Chapter 2: Unofficial Union

“Big Brother, at a time like this, you still won’t say a word? Are you even human? Let me tell you, even if Mother is truly gone, this shameless woman can forget about stepping into our house! Sister-in-law has worked hard for this family for so many years. Even if she hasn’t earned merit, she’s at least endured hardship. And you…!”

Zhao Maizhou glared at his elder brother with a look of utter disappointment, as if he were furious at iron for not becoming steel.

But in the end, they were still blood brothers who had grown up together. The harsh words that reached his lips were swallowed back down.

Before Zhao Maizhou’s eldest brother, Zhao Jiagu, could speak, the woman at his side had already lost her patience.

With hands on her hips, she shouted arrogantly, “You’d better take care of yourself first! Stop trying to change the subject.”

Then, she let out a sneering laugh. “I’m telling you, the reason Mother ended up like this is all because of that jinx! If she really dies, I’d love to see how that wretched woman dares to keep living! The villagers’ spit alone would be enough to drown her! It’d be perfect—once she’s dead, she can finally make room for me!”

“You—!”

Zhao Maizhou was an honest and straightforward man, no match for this sharp-tongued woman. In his frustration, his face flushed red, but he couldn’t find the words to counter her.

After a long moment, he could only pin his hopes on his elder brother, who was standing silently by the side, pretending to be oblivious.

When Zhao Jiagu met Zhao Maizhou’s gaze, he guiltily lowered his head.

But even though he looked that guilty, he still stubbornly refused to speak, allowing the woman to continue her tirade.

Everyone watching was so enraged they could hardly resist pointing at his nose and cursing him out.

The woman who had shared his bed for years knew exactly what he was thinking. The moment she saw his reaction, her sobs choked in her throat, and her face turned ashen.

It was as if, for the first time in all these years, she finally saw this man for what he truly was.

The youngest in the family, Zhao Fengtian, was still young and hot-blooded. Unable to contain his fury, he rolled up his sleeves like a lit firecracker and stepped forward.

“Fine! If you won’t deal with this woman, I will! This is our family’s business—who does she think she is? She has no place to speak here! Get out of here, now!”

The woman looked at the angry man approaching, and for a moment, she was frightened. But soon, her bravado returned.

She glanced around and, putting on an air of superiority, placed one hand on her belly and pointed a finger at Zhao Fengtian’s nose, saying, “I dare you to touch me, just try. There’s a child of the Zhao family in my belly. And I’ve already consulted a master who confirmed it. This child is the long-awaited eldest grandson your mother’s been wishing for! If anything happens to him, can you live with that responsibility?”

She invoked her connection to Chen Shuilian, which made Zhao Fengtian hesitate for a moment, his hand frozen mid-air.

Mother, he definitely can’t cross that line…

But his eyes darted to his sister-in-law, who had sacrificed so much for this family. She, too, had bravely stepped forward.

“I’m not afraid of you,” she said boldly. “A woman like you, so reckless, who knows whose child you’re really carrying? For all we know, it might not even be my big brother’s. Get out of here, now!”

“You—!”

Unable to tolerate the insult, the woman stomped her foot and lunged at her, starting a fierce struggle.

The situation in the house was growing more chaotic, and it looked like the woman’s pregnancy might be in danger. Zhao Jiagu, the eldest, could no longer pretend to be unaware.

He quickly intervened, shouting, “Why bother arguing with a woman? I know the child is mine, and I’m telling you, if anything happens to this child, don’t blame me for disregarding our years of brotherly bond.”

“Fine! I don’t need a brother like you anyway, you’re a disgrace!”

Zhao Fengtian felt a deep embarrassment for his elder brother. The audacity of bringing home such an illicit woman, and now acting so righteous about it…

There’s no hope left for him, none at all.

Frustrated, Zhao Fengtian grabbed Zhao Jiagu by the collar. “Do you hear yourself? Don’t forget, Sister-in-law is standing right there watching!!!”

With his collar gripped, Zhao Jiagu, perhaps feeling ashamed, finally became agitated.

He angrily growled, “You’re my brother, and you’re not helping me, but siding with an outsider?! Do you—”

Zhao Jiagu yelled, “Do you want to see me go through life without a child? She’s nothing but an old hen that can’t lay eggs! You can’t seriously expect me to spend my whole life with her!!”

“Exactly!” The woman, holding her belly, became even more arrogant upon hearing Zhao Jiagu’s words.

She cast a mocking glance at the silent woman in the corner, as if to silently boast, Your man is mine now.

Zhao Jiagu’s legitimate wife, hearing the raw emotions in his words, finally couldn’t hold back and broke down in tears.

This ignited the fuse once again, and the scene descended into total chaos.

The family was about to erupt into a full-blown physical confrontation when Chen Shuilian, still lying on the bed, was finally disturbed enough by the noise to open her eyes with great effort.

Enraged, she sat up, pointing at the source of the quarrel and scolding, “Everyone, shut up!!”

Suddenly, the room fell silent.

Chen Shuilian rubbed her aching head, unsure of what was happening.

When she finally regained her senses, her body stiffened.

Wait a minute… Wasn’t she already dead?

Where is this?

Is this the underworld?

But given the countless bad deeds she had done in her life, she should have been cast into a furnace of suffering or at least been thrown into an oil pot. Why is she here, lying comfortably in bed?

Could it be a mix-up?

No, wait…

The sounds of the argument… they’re so familiar.

She slowly turned her head, only to meet the eyes of a group of terrified people.

At that moment, the youngest, Zhao Fengtian, was still comically gripping the eldest’s collar while the second brother struggled to separate them.

The second daughter-in-law was silently comforting the eldest daughter-in-law, and even that smug woman wore a ridiculous smile on her face.

Chen Shuilian stared at her own hands in disbelief. She blinked a few times, trying to process the situation.

What… what’s going on?