Chapter 9.1

As soon as Zhou Yao’s words left his mouth, the atmosphere in the room became tense.

Zhou Yao seemed oblivious to the shift, enjoying his meal. He turned to Wen Yue and commented that the pork scraps tasted good, then poured the entire plate of pork lard into her bowl. “Eat more, you’re too thin.”

Wen Yue met Zhou Yao’s dark, steady gaze, paused for a moment, then smiled sweetly and said, “Thank you.” She lowered her head and quietly ate, handing over the control to him.

Wen Guoqiang remained silent for two seconds before speaking. He glanced at Wen Yue and said, “Is this what Yueyue wants? It’s true that since she’s married, the land should be returned to her. However, Xiao Yao, I heard yesterday that you beat my Yueyue and sent her to the hospital. Don’t you think you should explain that to me?”

“You know, I was planning to come find you if you hadn’t come. Yueyue’s parents passed away early, but I raised her like my own daughter. I am her family. If you let her suffer, I will be the first to disagree!”

“Yueyue, Uncle is always your support. If you suffer any injustice outside, just tell me, and I’ll stand up for you!”

Wen Yue blinked her eyes and asked softly, “Really, Uncle?”

Wen Guoqiang smiled and nodded, “Of course it’s true.”

“In that case, I’ll speak up.” Wen Yue glanced at Zhou Yao, put down her chopsticks, and her eyes immediately reddened with tears that fell as she spoke, feeling aggrieved. “Just now, Auntie said that I have nothing to do with you and even hit me with a broom. Uncle, you have to stand up for me!”

Wen Guoqiang: “…”

Zhou Yao: “Tsk.”

This crybaby is quite interesting.

He squinted and laughed, adding, “Yes, I can testify. If I hadn’t been there, that broom would have hit her face.”

Wen Yue sobbed, “How could Auntie hit me in the face? What if I get disfigured? If I’m disfigured, I wouldn’t want to live. Boohoo~”

Zhou Yao nodded, “Yes, it doesn’t look good in the first place…hiss.”

Wen Yue glared at Zhou Yao with red eyes, tears streaming down like pearls from a broken string, and pinched him hard at his waist under the table.

How dare he say it’s not pretty!

Zhou Yao: “.”

Oh, I said the wrong thing.

At that moment, Li Huahong burst in.

She had twisted her waist when she was pushed earlier, and it hurt a lot. After a while, she managed to come inside. As soon as she entered, she saw the porridge and pork lard in front of Wen Yue and Zhou Yao. Her eyes widened in shock, and she screamed like a pig being slaughtered.

Cursing furiously, she glared at the two with murderous intent.

Wen Yue’s tears flowed even more freely. “Uncle, look, Auntie is not welcoming me at all. Please hurry and return the land to me. I won’t come back in the future.”

“Return it?!” Li Huahong shouted, “I’ve said that land is mine, and it’s not for you! I’ve raised you for two years without asking for money…”

Raised well for two years?

Zhou Yao glanced at the slender, delicate figure beside him and recalled the doctor’s words when Wen Yue was hospitalized. He couldn’t help but laugh darkly.

If she was raised well and turned out like this, what would have happened if she was raised badly? She would have been directly driven to death?

Wen Guoqiang angrily shouted, “Be quiet!”

Li Huahong immediately stopped her shouting.

“Yueyue, your Auntie didn’t mean it like this…” Wen Guoqiang said to Wen Yue, still maintaining a kind and gentle demeanor.

“Uncle, it’s better if you directly answer whether you’ll return the land or not.” Zhou Yao slightly turned to face Wen Guoqiang, interrupting his words.

He sat imposingly, his nearly 1.9-meter height creating a strong sense of pressure. Coupled with his cold, harsh gaze, even Wen Guoqiang couldn’t help but break into a sweat.

That gaze was really terrifying, like a beast staring at its prey, as if it would pounce and crush its opponent’s neck in the next second.

Unable to withstand Zhou Yao’s pressure, Wen Guoqiang hesitated for two seconds and said helplessly, “That land belongs to Yueyue, of course, I will return it. She is the only daughter of my late brother. Since he’s gone, I, as her uncle, can’t take advantage of her.”

“I won’t take the crops in the field either. Consider it as a wedding gift for you young couple.”

Wen Guoqiang indeed knew how to handle people well.

Unlike Li Huahong, whose reputation in the village was universally despised, Wen Guoqiang had a good reputation in the village. Everyone thought he was a nice old man, with the only downside being that he married such a troublesome wife.

He knew he couldn’t keep the land, so he decided to give it away, and didn’t even want the crops, just to gain a good reputation.

Li Huahong wanted to say something but was silenced by Wen Guoqiang’s look, only able to glare at Wen Yue with resentment.

Wen Yue stopped crying when she heard this, blinking her eyes, which were as red as a rabbit’s, and gave Li Huahong a shy yet provocative smile.

Ha, the land is finally taken back~

Under Li Huahong’s ferocious glare, she tugged on Zhou Yao’s sleeve and said softly, “Shall we go home now?”

“No hurry, I have something else to do.” Zhou Yao raised his eyebrows and said slowly, “Give me the betrothal money as well.”

Before Wen Guoqiang could react, Li Huahong exploded first: “You want the land and money too? How greedy can you be? Why don’t you just take all our things! Is there any reason to take back the betrothal money? How can you marry a wife without spending money? How can there be such a good thing?!”

If asking for the land was like slicing off Li Huahong’s flesh, asking for money was like digging out her heart!

Li Huahong’s already sharp voice became even more piercing, as if it could break through the sky, and people within a ten-mile radius could hear it.

Her eyes red, she repeatedly emphasized that it was impossible, spitting as she spoke, glaring at Wen Yue and Zhou Yao with the eyes of an enemy.

Wen Yue was also a bit surprised but remained silent, sitting quietly and even mentally considering whom to sell the land to.

Zhou Yao’s tone was calm as he smirked: “Marrying a wife costs money, but is she your daughter?” He pointed at the obviously disoriented girl beside him, his smile carrying a hint of mockery.

When he proposed, he had promised to provide a dowry of one thousand yuan. The money had been prepared by his father long ago, and he had no strong opinions about it. Giving it away was fine. It didn’t matter who ended up with it.

**