socks all soaked.
After falling out with Wang-shi, Yu Tingwan had not the slightest intention of making peace.
After she went on strike, these past few days Wang-shi had truly been exhausted!!!
She had to manage both inside and out! Yet she couldn’t bear to use little Xu-shi, afraid something might happen to the precious grandson in her belly.
At mealtime, when Yu Tingwan once again enthusiastically showed up holding a bowl, Wang-shi’s fury surged up, practically wanting to skin the little wench alive.
Hold it in. Just a little longer. The Dong family’s reply will arrive soon.
This meal was bean rice—hardly any rice was seen, just all beans.
The soybeans had been soaked for too short a time, and Wang-shi was too stingy to use oil. Eating it scratched the throat terribly.
Yu Tingwan expressionlessly spat out a small stone.
That was already the third one she’d spat out.
But if she didn’t eat, she’d go hungry. She furrowed her brows and shoveled another mouthful.
Little Xu-shi poked at her food with chopsticks. She still preferred the dishes Yu Tingwan used to make—at least they were edible. But Yu Tingwan now was a porcupine—how would she dare ask her to cook?
She carefully peeked at Yu Tingwan. Living under someone else’s roof, one must know their own weight and measure.
If it were her, she would’ve long since knelt and kowtowed to Wang-shi to admit fault.
Before, Yu Tingwan might not have fawned over Wang-shi, but she at least showed respect. Even when Wang-shi made things difficult in every way, she never once turned red in the face.
Who knows what kind of madness had come over her recently?
“Why is Sister-in-law looking at me?”
Looking at you courting death, that’s what!
But little Xu-shi feared her: “It’s nothing.”
Yu Tingwan nodded seriously: “Ah? Sister-in-law thinks Auntie’s cooking tastes like pig slop?”
Little Xu-shi tensed up her nerves: ???
You could see even that?
Wang-shi: !!!
Yu Tingwan furrowed her brows: “Yes, Aunt’s cooking skills aren’t refined, but Sister-in-law, why don’t you go out and ask—what kind of mother-in-law runs around taking care of her daughter-in-law? The weather is so cold, Aunt didn’t want to get her hands wet and frozen washing soybeans, and was too stingy to throw out the soaking water, directly dumped it into the pot, made you eat stones—either that, or it didn’t suit Sister-in-law’s taste. Can’t you just endure a bit?”
“Sister-in-law, don’t be muddle-headed. It’s no big deal if you don’t eat, but what if the child goes hungry?”
Seeing guilt and panic flash in Little Xu-shi’s eyes, Wang-shi could hardly breathe.
Since ancient times, mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law always had conflict.
She clearly knew Yu Tingwan was sowing discord—but she couldn’t help but think more about it!
She stared dead at Little Xu-shi, a cold sneer slipping from her mouth.
“What, just a little unclean—will it kill someone?”
“You really think that just because there’s something in your belly, I don’t dare teach you a lesson?”
Little Xu-shi’s heart trembled: “Mother, I didn’t. I just didn’t have an appetite.”
Wang-shi wasn’t about to believe her, jabbing her hard with her fingertip: “What kind of thing are you even?”
“Back then, I could make Dalang marry you, and once you’ve given birth, I can just as easily make him divorce you! His younger brother is promising—think he’ll have trouble marrying a wife?”
Little Xu-shi’s face turned deathly pale.
Yu Tingwan’s heart was clear as a mirror. Back then, the Hu family spent everything to support Hu Yaozu in his studies, and didn’t have money to get Hu Dalang a wife.
There was drought too, and a lot of people starved to death that year.
Little Xu-shi was exchanged by Wang-shi for a sack of rice.
Hu Dalang always disliked her for being unattractive, but still managed to scare her into submission.
But this was only the beginning.
Yu Tingwan covered the sneer in her heart, lazily said: “Alright, Aunt, what sort of thing are you saying? Sister-in-law is carrying Hu family’s flesh and blood, don’t go frightening her.”
“Look at how pale her face is—if Big Cousin were to see this…”
Yu Tingwan smiled, telling the truth and nothing but the truth.
“Oh, he wouldn’t feel distressed.”