Chapter 148: Chapter 145: Pretty Good

“Blame me? It’s your fault for writing Lin Lan off, saying someone like her would never amount to anything. That’s why I couldn’t be bothered with her,” Yang Lirong muttered as she walked away.

Yang Liqun walked back sullenly. ’How did Lirong turn out like this?’ she wondered.

’No matter what, Lin Lan is our sister-in-law,’ she thought. ’How could she bad-mouth her with an outsider?’

Lost in thought, she arrived home to find Yang Liying and Lin Lan in the kitchen, helping with the cooking. A large rooster had been prepared two ways—half braised and half made into a cold salad—while its broth was being used for a winter melon soup.

Watching Lin Lan deftly chop the chicken into small pieces, she told them that Yang Lirong wasn’t coming.

Just then, Wang Zhixue and his brother returned. Yang Liqun quickly told them, “Go to your aunt’s and uncle’s houses and ask your uncle and Aunt Yuezhen to come over. Everyone is eating here tonight.”

Lin Lan quickly stopped them. “Zhixue, don’t bother getting them. They’ve probably already eaten by now.”

Wang Zhixue nodded. “When we were on our way back, Little Douzi and Aunt were already eating.”

Yang Liying said they had already started eating at her house too. She told Lin Lan to just finish the cold chicken salad and stir-fry a couple of vegetable dishes, and then they could eat.

Yang Liqun nodded. “Alright. I picked some pumpkin shoots this afternoon. I’ll bring them over to clean, and we can flash-fry them.”

Lin Lan suddenly remembered what Yang Zhigang had said. “He’s having coal delivered tonight. Remember to take the handcart to my place to haul it back.”

“I’ll go pump up the handcart’s tires then,” Wang Zhixue said, pulling Wang Zhilin toward the courtyard. As they headed out, they saw Yang Lirong walking through the gate.

Wang Zhilin shouted, “Aunt, you’re here!”

Yang Lirong nodded sheepishly. “Yes! Where are your mom and your aunts?”

“In the kitchen, cooking!” Wang Zhilin then yelled at the top of his lungs, “Mom, Aunt is here!”

He didn’t like his aunt. ’She’s always saying that since my brother and I only finished elementary school and never even went to junior high, we’re uneducated, uncultured, and only good for tilling the soil.’

’Her own son is supposedly so smart, but he had to repeat the ninth grade three times and still couldn’t get into a technical school. He’s going to end up tilling the soil just like us.’

When Yang Liying heard Yang Lirong had arrived, she curled her lip in disgust. “She refuses when she’s invited, but then comes scurrying over afterward. Talk about not knowing what’s good for you!”

Yang Liqun gave her a light, chiding tap. “Don’t say that. No matter how she is, she’s still our sister. If she’s a dog, then what are you?”

Yang Liying realized she had a point and, with a sheepish grin, lightly tapped her own mouth. “Alright, I was wrong. I’ll shut up!”

Lin Lan watched the mischievous Yang Liying and the doting, mother-like Yang Liqun, thinking that the eldest sister truly fulfilled her role well.

Yang Lirong walked to the kitchen doorway with a sheepish smile. She poked her head in and said apologetically, “Eldest Sister, Liying, Lin Lan, I was in the wrong. We’re family, so please don’t hold it against me.”

Yang Liying, never one to pull her punches, retorted sarcastically, “Second Sister Yang, how could you be wrong? It must be us who are heartless and disregard our sisterly bond.”

Yang Lirong ignored her and looked at Lin Lan, apologizing abashedly. “Lin Lan, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions based on rumors. Not only did I not help you, I even wrongly accused you.”

Lin Lan was genuinely impressed by her ability to swallow her pride. She gave a faint smile. “Second Sister, what you did was wrong. If you weren’t going to consider my reputation, you should have at least considered Little Douzi’s. I want you to tell me, who exactly was spreading these rumors?”

Yang Liqun added, “That’s right, Lirong. Tell us who was spreading these rumors. We have to go and confront them.”

Yang Liying nodded fiercely. “Exactly! I’ll rip her mouth out! Let’s see if she dares to run her mouth again!”

Yang Lirong hesitated for a moment before saying, “It was Zhang Yazhen. She said that she and her mother personally saw Lin Lan bring Xiangyang into the yard with a smile on her face.”

“I knew it was that bitch Zhang Yazhen!” Yang Liying exclaimed, her expression screaming ’I told you so.’ “Hey! Second Sister, let me ask you, why did Zhang Yazhen run all the way to the Second Team just to tell you?”

Lin Lan and Yang Liqun also looked at her curiously. Zhang Yazhen and Lin Lan were at odds. If she thought she had some dirt on Lin Lan, she should have been spreading it all over their own team to slander her. Why would she specifically seek out Lirong?

“I… I…” Yang Lirong stammered. Seeing all three of them staring at her, she steeled herself and blurted out, “It was because of that incident with the cousin from the Tian family. I was upset about it. Later, when I heard you and Zhang Yazhen got into a fight, I said a few words in her defense, and we’ve been a bit close ever since.”

Ever since Zhang Yazhen found out that Lin Lan had once nailed Ye San’s hand to a door panel, she hadn’t dared to confront her directly. So, after seeing Li Xiangyang go to Lin Lan’s house in the morning, she went to Yang Lirong’s that afternoon to stir up trouble.

Yang Liying looked at her, her face filled with disappointment. “Second Sister, you were like this even when we were kids. Whenever we had an argument, if someone at school bullied me, you’d just pretend you didn’t see it. You always help outsiders hurt your own family. You’re the classic example of someone who sides with strangers over her own kin.”

“You…” Yang Lirong, remembering why she had come, shot Yang Liying a look of shame and anger, swallowing the retort on the tip of her tongue.

Yang Liqun looked at her and said with heartfelt earnestness, “Lirong, this is your biggest flaw. You’re too selfish; you only think of yourself. You never remember that blood is thicker than water for us. When your sister and sister-in-law are bullied and slandered, it reflects poorly on you, too!”

“The next time I see Zhang Yazhen, I’ll give her a piece of my mind and forbid her from spreading any more rumors.” Since Yang Lirong had come prepared to be criticized, she just nodded repeatedly with an apologetic smile, her attitude exceptionally compliant.

Lin Lan had no intention of letting Zhang Yazhen off the hook. She looked at her and said, “Second Sister, you’re coming with me to find Zhang Yazhen. She’s messed with me time and again. Does she really think I’m a pushover?”

Yang Lirong looked at her, troubled. “Lin Lan, that’s not a good idea! If we go to her house and cause a scene, some people will defend you and others will condemn you. It’ll be bad for your reputation!”

Lin Lan said coldly, “I have a clear conscience, so I fear no slander. If she dares to tell such bald-faced lies, I’ll tear her mouth apart!” With that, she set down her cleaver and started walking out.

“That’s right! Tear her mouth apart! Let’s see if she dares to spread rumors again!” Yang Liying followed her.

“Lin Lan!” Yang Lirong hurriedly grabbed her. “I’m begging you, can’t we just let it go this once? I’ll go to her house and warn her later. Besides, if this blows up, it’ll be bad for both you and Li Xiangyang.”

’She was afraid that if things blew up, the rest of the Yang family would accuse her of betraying her own.’

Yang Liqun thought it over and agreed. “Lin Lan, how about this: let Liying and Lirong go warn her together. If she ever dares to run her mouth in public again, we won’t be so lenient.”

“I’ll go, I’ll go!” Yang Lirong hastily agreed. She put her hands together in a pleading gesture. “Lin Lan, I was wrong. I’m so sorry.”

Lin Lan didn’t want to disrespect Yang Liqun, so she nodded. “I’ll go with you. But she has to apologize.”

Yang Liying agreed. “Right! She has to apologize, and we need to make Xiong Jianjun get his wife under control.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep