Chapter 24: You’re So Delicate

“You’re lying!”

Yu Tingwan replied calmly: “Would you please let go of me?”

“You think you can intimidate me just because you’re older? Even if you dislocate my arm, I still wouldn’t lie for you.”

Old Madam Wei: ?? Then what exactly are you doing right now?! She was too angry to speak.

Yu Tingwan shook her off and stepped back to keep her distance.

“I live next door but barely know Aunt Hui. Today was my first time coming over, just to buy vegetables. Why would I help spread lies?”

She spoke steadily and convincingly, especially since she was still firmly holding several fresh cabbages.

Old Madam Wei never expected Yu Tingwan to lie so brazenly. She raised her hand angrily to strike: “You ungrateful…”

Wei Shouzhong pulled Yu Tingwan behind him and took the slap meant for her, neither retaliating nor dodging.

A sharp “smack” rang out.

The blow was not light, turning his head to the side.

Not satisfied, Old Madam Wei, like a rabid dog, went to claw at his face.

“Ah! You’re all in this together!”

The Wei family elders could no longer sit idle.

“Enough!”

“What kind of mother are you! Anyone would think Shouzhong was your enemy.”

Uncle Wei spoke sternly, “There were only a few people present then. How hard can it be to get to the truth? Hui Niang, tell us exactly what happened.”

He had actually wanted Wei Zhao to speak, but Wei Zhao wasn’t responding to anyone.

“If your mother-in-law is slandering you, we elders will naturally stand on your side. But if your family is taking advantage of her age, we won’t allow that either.”

Hearing this, Old Madam Wei felt somewhat appeased.

She held her chin high, eager to see how Hui Niang would talk her way out of this!

Earlier when Yu Tingwan wanted to leave, Old Madam Wei wouldn’t let her. Now that no one was stopping her… heh, she decided not to leave.

Yu Tingwan’s lips curled into a faint, amused smile.

Hui Niang was an honest woman who didn’t know how to lie. Panic flickered across her face as she stammered, unable to find the right words.

“Let me explain,” Yu Tingwan volunteered to wade into the muddy waters. “At the time, Aunt Hui was in the cellar getting vegetables for me. She wasn’t present.”

“Uncle Shouzhong was with the elders, so it certainly wasn’t him.”

Seeing that no one interrupted her, Yu Tingwan continued methodically.

“It wasn’t me either.”

“I have no grudge against her. Given her poor character, I’d rather avoid her. Why would I deliberately provoke a conflict? I just moved out – why would I seek trouble for myself?”

The village chief nodded – this made sense.

He turned to the Wei family elders: “This young lady doesn’t like causing trouble, she’s always been well-behaved.”

In his view, Yu Tingwan and Madam Wang’s falling out was entirely due to Madam Wang going too far.

But what he didn’t know was that while Yu Tingwan did have a good temper, it was because she rarely considered others worth her attention and couldn’t be bothered to fuss.

However, if someone hit her sore spot, Yu Tingwan would fight to the bitter end.

The Wei family elders believed what the village chief said.

But after eliminating everyone… then… who was left…

Impossible – could there have been someone else present?

“I actually found it strange,” Yu Tingwan said softly. “When Old Madam Wei came, she was yelling outside. When we ignored her, she became upset.”

“Like someone possessed, she barged in, extremely provocative, and suddenly grabbed the medicine that was still boiling and poured it over her own head.”

She spoke with particular sincerity, not forgetting to pat her chest in shock.

“It really frightened me.”

Old Madam Wei: ?? The Wei family uncles were incredulous.

“But why?” Old Madam Wei was dim-witted and nitpicked everything, but if she were to pour something, wouldn’t she pour it on Wei Shen? Why would she throw it on herself?

Yu Tingwan: “I was puzzled too – how could someone suddenly go crazy like that?”

“But now I understand.”

She spoke without hesitation, seamlessly filling in the gaps.

“First, pouring out the medicine was to prevent Wei Shen from getting treatment. After all, the first branch has many children to support, and they need Uncle Shouzhong to help share the burden.”

How much silver would Wei Shen’s medicine and treatment cost? As long as he had breath in him, the first branch couldn’t benefit.

Yu Tingwan: “Second, it was to frame others.”

“These days, she’s done her share of cursing and making scenes, yet the second branch keeps swallowing their pride and avoiding conflict. Her repeated harassment only makes her look worse.”

The first branch’s reputation wasn’t good now.

In the first branch, except for Wei Qintian, the others were still waiting to find wives. After this drama, who would dare marry their daughters into the family?

“She’s been turned away quite a few times. So she finally had one clever moment and deliberately made herself look pitiful.”

Yu Tingwan: “Who would suspect she did it to herself?”

“The second branch only has a few people – someone had to take the blame.”

Everyone was led along by her explanation.

After all, this was the only explanation that made sense.

“Seeing the elders taking Aunt Hui’s side, she turned her anger towards Wei Shen in frustration.”

“Poor Wei Shen, still bedridden, and now falsely accused. His own grandmother is trying to ruin him.”

Old Madam Wei: “I did not!”

She jumped in anger.

Yu Tingwan: “See? When she can’t argue back, she loses her temper.”

People looked at the honest second branch, then at Old Madam Wei.

Over the years, Old Madam Wei had done many despicable things to achieve her goals. This did seem like something she would do. Yet her scheme backfired, hurting herself instead.

Uncle Wei asked Wei Zhao: “Ah lang, is this what happened?”

Wei Zhao looked at Yu Tingwan thoughtfully, as if seeing someone else through her, or perhaps he was just lost in thought.

“Yes,” he finally said, his pale lips moving slightly.

“She made me suffer for nothing.”

Yu Tingwan: …

You’re so delicate.

Her expression turned cold as she looked at Old Madam Wei, her tone laced with mockery.

“You should be grateful my parents died early. If they were still here, do you think you’d be standing here unscathed, arguing with me?”

“When the Yu family home burned down, my mother shielded me with her own body. You, on the other hand—an old hag full of nothing but malice—how dare you even mention her name?”

She turned and walked straight back to the old house.

Just then, Wei Shouzhong knelt heavily before the elders.

“Uncles, Village Chief, I want to separate from the family. Please be our witnesses.”

These words struck like lightning.

Old Madam Wei was stunned: “What? Say that again!”

Uncle Wei frowned: “Shouzhong, do you know what you’re saying?”

Wei Shouzhong looked at the Wei family elders.

“When Ah lang was sent away and Hui Niang fell seriously ill, I wanted to separate from the family. The uncles said we shouldn’t divide the family while our parents are alive, and told me not to be foolish.”

“Every time there was a battle, the government would post casualty notices. Widow Shi’s son works as an accountant in town, and when he sees news about our village, he helps pass it along.”

“The third year after Alang left… Widow Shi’s son came looking for me.”

At that moment, it felt like the sky had collapsed.

“After that, I didn’t dare mention separating anymore.”