Chapter 69: The Best Brother-in-law and Sister-in-law

At this moment, Tan Yiliang interjected, “Father, look at Little Aunt’s feet. She came back barefoot.”

Old Tan quickly looked down and saw her frozen, purple feet. Thinking back to how she had been crying earlier, he suddenly understood. “Did that scoundrel hit you again?”

He shouted angrily.

Tan Xiaomei immediately grabbed his arm, urging, “Lower your voice, the children are still sleeping.”

Hearing this, Old Tan turned his gaze to the bed.

Little Qiyue had just turned over but was still soundly asleep.

He tried to suppress his fury, speaking in a low voice. “Tell me, what happened? Did that scoundrel hit you again?”

Tan Xiaomei bit her lip and nodded. “Yes, he hit me again. But this time, I can’t take it anymore. I’m going to divorce him.”

Old Tan grabbed her arm and started to walk out of the room, his body trembling with anger. “Let’s go. I’ll take you back, and I’ll ask him personally what right he has to hit you!”

Tan Xiaomei quickly shook her head. “Big Brother, no, no… I don’t want to go back. I don’t want to go back.”

Seeing her so resistant, Old Tan stopped trying to pull her back. He turned around and found a pair of Wan Chunmei’s shoes for her to wear. Lowering his voice, he asked, “Tell me, what really happened?”

As tears flowed down her face, Tan Xiaomei recounted what had happened recently.

It all began because her husband wanted to take a concubine.

Tan Xiaomei’s in-laws lived in Qiuyang Village on the other side of the mountain. They were one of the more prosperous families in the area, with plenty of land and fields. Her father-in-law was also the only scholar in the entire region, the only one who had passed the local exams and earned the title of xiucai (a scholar who passed a lower-level examination).

However, despite his scholarly title, Tan Xiaomei’s father-in-law had never passed the higher exams and had lived his entire life as a xiucai, a scholar without an official post.

Even though he was just a xiucai, in the eyes of the poor, illiterate villagers, he was considered someone of high status.

At first, Old Tan had disapproved of Tan Xiaomei’s marriage to the young son of this scholar, but she had been determined to marry him.

After the wedding, Tan Xiaomei soon discovered that, despite the family’s outward display of virtue, they were actually selfish and miserly hypocrites.

Her husband, who appeared meek and harmless in public, was in fact an abusive man at home.

Moreover, her mother-in-law was cruel and bitter.

The Jiang family, while not exceptionally wealthy, had enough to eat and lived comfortably. Every year, they had surplus grain.

But when Old Tan’s family was so poor they couldn’t even afford to cook rice, Tan Xiaomei had wanted to bring a bowl of rice home to help her family. Instead, the Jiang family beat her mercilessly.

In order to prevent his sister from feeling bad, Old Tan declared that from now on, even if the entire Tan family starved, they would never allow her to get involved again.

From that moment on, Tan Xiaomei’s in-laws no longer allowed her to return to her parents’ home.

Despite this, once Old Tan was able to provide fish and meat, he couldn’t forget his sister. He would still walk the mountain paths to send her some food.

However, the Jiang family didn’t appreciate his gesture. Instead, they grew more unreasonable, accusing Tan Xiaomei of being infertile and wanting to take a concubine. It wasn’t just one concubine, but two, both widows from the village, claiming that these women could bear children and were easier to take care of.

This was a complete humiliation to Tan Xiaomei.

In a fit of anger, Tan Xiaomei had a fierce argument with her husband. Later, the Jiang family beat her severely, and she ran barefoot along the mountain path all the way back to the Tan family home.

Hearing this, Old Tan’s heart ached for her, and he was about to rush to Qiuyang Village.

“What are you doing, Old Man?”

Wan Chunmei had just returned and was puzzled when she saw the two of them so angry.

Old Tan quickly calmed down when he saw his wife had returned and recounted everything that had happened with Tan Xiaomei.

Wan Chunmei was even angrier than Old Tan. “Sister, sister, don’t worry. Sister-in-law will make sure to stand up for you.”

Upon hearing this, Old Tan turned to grab a hoe. “Wife, we’re going to the Jiang family now.”

Wan Chunmei smacked his head hard. “What do you need the hoe for? Are you going to kill someone? What good will that do for sister?”

Old Tan stood there dumbfounded, looking at his wife with a sheepish expression. “Wife, then what do you suggest we do?”

Wan Chunmei thought for a moment before turning to Tan Xiaomei with a serious expression. “Sister, listen to me. Do you want to continue living with that man or not?”

Tan Xiaomei, still crying, shook her head. “Sister-in-law, I would rather die than stay with him.”

Wan Chunmei nodded slightly and said, “Alright, listen to me. From now on, you’re staying here at the Tan family. Don’t go anywhere.”

Tan Xiaomei was shocked and lowered her head, saying, “Sister-in-law, I don’t think that’s right…”

Wan Chunmei took her hand and said, “Sister, I’ve always told you, no matter where you go, the Tan family will always be your home. You can come back anytime. Though our family is poor, your big brother and I are strong enough. Even if it costs us our lives, we’ll shield you from the storms of life.”