Chapter 35: Forced Apology

Yan Fengru couldn’t help but chuckle when she saw the expressions on her two sisters-in-law.

Madam Lin and Madam Ying exchanged glances, and the atmosphere between the three women warmed up significantly.

“Elder Sister, we’ll help you out. Whether it’s washing vegetables or anything else, just give the word.”

In the countryside, most pregnant women weren’t overly cautious—when the time came, the baby would arrive naturally. Except for heavy labor, Madam Lin and Madam Ying were both quite diligent. Yan Fengru didn’t refuse their offer and let them help in the kitchen. Before long, a large pot of fragrant handmade noodles was ready.

The noodles Yan Fengru made were firm and chewy, the broth especially rich and appetizing—just looking at it could make anyone’s mouth water. Since Madam Lin and Madam Ying were both pregnant, they naturally received some special treatment and ate so well that their mouths were slick with oil. When the Yan men returned home, they immediately noticed their wives looking extremely satisfied. Seeing the handmade noodles their elder sister had prepared, they instantly understood why.

Yan Xingye couldn’t help but sigh, “Elder Sister’s handmade noodles are still the best. It’s a shame Big Brother isn’t here—he always loved Elder Sister’s noodles the most.”

Yan Xinghe agreed. Aside from being delicious, Yan Fengru’s handmade noodles carried treasured memories for the whole family. The dish had originally been their late mother’s specialty. After their parents passed away, the siblings hadn’t tasted anything like it since.

Back then, after both parents died, the young Yan Fengru—only a little over ten years old—took on the responsibility of raising her siblings, holding the family together with her tender yet resilient shoulders.

That time had been both bitter and sweet for the Yan family. Later on, Yan Fengru started learning to make handmade noodles for her brothers. That’s why her cooking held such a deep, special significance for them.

In truth, her skills weren’t very good at the time; the food was barely edible. With no adult guidance, they were just a bunch of half-grown kids trying to survive—having anything to eat was already a blessing. Handmade noodles? Those were a luxury they could only afford at New Year.

She still remembered the first batch of noodles she ever made—it was more like a pot of doughy mush—but her siblings ate it happily, savoring every bite.

Over the years, she had learned a lot working as a maid in the provincial capital. And now, with her back at home, the flavor of her childhood cooking had finally caught up to her refined culinary skills—blending nostalgia with real craftsmanship.

That taste became a precious memory in the hearts of the Yan brothers.

Meanwhile, Gu Yuzhu and Gu Qingbai each held a small bowl, slurping contentedly along with the other little ones in the house. Gu Qingbai bore no grudge and even gave his boiled egg to his sister. The Yan children followed suit, all dropping their own eggs into Gu Yuzhu’s bowl.

Gu Yuzhu, now splattered with broth: “…”

Suddenly, she felt like she was the center of everyone’s affection. But still, if they were going to give her their eggs, could they not throw them into her bowl and splash soup on her face?

Just then, a knock came at the door. Yan Xinghe went to answer and found one of his hunting companions, Tan Yi. This fellow had lost his father early and been raised by a widowed mother. Poor and undisciplined, he’d gotten into all sorts of petty thefts as a kid and wasn’t well-liked in the village.

Several years ago, he’d gotten into trouble with Yan Xinghe and was thoroughly beaten for it. After that, he began tagging along with Yan Xinghe. Last year, he even got married, and just last month, his wife was confirmed to be pregnant. Life was finally getting on track for him, and his household was steadily improving.

For that reason, both mother and son were extremely grateful to Yan Xinghe, and they always remembered him whenever something good happened.

“Brother He, I’m here. Brought some of our homemade pickled sour plums for Sister-in-law. My wife says they’re really tasty,” Tan Yi said while scratching his head with a goofy grin, looking every bit the silly guy he was.

But then his expression turned serious. “Brother, if you ever need anything, just say the word. I’ll help Elder Sister get justice—how can they bully people like this? They only dared because you guys weren’t home! Otherwise, how could the Han family treat our little niece like that?”

Tan Yi considered himself sworn brothers with Yan Xinghe, which meant Yan Fengru was naturally his Elder Sister too—and Gu Yuzhu his own niece.

Speaking indignantly, he pulled a bundle of pastries wrapped in oiled paper from his coat. “These are from my mom and my wife—for Zhuzhu. Poor girl’s been wronged.”

That sudden statement caught Yan Xinghe off guard. He couldn’t make sense of it, but knowing Tan Yi’s character, he didn’t ask much. He thanked him for his kindness and assured him that if they needed help, he’d call on him.

Tan Yi instantly declared, “If you need me, Brother, I’ll risk life and limb without hesitation!”

Yan Xinghe didn’t find Tan Yi’s words empty. Though the guy had been a rascal in his youth and seemed unreliable, he was someone who knew gratitude.

He’d helped Tan Yi partly because the kid had tried stealing from him and got punished for it, but also because their backgrounds were similar.

The Yan siblings had lost their parents young, while Tan Yi had lost his father and had a mother who wasn’t much good at parenting. Tan Yi’s early misbehavior came from poor guidance, not a bad heart.

But for him to show up and say such things out of nowhere meant something had happened. Yan Xinghe didn’t ask his elder sister directly—he knew she wasn’t the type to share burdens or rely on them for support.

She always took things on herself. So instead, he went and asked Madam Ying.

After some hesitation, Madam Ying recounted how the Han family had come to cause trouble.

Looking guilty, she said, “You and your brothers weren’t home. I figured if you were, they wouldn’t have dared come. But my family is too far away… not only could I not help Sister-in-law, I could only hide in the house…”

She lowered her head in shame. Yan Xinghe didn’t blame her at all.

“This isn’t your fault. Don’t overthink it. Sister-in-law wouldn’t blame you either. Now that I know, I’ll tell the other two brothers. We’ll definitely get justice for Zhuzhu!”

The next day, Yan Xinghe told their eldest brother what had happened, and the two of them, along with several of Yan Xinghe’s hunting companions, seven or eight strapping young men in total, marched straight to the Han family.

They pressured Gu Caihe so hard that she had no choice but to bring Han Hui and personally come to apologize to Gu Yuzhu.

But seeing the venom in Gu Caihe’s eyes, Gu Yuzhu knew this grudge was far from over. Still, she didn’t care. Even if Han Hui hadn’t apologized, with how things stood between their families—and with Gu Caihe’s personality—there was no possibility of reconciliation.

Besides, if it weren’t for the fact that her three uncles had brought so many people and overpowered Gu Caihe, she probably wouldn’t have apologized at all.

This whole mess had started with her own mistake. Just because of a few words from Han Hui, she stormed over to the Yan household to cause trouble. And once the truth came out, she slunk away without so much as a “sorry.”

Now, she was only apologizing because she had no choice. In the end, it was Gu Caihe who lost face—not her.

Still, Gu Yuzhu figured her “dear sister” must be fuming inside.