"Chapter 41."
"By midday, while Mrs. Luò was cooking porridge with Fú Níng in the kitchen, Fú Ān noticed the water jar was almost empty and went to the river to fetch water."
"Mrs. Luò, worried as her grandson had not returned with the water, extinguished the stove fire and decided to go look for him."
"Just as she was about to leave the house, she heard cursing and swearing."
"'You little brat, daring to hit my Wǔláng! I must ask Mrs. Luò how she raised you!'"
"Hearing Auntie Cuìlán’s voice, Mrs. Luò’s expression instantly changed, and she hurried out of the yard."
"With her vision only clear for close objects and everything else blurry, Mrs. Luò squinted towards the wicker gate, barely making out several people entering."
"Auntie Cuìlán kicked open the wicker gate, furiously dragging Fú Ān by his collar into the yard."
"'Let me go! Let me go!'"
"Fú Ān struggled ceaselessly, but being small and Auntie Cuìlán tall and strong, he couldn’t break free."
"Frightened by the scene, Fú Níng quickly hid behind her grandmother."
"Auntie Cuìlán spat disdainfully, 'You hit our Wǔláng, and you expect me to let you go? Dream on!'"
"After saying this, she glared at Mrs. Luò, who could barely see, and accused, 'Mrs. Luò, tell me, your grandson hit my Wǔláng today. What are you going to do about it?'"
"Mrs. Luò hurriedly responded, 'No, that can’t be. My Ān Ān wouldn’t hit someone without reason…'"
"She tried to rescue her grandson from the robust Auntie Cuìlán, but was pushed aside by Auntie Cuìlán's eldest daughter."
"The daughter said firmly, 'No explanation, no taking him away!'"
"Drawn by Auntie Cuìlán's loud complaints, some villagers had gathered around the yard to watch the commotion."
"Only when Mrs. Luò got closer did she vaguely notice something amiss with her grandson's face, but she couldn’t see clearly enough to understand what was wrong."
"All she could say was, 'Our Ān Ān is obedient; he wouldn’t hit someone for no reason. There must be some misunderstanding…'"
"'Misunderstanding?!' Auntie Cuìlán suddenly shouted sharply, her tone aggressive, 'Are you implying that it’s my Wǔláng’s fault and your grandson did nothing wrong?!'"
"Mrs. Luò quickly tried to clarify, 'That’s not what I meant. I just think there’s been a misunderstanding.'"
"Four people from Auntie Cuìlán’s family had come. Her two daughters, aged thirteen and fifteen, were tall and sturdy like their mother."
"Another was the Wǔláng she mentioned, around eight or nine years old, slightly chubby, his clothes stained with mud and weeds, and bruises on his eyes and mouth."
"'I don’t think it’s a misunderstanding. Here’s my condition: your family's grandson must pay a hundred coins and kneel to apologize to my Wǔláng with three head knocks. Otherwise, this won’t end.'"
"'Don’t even think about it! It was Wǔláng who started it. I did nothing wrong!' Fú Ān retorted loudly."
"Fú Wēi, hearing the noise from inside the house, had a sudden coldness in his dark eyes."
"Just when Mrs. Luò was at a loss, a voice from inside the house said, 'A hundred coins and three head knocks are fine. I agree.'"
"At the sound of the cold, deep voice, everyone outside was momentarily stunned and turned to look towards the thatched cottage."
"As the thatch curtain was rolled up, a handsome face appeared, causing the crowd to pause in surprise."
"This was the first time they had seen this mistakenly brought up Fú Èrláng."
"Regaining her composure, Auntie Cuìlán suddenly realized what Fú Èrláng had said and lifted her chin arrogantly, 'So, the second son of the Fú family knows how to handle things. Bring the silver, and after three kowtows, I’ll graciously pretend this never happened.'"
"Fú Wēi looked at his nephew, whose face was bruised and swollen, with an adult’s handprint on his face, and his gaze turned icy when he looked back at the woman."
"'Although it’s not a problem, it won’t be our Fú family that pays, nor will our Fú family kowtow to yours. Instead, your Sūn family will kowtow and pay us a hundred coins.'"
"Hearing this, Auntie Cuìlán flew into a rage, 'What are you, a cripple, doing in this matter!'"
"Fú Wēi remained calm, looking at Fú Ān, he spoke slowly, 'Explain everything that happened today in detail, and if you hide anything, it will embarrass your grandmother.'"
Although they hadn't spent much time together, Fu Wei knew Fu An's nature well; he was far more mature than his peers.
He was also thoughtful in his actions, only becoming agitated when those he cared about were involved.
Fu An pursed his lips tightly, struggled for a moment, but couldn't break free from Aunt Cui Lan's grasp.
With red eyes, he looked at his uncle and then at his grandmother.
After a long pause, Fu An finally shouted, “Sun Wu Lang falsely accused Auntie of infidelity, said she ran away and wouldn't come back. I said Auntie would return today, but he said his mother called Auntie a despicable woman... My auntie isn’t like that!”
Saying this, Fu An burst into tears.
Fu Wei's expression turned utterly dark, his eyes covered with a layer of frost.
Aunt Cui Lan snorted coldly, “Right, I said it, and I spoke the truth. Your Mrs. Yu from the Fu family keeps running to Yu County every other day. If she’s not having an affair, what else could it be? Besides, she’s been gone for three or four days. If she didn’t run off with someone, would she go back to her own family to suffer? Her family is still bearing a criminal reputation; only a fool would return there!”
Continuing, she ignored Luo's increasingly dark expression, saying, “I knew that Mrs. Yu was no good the first time I saw her. Now it turns out she’s nothing but a cheap...”
Before she could finish, the usually gentle Luo suddenly grabbed a broom and struck at Aunt Cui Lan, “You gossiping woman! My daughter-in-law is capable, virtuous, kind, and pure. How dare you slander her like that!”
Caught off guard and hit by the broom, Aunt Cui Lan furiously snatched it away.
She pushed Fu An aside, stepped forward, and raised her hand to strike Luo's face.
At the same time, a tall man quickly entered through the garden gate and briskly approached the group.
Just as the slap was about to land, a calloused hand firmly grasped Aunt Cui Lan's wrist with such force it seemed it could crush her bones.
Aunt Cui Lan gasped in pain, gritting her teeth, she exclaimed, “Who?!”
Turning her head furiously, she paused in shock upon seeing the familiar, dark face.
Luo, who had braced for the slap, closed her eyes but then, hearing Aunt Cui Lan's cry, opened them again, puzzled.
The light was slightly blinding, and Luo couldn't clearly see the person in front of her, but she was overwhelmed with a sense of familiarity.
The next moment, Aunt Cui Lan recognized who it was, her voice trembling, "Fu, Fu Dalang?"
Aunt Cui Lan's words stunned almost everyone present.
Fu An's eyes widened as he looked at the man who had suddenly appeared, but having not seen his father for so long, he hesitated to confirm if it was indeed him.
Luo was completely dumbfounded, thinking she had heard wrong.
Little Fu Ning glared fiercely at Aunt Cui Lan, completely unaware of the current situation.
Since Fu Wei had anticipated Fu Zhen’s return, he showed no great surprise, merely raising his eyebrows slightly in mild astonishment.
The anxiety caused by Aunt Cui Lan's actions was quickly alleviated by Fu Zhen's timely arrival.
Fu Wei secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
The woman was likely emboldened to cause trouble at the Fu household, assuming it was an easy target without any male support.
Fu Wei felt a bit defeated but helpless.
With the situation now under control, he couldn’t help but look into the crowd, searching for Yuying’s figure.
“Let go, let go...” Aunt Cui Lan's voice quivered along with the pain in her wrist, her face turning pale with agony.
Aunt Cui Lan’s daughters wanted to help but hesitated, intimidated by the tall, burly man with a dark complexion.
Fu Zhen, lips tightly pursed, glanced at his mother, then at his son with a swollen face and finally fixed his gaze on the adult handprint on his son's cheek, his expression darkening alarmingly.
Overcome with anger, Fu Zhen forcefully yanked Aunt Cui Lan, throwing her to the ground.
Aunt Cui Lan fell hard, half of her body hitting the ground with a cry of pain, then shouted in alarm, “Fu Dalang has escaped back and is assaulting people!”
In the perception of the bystanders, the Fu family was impoverished. The return of Fu Dalang couldn’t possibly be from redemption but rather an escape!
"'Who said anything about fleeing? My elder brother and sister-in-law returned legitimately. The release document even has the official seal of the county office. If anyone doubts, they can verify with me at the office, and I’ll also take the opportunity to accuse her of defamation.'"
"Suddenly, a woman's unruffled voice came from outside, drawing everyone’s attention."
"Yú Yíng, having rushed over, her face flushed and a thin sweat on her forehead."
"Entering the yard, she glanced at Fú Wēi, then her gaze darkened as she looked at the beaten Fú Ān, before turning a cold eye towards Auntie Cuìlán."
"Upon Yú Yíng’s return, Fú Ān and Fú Níng immediately ran to her, each hugging one side."
"Fú Níng silently cried, and Fú Ān, feeling wronged, began to sob."
"Fú Zhèn, seeing this scene, felt a pang in his heart, but more than that, he felt grateful towards his brother’s wife."
"Having heard his mother's words and seeing how his children relied on her, he realized how kind his brother's wife had been to them."
"After Yu Ying’s arrival, Uncle He and Aunt He, who usually don’t leave quickly, along with Wen Xing, also hurried back."
"Everyone, upon seeing Ah Fu's father and Wen Shi, were astonished, their eyes wide with shock."
"Did this couple actually manage to escape together?"
"Knowing they were skeptical, Yu Ying immediately produced a document, showing it to them."
"She declared loudly, 'Many of you can read and are worldly. Take a close look and see if this paper is genuine or not!'"
"After comforting the children, Yu Ying held the document in front of them. While they scrutinized its authenticity, she quietly extracted itching powder from a hidden compartment in her belt, holding it in her palm."
"Someone scrutinized it carefully and then exclaimed, 'It's a real release document, indeed bearing the official seal of the county government.'"
"Yu Ying abruptly turned and walked coldly towards Aunt Cui Lan."
"Feeling intimidated by Yu Ying, Aunt Cui Lan attempted to rise, but her leg hurt from the fall, and she could only slowly move backwards, trembling as she asked, 'What... what do you want to do?'"
"Stopping two steps away, Yu Ying directed the release document at Aunt Cui Lan and said firmly, 'Take a good look and see for yourself if this release document is real or fake.'"
"As she spoke, feeling a breeze directed towards Aunt Cui Lan, Yu Ying slightly relaxed her palm, allowing a bit of itching powder to drift towards her."
Auntie Cui Lan, illiterate, was skeptical even after hearing others affirm its truth.
She hurriedly got up and retreated, exclaiming, "I don't care if it's true or not, your grandson hit my son, and that's a fact, unfinished business!"
Fu An's gaze shifted from his parents to his little aunt, urgently saying, "She accused you of adultery, running off with a man, and even spoke ill of you. Auntie Cui Lan just admitted to saying those words!"
Yu Ying, hearing this, turned to Auntie Cui Lan, coldly stating, "When have I ever eloped? I went to the quarry to redeem my brother and sister-in-law. Uncle He, Aunt He, and the Yamen's Huo Yachai can vouch for me. Auntie Cui Lan, this is slander. A lawsuit from me, and you won't escape punishment."
Auntie Cui Lan's eyes widened, momentarily intimidated, but then reassured herself that the county magistrate wouldn't bother with such trivialities, believing Yu Shi was bluffing.
Fu An then added, "She demands a hundred coins in compensation and three kowtows from Sun Wulang."
Yu Ying's eyes narrowed, then with a taste of their own medicine, slowly stated, "The Sun family compensates the Fu family a hundred coins, and Sun Wulang gives three kowtows to Fu An. I'll refrain from suing; otherwise, this isn't over."
Yu Ying's demands aligned perfectly with Fu Wei's unspoken agreement.
Just as Auntie Cui Lan was about to speak, noticing Fu Zhen's cold gaze, she lost her nerve.
Swallowing hard, she slowly moved to her son, who was petrified, ignoring her daughters, and fled with him.
Once outside the courtyard, she shouted, "The Fu family wishes are too ideal!"
The two daughters of the Sun family, pale-faced, also ran away.
Yu Ying watched their retreating figures, reflecting silently upon their words.
Auntie Cui Lan actually thought it was just a scare tactic?
No, it was serious.
As Auntie Cui Lan left, a villager asked in surprise, “Fu Dalang, how did you manage to return?”
Fu Zhen replied, “It’s inconvenient to discuss now. I'll explain later.”
The villagers, burning with curiosity, but recalling Auntie Cui Lan’s disturbance, realized the Fu family was too preoccupied to engage with them, so they eventually dispersed.
Only Yu Ying and the Fu family remained in the courtyard.
Wen Xing, standing aside, tearfully watched her children, yearning to embrace them but hesitated, fearing it might frighten them.
Luo Shi felt as if in a dream, the reality seeming surreal, her face a picture of dazed bewilderment.
If it were true, how could her eldest son and daughter-in-law suddenly appear before her?
But if it weren't true, why would everyone call her son’s name?
Fu Zhen looked at his mother, eyes reddening, and suddenly knelt down: “Mother, Dalang has returned!”
At this, Luo Shi finally felt the reality, tears streaming down her face.
Her son, who had been away for years, laboring in the quarries, had finally come home...
He had returned...
Luo Shi covered her eyes, crying even harder.
Fu Ning and Fu An, seeing their grandmother in tears, quickly went to comfort her.
Yu Ying, witnessing this scene, felt a sting in her eyes.
She turned slightly, quietly wiping the tears from the corner of her eye, inadvertently meeting Fu Wei's gaze.
Their eyes locked, creating an awkward moment.
After a moment's thought, she decided not to interrupt their family reunion, and noticing Fu Wei's solitary figure, she quietly left.
She washed her hands first, then entered the room to accompany the neglected Fu Wei.
"Chapter 41."
"By midday, while Mrs. Luò was cooking porridge with Fú Níng in the kitchen, Fú Ān noticed the water jar was almost empty and went to the river to fetch water."
"Mrs. Luò, worried as her grandson had not returned with the water, extinguished the stove fire and decided to go look for him."
"Just as she was about to leave the house, she heard cursing and swearing."
"'You little brat, daring to hit my Wǔláng! I must ask Mrs. Luò how she raised you!'"
"Hearing Auntie Cuìlán’s voice, Mrs. Luò’s expression instantly changed, and she hurried out of the yard."
"With her vision only clear for close objects and everything else blurry, Mrs. Luò squinted towards the wicker gate, barely making out several people entering."
"Auntie Cuìlán kicked open the wicker gate, furiously dragging Fú Ān by his collar into the yard."
"'Let me go! Let me go!'"
"Fú Ān struggled ceaselessly, but being small and Auntie Cuìlán tall and strong, he couldn’t break free."
"Frightened by the scene, Fú Níng quickly hid behind her grandmother."
"Auntie Cuìlán spat disdainfully, 'You hit our Wǔláng, and you expect me to let you go? Dream on!'"
"After saying this, she glared at Mrs. Luò, who could barely see, and accused, 'Mrs. Luò, tell me, your grandson hit my Wǔláng today. What are you going to do about it?'"
"Mrs. Luò hurriedly responded, 'No, that can’t be. My Ān Ān wouldn’t hit someone without reason…'"
"She tried to rescue her grandson from the robust Auntie Cuìlán, but was pushed aside by Auntie Cuìlán's eldest daughter."
"The daughter said firmly, 'No explanation, no taking him away!'"
"Drawn by Auntie Cuìlán's loud complaints, some villagers had gathered around the yard to watch the commotion."
"Only when Mrs. Luò got closer did she vaguely notice something amiss with her grandson's face, but she couldn’t see clearly enough to understand what was wrong."
"All she could say was, 'Our Ān Ān is obedient; he wouldn’t hit someone for no reason. There must be some misunderstanding…'"
"'Misunderstanding?!' Auntie Cuìlán suddenly shouted sharply, her tone aggressive, 'Are you implying that it’s my Wǔláng’s fault and your grandson did nothing wrong?!'"
"Mrs. Luò quickly tried to clarify, 'That’s not what I meant. I just think there’s been a misunderstanding.'"
"Four people from Auntie Cuìlán’s family had come. Her two daughters, aged thirteen and fifteen, were tall and sturdy like their mother."
"Another was the Wǔláng she mentioned, around eight or nine years old, slightly chubby, his clothes stained with mud and weeds, and bruises on his eyes and mouth."
"'I don’t think it’s a misunderstanding. Here’s my condition: your family's grandson must pay a hundred coins and kneel to apologize to my Wǔláng with three head knocks. Otherwise, this won’t end.'"
"'Don’t even think about it! It was Wǔláng who started it. I did nothing wrong!' Fú Ān retorted loudly."
"Fú Wēi, hearing the noise from inside the house, had a sudden coldness in his dark eyes."
"Just when Mrs. Luò was at a loss, a voice from inside the house said, 'A hundred coins and three head knocks are fine. I agree.'"
"At the sound of the cold, deep voice, everyone outside was momentarily stunned and turned to look towards the thatched cottage."
"As the thatch curtain was rolled up, a handsome face appeared, causing the crowd to pause in surprise."
"This was the first time they had seen this mistakenly brought up Fú Èrláng."
"Regaining her composure, Auntie Cuìlán suddenly realized what Fú Èrláng had said and lifted her chin arrogantly, 'So, the second son of the Fú family knows how to handle things. Bring the silver, and after three kowtows, I’ll graciously pretend this never happened.'"
"Fú Wēi looked at his nephew, whose face was bruised and swollen, with an adult’s handprint on his face, and his gaze turned icy when he looked back at the woman."
"'Although it’s not a problem, it won’t be our Fú family that pays, nor will our Fú family kowtow to yours. Instead, your Sūn family will kowtow and pay us a hundred coins.'"
"Hearing this, Auntie Cuìlán flew into a rage, 'What are you, a cripple, doing in this matter!'"
"Fú Wēi remained calm, looking at Fú Ān, he spoke slowly, 'Explain everything that happened today in detail, and if you hide anything, it will embarrass your grandmother.'"
Although they hadn't spent much time together, Fu Wei knew Fu An's nature well; he was far more mature than his peers.
He was also thoughtful in his actions, only becoming agitated when those he cared about were involved.
Fu An pursed his lips tightly, struggled for a moment, but couldn't break free from Aunt Cui Lan's grasp.
With red eyes, he looked at his uncle and then at his grandmother.
After a long pause, Fu An finally shouted, “Sun Wu Lang falsely accused Auntie of infidelity, said she ran away and wouldn't come back. I said Auntie would return today, but he said his mother called Auntie a despicable woman... My auntie isn’t like that!”
Saying this, Fu An burst into tears.
Fu Wei's expression turned utterly dark, his eyes covered with a layer of frost.
Aunt Cui Lan snorted coldly, “Right, I said it, and I spoke the truth. Your Mrs. Yu from the Fu family keeps running to Yu County every other day. If she’s not having an affair, what else could it be? Besides, she’s been gone for three or four days. If she didn’t run off with someone, would she go back to her own family to suffer? Her family is still bearing a criminal reputation; only a fool would return there!”
Continuing, she ignored Luo's increasingly dark expression, saying, “I knew that Mrs. Yu was no good the first time I saw her. Now it turns out she’s nothing but a cheap...”
Before she could finish, the usually gentle Luo suddenly grabbed a broom and struck at Aunt Cui Lan, “You gossiping woman! My daughter-in-law is capable, virtuous, kind, and pure. How dare you slander her like that!”
Caught off guard and hit by the broom, Aunt Cui Lan furiously snatched it away.
She pushed Fu An aside, stepped forward, and raised her hand to strike Luo's face.
At the same time, a tall man quickly entered through the garden gate and briskly approached the group.
Just as the slap was about to land, a calloused hand firmly grasped Aunt Cui Lan's wrist with such force it seemed it could crush her bones.
Aunt Cui Lan gasped in pain, gritting her teeth, she exclaimed, “Who?!”
Turning her head furiously, she paused in shock upon seeing the familiar, dark face.
Luo, who had braced for the slap, closed her eyes but then, hearing Aunt Cui Lan's cry, opened them again, puzzled.
The light was slightly blinding, and Luo couldn't clearly see the person in front of her, but she was overwhelmed with a sense of familiarity.
The next moment, Aunt Cui Lan recognized who it was, her voice trembling, "Fu, Fu Dalang?"
Aunt Cui Lan's words stunned almost everyone present.
Fu An's eyes widened as he looked at the man who had suddenly appeared, but having not seen his father for so long, he hesitated to confirm if it was indeed him.
Luo was completely dumbfounded, thinking she had heard wrong.
Little Fu Ning glared fiercely at Aunt Cui Lan, completely unaware of the current situation.
Since Fu Wei had anticipated Fu Zhen’s return, he showed no great surprise, merely raising his eyebrows slightly in mild astonishment.
The anxiety caused by Aunt Cui Lan's actions was quickly alleviated by Fu Zhen's timely arrival.
Fu Wei secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
The woman was likely emboldened to cause trouble at the Fu household, assuming it was an easy target without any male support.
Fu Wei felt a bit defeated but helpless.
With the situation now under control, he couldn’t help but look into the crowd, searching for Yuying’s figure.
“Let go, let go...” Aunt Cui Lan's voice quivered along with the pain in her wrist, her face turning pale with agony.
Aunt Cui Lan’s daughters wanted to help but hesitated, intimidated by the tall, burly man with a dark complexion.
Fu Zhen, lips tightly pursed, glanced at his mother, then at his son with a swollen face and finally fixed his gaze on the adult handprint on his son's cheek, his expression darkening alarmingly.
Overcome with anger, Fu Zhen forcefully yanked Aunt Cui Lan, throwing her to the ground.
Aunt Cui Lan fell hard, half of her body hitting the ground with a cry of pain, then shouted in alarm, “Fu Dalang has escaped back and is assaulting people!”
In the perception of the bystanders, the Fu family was impoverished. The return of Fu Dalang couldn’t possibly be from redemption but rather an escape!
"'Who said anything about fleeing? My elder brother and sister-in-law returned legitimately. The release document even has the official seal of the county office. If anyone doubts, they can verify with me at the office, and I’ll also take the opportunity to accuse her of defamation.'"
"Suddenly, a woman's unruffled voice came from outside, drawing everyone’s attention."
"Yú Yíng, having rushed over, her face flushed and a thin sweat on her forehead."
"Entering the yard, she glanced at Fú Wēi, then her gaze darkened as she looked at the beaten Fú Ān, before turning a cold eye towards Auntie Cuìlán."
"Upon Yú Yíng’s return, Fú Ān and Fú Níng immediately ran to her, each hugging one side."
"Fú Níng silently cried, and Fú Ān, feeling wronged, began to sob."
"Fú Zhèn, seeing this scene, felt a pang in his heart, but more than that, he felt grateful towards his brother’s wife."
"Having heard his mother's words and seeing how his children relied on her, he realized how kind his brother's wife had been to them."
"After Yu Ying’s arrival, Uncle He and Aunt He, who usually don’t leave quickly, along with Wen Xing, also hurried back."
"Everyone, upon seeing Ah Fu's father and Wen Shi, were astonished, their eyes wide with shock."
"Did this couple actually manage to escape together?"
"Knowing they were skeptical, Yu Ying immediately produced a document, showing it to them."
"She declared loudly, 'Many of you can read and are worldly. Take a close look and see if this paper is genuine or not!'"
"After comforting the children, Yu Ying held the document in front of them. While they scrutinized its authenticity, she quietly extracted itching powder from a hidden compartment in her belt, holding it in her palm."
"Someone scrutinized it carefully and then exclaimed, 'It's a real release document, indeed bearing the official seal of the county government.'"
"Yu Ying abruptly turned and walked coldly towards Aunt Cui Lan."
"Feeling intimidated by Yu Ying, Aunt Cui Lan attempted to rise, but her leg hurt from the fall, and she could only slowly move backwards, trembling as she asked, 'What... what do you want to do?'"
"Stopping two steps away, Yu Ying directed the release document at Aunt Cui Lan and said firmly, 'Take a good look and see for yourself if this release document is real or fake.'"
"As she spoke, feeling a breeze directed towards Aunt Cui Lan, Yu Ying slightly relaxed her palm, allowing a bit of itching powder to drift towards her."
Auntie Cui Lan, illiterate, was skeptical even after hearing others affirm its truth.
She hurriedly got up and retreated, exclaiming, "I don't care if it's true or not, your grandson hit my son, and that's a fact, unfinished business!"
Fu An's gaze shifted from his parents to his little aunt, urgently saying, "She accused you of adultery, running off with a man, and even spoke ill of you. Auntie Cui Lan just admitted to saying those words!"
Yu Ying, hearing this, turned to Auntie Cui Lan, coldly stating, "When have I ever eloped? I went to the quarry to redeem my brother and sister-in-law. Uncle He, Aunt He, and the Yamen's Huo Yachai can vouch for me. Auntie Cui Lan, this is slander. A lawsuit from me, and you won't escape punishment."
Auntie Cui Lan's eyes widened, momentarily intimidated, but then reassured herself that the county magistrate wouldn't bother with such trivialities, believing Yu Shi was bluffing.
Fu An then added, "She demands a hundred coins in compensation and three kowtows from Sun Wulang."
Yu Ying's eyes narrowed, then with a taste of their own medicine, slowly stated, "The Sun family compensates the Fu family a hundred coins, and Sun Wulang gives three kowtows to Fu An. I'll refrain from suing; otherwise, this isn't over."
Yu Ying's demands aligned perfectly with Fu Wei's unspoken agreement.
Just as Auntie Cui Lan was about to speak, noticing Fu Zhen's cold gaze, she lost her nerve.
Swallowing hard, she slowly moved to her son, who was petrified, ignoring her daughters, and fled with him.
Once outside the courtyard, she shouted, "The Fu family wishes are too ideal!"
The two daughters of the Sun family, pale-faced, also ran away.
Yu Ying watched their retreating figures, reflecting silently upon their words.
Auntie Cui Lan actually thought it was just a scare tactic?
No, it was serious.
As Auntie Cui Lan left, a villager asked in surprise, “Fu Dalang, how did you manage to return?”
Fu Zhen replied, “It’s inconvenient to discuss now. I'll explain later.”
The villagers, burning with curiosity, but recalling Auntie Cui Lan’s disturbance, realized the Fu family was too preoccupied to engage with them, so they eventually dispersed.
Only Yu Ying and the Fu family remained in the courtyard.
Wen Xing, standing aside, tearfully watched her children, yearning to embrace them but hesitated, fearing it might frighten them.
Luo Shi felt as if in a dream, the reality seeming surreal, her face a picture of dazed bewilderment.
If it were true, how could her eldest son and daughter-in-law suddenly appear before her?
But if it weren't true, why would everyone call her son’s name?
Fu Zhen looked at his mother, eyes reddening, and suddenly knelt down: “Mother, Dalang has returned!”
At this, Luo Shi finally felt the reality, tears streaming down her face.
Her son, who had been away for years, laboring in the quarries, had finally come home...
He had returned...
Luo Shi covered her eyes, crying even harder.
Fu Ning and Fu An, seeing their grandmother in tears, quickly went to comfort her.
Yu Ying, witnessing this scene, felt a sting in her eyes.
She turned slightly, quietly wiping the tears from the corner of her eye, inadvertently meeting Fu Wei's gaze.
Their eyes locked, creating an awkward moment.
After a moment's thought, she decided not to interrupt their family reunion, and noticing Fu Wei's solitary figure, she quietly left.
She washed her hands first, then entered the room to accompany the neglected Fu Wei.
