Chapter 15

Sang Luo stopped in her tracks to size up Mrs. Li. She knew Shen Jin was begging, but she hadn’t seen anyone as brazen as Mrs. Li before. All the little cultivation she gained from living in the mountains for years had been thrown out the window.

Her brows twitched. Before she could respond, Shen Jin’s face appeared beside Mrs. Li.

“Mother, she wasn’t asking for food. She brought half a bowl of fish to Grandma Chen. I saw it!”

“Mother, I also want fish.”

Mrs. Li’s face froze with a smug sneer. She pursed her lips, her gaze turning cold inch by inch, and spat out a few words from between her teeth.

“A wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

Her words were slow, each one dripping with sarcasm.

Shen Jin followed along, sticking his tongue out and mimicking, “Wolf in sheep’s clothing!”

Sang Luo’s expression turned cold. Her gaze swept over Mrs. Li and her son before finally meeting Li’s eyes.

“It’s better for Third Aunt to speak more politely. I heard that Shen Lie went to the battlefield when he was only sixteen. When you say such things, just think, if it had been Third Uncle who went back then, the situation would be precarious for many.”

Sang Luo, as if she had just remembered, tapped her forehead dramatically. “Look at me, I almost forgot that the villagers often speak highly of Shen Lie. I suppose if Third Uncle had died on the battlefield, he wouldn’t have done something like driving Third Aunt and several cousins out. Right, Auntie?”

Mrs. Li’s whole being seemed to explode, her narrow eyes glaring at Sang Luo in anger. “Whom are you cursing to death? Do you have no respect for elders? So, our family’s months of rations have all gone to waste, is that it? Fed to the dogs?”

Sang Luo smirked at her. “Look at what you’re saying. We’re just discussing the matter at hand. Can’t Third Aunt even bear to listen? What about Xiao An and An Ning’s older brother, whose life was also affected? Uncle and Auntie, you decided to abandon them to fend for themselves. Who should they turn to for justice?”

“And your words, left begging, right wolf in sheep’s clothing—I actually wanted to show you some respect as elders. Do you even act like elders?”

Her voice was clear and articulate, and in just a short while, heads poked out from neighboring houses to watch the commotion.

Mrs. Li was left speechless by Sang Luo’s retorts. Her face flushed like a pig’s liver, trembling fingers pointing at Sang Luo twice before she suddenly covered her face and wailed, “This is turning against benefactors for ingratitude! We’ve raised three children from the main family for so many years, only to nurture ingratitude?”

The commotion attracted Third Uncle Shen, who hurried out of the house. Glancing around and seeing neighbors peeking out, he clenched his fists, suppressing his anger, and scolded, “What’s all this fuss about early in the morning?”

Then, turning to Sang Luo, he said, “Ms. Sang, your third aunt took you in when you were in distress, giving you a place to stay. If not gratitude, at least you should show some respect, right?”

Laying down a good hat.

Sang Luo grew up without parents, and the orphanage wasn’t exactly a harmonious and joyful place. She didn’t usually cause trouble, but she wasn’t one to back down either. Hearing this, she scoffed, “Uncle, don’t use this matter to press me down. Third Aunt offered half a bag of grain to bring me back to marry Shen Lie. What were you planning, counting on it? Everyone in the village could see through it.”

“As for gratitude, if Third Aunt had truly given me a chance to survive, I would have been grateful and would have repaid it. But after I arrived in Shili Village, everyone saw the situation. I don’t need to explain, right? I almost starved to death on the mountain two nights ago. Xiao An came begging for food in the middle of the night, and you, Uncle and Auntie, pretended not to hear. This isn’t me blaming you; Shen Jin himself told me yesterday. If it weren’t for Grandpa Chen and Grandma Chen’s kindness, providing food late at night and saving my life, I, Sang Luo, would be reunited with my deceased parents, brothers, and the man I’ve never met.”

“So, you and Third Aunt, don’t wave the banner of gratitude at me in the future.”

Uncle Shen and Mrs. Li had never known that Ms. Sang was so sharp-tongued and bold, leaving them speechless for a moment.

Mrs. Li reacted quicker, interjecting before her husband and cursing at San Luo, “What a cunning tongue you have. We can argue with you all day long! But in whose family, once the branches are divided, still has to take care of them for a lifetime? After splitting, you should stand on your own. Can you blame us for that? Do we owe you anything?”

Sang Luo refused to take the blame. “The way you put it depends on how the family was divided. Without land or fields, just an uncultivated hill, I’d need divine powers to feed three mouths. Look around the village. Who else’s family was divided like this? With just two small bags of grain, I’m supposed to feed Xiao An and An Ning until I can afford to buy land and grow crops. Right?”

“Yes, we’re from the younger generation. If you say everything in this family was accumulated by you and we owe you nothing, except for the one hill that should belong to the main family given by the government when we settled, then I have nothing more to say. But saying left begging, right wolf in sheep’s clothing doesn’t make sense, does it? I was on the brink of starving to death. Even if Xiao An wanted food for his irresponsible sister-in-law, wouldn’t he still have to knock on your door?”

“Since you’re heartless enough to disregard the lives of the younger generation, then there’s no need to play the role of elders. Now that the family has split into two, when we meet in the future, we should at least maintain basic courtesy, don’t you all agree?”

Her voice carried high, and with her final sentence, she directly addressed the neighbors. Looking around, Uncle Shen and Mrs. Li saw that every household was now involved, pointing fingers and whispering among themselves.

Though he couldn’t make out the words, Uncle Shen knew it wasn’t anything good.

A lump formed in his throat, his ears ringing; he felt like he might vomit blood.

Mrs. Chen, who had been listening to the commotion, had endured the couple’s antics for months, thinking it was none of her business and keeping quiet.

But now, hearing Mrs. Li’s insults and accusations once again, she couldn’t hold back anymore.

“That’s enough, Uncle Shen. Our two families fled together back then, and now we’re neighbors. Let me just say this once: don’t go too far. Leaving aside everything else, your elder brother was killed for protecting your family’s food and water. Anning’s mother couldn’t bear that blow and followed suit. The fact that you two survived was also thanks to your brother’s protection. Do you understand?”

“And let’s not forget how you changed Alie’s name and made him take your place on the battlefield. Everyone in the village knows about it.”

“So, in the future, when it comes to matters concerning Xiao An, An Ning, and Ali’s wife, you two better check your conscience first before acting. Think about whether you can face your brother and sister-in-law and your nephew in the afterlife.”

Uncle Shen and Mrs. Li’s faces went through all shades of red, black, white, blue, and purple… It was quite a spectacle.

Uncle Shen’s complexion resembled a color palette, ending with his face swelling like a pig’s liver.

He dared to assert his authority in front of Sang Luo, but facing Mrs. Chen, who had fled with them and knew their family’s situation well, he couldn’t maintain his ground. In the end, he could only sweep his sleeves, grab his wife with one hand and his son with the other, and storm back into their courtyard, slamming the gate shut with a loud bang.

Sang Luo pursed her lips, completely unaffected by the slamming of the door.

On the other hand, Mrs. Chen, seeing the door of the Shen family slam shut, walked a few steps over to Sang Luo, pulling her towards her own courtyard, glaring at her with disdain.

“Are you stupid? Despite their wrongdoings, they still hold the upper hand in terms of seniority. Arguing with them like this, are you ready to ruin your reputation?”