Chapter 28: Chapter 27: Provocation

Gu Yuwei was a smooth talker and got along well with everyone.

See? Even the way people addressed her had changed.

“Xiao Gu, I used that piece of fabric you gave me last time to make a vest for my Tuanzi. Thank you!”

“You’re welcome, Sister-in-law. You’re so talented. Unlike me—I don’t even know how to sew,” Gu Yuwei said with a smile.

Guo Jinfeng beamed. “Gu Zhiqing, your family is well-off, so you can just buy your clothes. Besides, you’re so pretty you’d look good in anything.”

When Xue Yue came out to empty a basin of water, she saw the two of them chatting in the courtyard.

Of course, they saw Xue Yue too.

Guo Jinfeng said nothing, but Gu Yuwei called out to Xue Yue.

“Comrade Xue, wait a moment.” With that, she ran into the house.

Xue Yue stood her ground, wondering what trick Gu Yuwei had up her sleeve. After all, they barely knew each other.

A moment later, Gu Yuwei ran out of the house, holding a piece of fabric.

When Guo Jinfeng saw the fabric, her eyes flickered.

“Here, Comrade Xue. This fabric is for you. You can use it to make some clothes for He San.” Gu Yuwei offered the fabric in her hand.

Xue Yue glanced at the fabric, then back at Gu Yuwei. Hearing that form of address and noting the difference in tone, she couldn’t help but laugh.

“What are you laughing at?” Gu Yuwei asked, confused.

“You think I need this piece of fabric from you?” Xue Yue raised an eyebrow at Gu Yuwei.

Gu Yuwei bit her lip, her face flushing red with a look of grievance. “Comrade Xue, I just saw that He San is always wearing that same padded jacket, and I felt a little sorry for him. I know that even though you received a 500-yuan betrothal gift, you spent it all on your older brother’s medical treatment. It’s okay, I don’t need this little bit of fabric. Please take it and make some clothes for He San!”

Xue Yue glanced at Guo Jinfeng and saw her lower her head, looking guilty.

Xue Yue scoffed. “You’ve certainly done your homework. Since you have such a savior complex, there are plenty of people in the village who have no clothes to wear. Why don’t you go help them instead of singling out my husband to pity?”

“Comrade Xue, don’t misunderstand! I really just felt sorry for He San. I didn’t mean anything else by it.” Gu Yuwei spoke so frantically that her voice started to break.

“What do you think I’ve misunderstood about you? I had no idea that my husband not changing his clothes was something to be pitied. It must have been difficult for you, observing him so closely.”

“Comrade Xue, don’t accuse me unfairly! I was just kind enough to offer you some fabric. How can you say such things to me?”

The commotion in the courtyard startled the people inside the house.

He Yun was the first to run out, and she saw Gu Yuwei shedding tears, a piece of fabric still in her hand.

“Xiao Gu, what’s wrong? Who bullied you?” He Yun asked, glancing at Xue Yue as she spoke.

“What’s going on here?” Mrs. He came out and asked in surprise, seeing the tense expressions on everyone in the courtyard.

Gu Yuwei wiped away her tears and said to Mrs. He with red-rimmed eyes, “Auntie, it’s nothing. Just a little misunderstanding.” She glanced at Xue Yue as she spoke.

Mrs. He looked at Xue Yue and saw her cold expression. She couldn’t figure out what was happening.

“Guo Jinfeng, you tell me. What happened?”

Guo Jinfeng glanced at Xue Yue before saying, “Mom, it’s nothing. Xiao Gu just offered some fabric to Xue Yue, and she didn’t want it.”

“Sister-in-law, that’s where you’re wrong. Xiao Gu was just being kind. If you didn’t want it, you could have just said no. Why did you have to make her cry!” He Yun said to Xue Yue, her face full of disapproval.

Xue Yue gave a cold laugh. “Oh, Gu Zhiqing, then I must have misunderstood you. You kindly offered me fabric, saying you felt sorry for my husband and that I should make him some clothes. I suppose I should thank you. Thank you for observing him so closely—even I hadn’t noticed he hasn’t changed his clothes lately. And thank you for being so concerned about whether my husband has anything to wear.”

Her words made everyone in the courtyard’s expression change instantly.

Mrs. He’s face darkened as she shot a look at Guo Jinfeng, who was so frightened she immediately lowered her head.

Gu Yuwei cried beautifully, tears streaming down her face. “Comrade Xue, you’ve truly wronged me. I was honestly just trying to be kind. If you don’t want it, that’s fine, but why must you say such things about me?”

Gu Yuwei made it seem as if Xue Yue was being harsh and unforgiving, all while looking utterly pitiful.

“Sister-in-law, you must have misunderstood. Xiao Gu is a very nice person. Maybe her good intentions just came out wrong. You don’t need to make such a big deal out of it.” He Yun held Gu Yuwei’s arm with one hand and looked at Xue Yue.

Xue Yue’s gaze shifted from Gu Yuwei to He Yun.

“I’m making a big deal out of it? You’re so magnanimous. You can just smile and accept it when another woman shows concern for your husband. I guess I’m really not as good as you.”

Xue Yue turned and went back into her room, ignoring everyone else.

A moment later, Mrs. He snapped back to her senses, her face grim.

“Gu Zhiqing, whether or not He San has clothes to wear is his wife’s concern. You don’t need to worry about it. You should keep your fabric and make clothes for yourself.”

Gu Yuwei’s expression stiffened, and she didn’t dare to look at Mrs. He.

Then she said sternly, “He Yun, you come inside with me.”

He Yun patted Gu Yuwei’s arm comfortingly before following Mrs. He into the house.

Guo Jinfeng and Gao Cuiyun, who had been watching the drama unfold, glanced at Gu Yuwei still standing in the courtyard before returning to their own rooms.

Gu Yuwei stood there, motionless, her face filled with hatred.

’Hmph, that ungrateful woman. One day, I’ll drive her out of the He Family.’

「In the main house.」

As soon as He Yun entered, she met Mrs. He’s sharp gaze.

He Yun walked over apprehensively and called out, “Mom.”

Mrs. He jabbed a finger at He Yun and scolded angrily, “Are you a fool? You’re a married daughter staying at your parents’ home, so you should just behave yourself. You accuse your sister-in-law without even finding out what happened. Is that what I taught you? Huh?

Don’t think I don’t know that you, your eldest sister-in-law, and your second sister-in-law have accepted plenty of things from Gu Zhiqing, have you not?

You shortsighted girl! That’s your sister-in-law! Are you turning your back on family for a few petty gifts? Have your Daya and Erya eaten so little of what your sister-in-law has given them? How can you not know who your real family is? She is your sister-in-law! Even if she were in the wrong, it’s not your place to say anything. If she doesn’t forgive you, just wait and see how your third brother deals with you.”

He Yun said anxiously, “Mom, it’s not my fault! If my eldest sister-in-law had explained things clearly, would I have accused my sister-in-law? Besides, I didn’t even say that much! It’s such a small thing. And she said things to me, too! I didn’t even argue back, did I? My sister-in-law can’t be that petty, can she?”

Mrs. He was so angry she paced back and forth in the room. “I’m telling you, go and apologize to your sister-in-law. If you don’t want to live in this house anymore, then get the hell back to your own home, you disappointment!”

“Mom~”

Mrs. He looked at He Yun and shook her head in anger, wondering how the daughter she once doted on could have turned out like this.

He Yun left Mrs. He’s room, thinking she should probably just go and apologize to Xue Yue. But when she reached Xue Yue’s door, she was afraid of running into her third brother, so she thought better of it and went back.

Actually, He Lang wasn’t even home, and Xue Yue had no intention of telling him about it.

As for blaming others, Xue Yue didn’t. ’The human heart is the most fickle of things. Few can resist temptation; if they do, it only means the temptation wasn’t great enough.’

That evening, Mrs. He brought the matter up with Mr. He. “Do you think Xue Yue might have misunderstood things today?”

“Who knows? But from what I can see, that Gu Zhiqing is no simple character.”

Mrs. He sighed. “Tell me about it. If I had known it would be like this, I never would have let her stay with us.”

Mr. He glanced at her. “Weren’t you the one who said she was a nice girl?”

“How was I supposed to know? I figured we didn’t have anything she could possibly want. The girl comes from a good family, she’s a sweet-talker, and having her here made the house feel livelier. Who knew she would… Ugh, whenever I think about what Xue Yue said today, I feel sick to my stomach. If this blows up into a real problem, I’ll be the main one to blame.”

Mr. He took a drag from his pipe. “The Educated Youth quarters will be repaired after the New Year. As soon as it’s fixed, have that Gu Zhiqing move out.”

Mrs. He nodded.

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