Chapter 23

Song Yulan's cheeks flushed a soft pink as she hesitated, her voice barely above a whisper. "Well... after all, I'm married to him now. I’m part of the Xu family. So when my mother-in-law and sister-in-law ask for things, I can't just say no."

Song Dingxiang’s patience snapped. She leaned forward, her voice sharp with disbelief. "His mother and sister asking you for things? I’ve never heard of a mother-in-law asking her daughter-in-law for things, let alone constantly making demands!"

Song Yulan, caught in the web of obligation and guilt, replied meekly, "They don’t ask outright... but they always hint. After hearing it over and over, I just... I feel like I can’t refuse anymore."

The anger in Song Dingxiang’s eyes flared, and she let out a forced laugh, rubbing her temples in a futile attempt to calm herself. "Sister, that money our mother gave you was meant to help you when things were tough. And even without that, the few acres of land that came with your marriage should be enough to support you. You've been married only three years, and they’ve already drained all your savings?"

Song Yulan lowered her head, the weight of her words trembling in her throat, her voice thick with the hint of tears. "What else can I do? Mother chose this family for me with such care. I thought they were good people when I first married in, but now... I see that my mother-in-law and husband are constantly eyeing my savings. My husband, he's too filial, always pushing me to compromise. I don't have a choice. Dingxiang, your luck... it’s so much better than mine."

"Good luck, huh?" Song Dingxiang's voice dripped with bitter sarcasm. "Good luck? Is that what you call it? I was tossed aside, left to rot by someone I thought cared for me, then nearly met my end hanging from a rope. You’re telling me I’ve got good luck? At fourteen, I was forced into a marriage I didn’t want. And now, my husband’s about to head off to the army, his life hanging by a thread, and you still think I’ve got good fortune?" She was practically seething, every word sharper than the last.

"But you have a rich dowry. A woman with a dowry like yours walks through the world with her head held high!" Song Yulan's voice cracked, tears streaming down her face in a steady, helpless cascade.

Song Dingxiang let out a short, mocking laugh. "A rich dowry, huh? You, of all people, should know what kind of family we come from. When you got married, sure, your dowry wasn’t the best in the village, but it was enough to make a statement. You’d know that better than anyone. And me? I don’t know who fed you this nonsense, but the last person who should be buying into that illusion is you. Who told you I have some rich dowry?"

Song Yulan opened her mouth, but no sound came out. The weight of her words seemed to crush her before she could even respond.

"Oh, I see now. It was the Xu family, wasn’t it? They’re the ones who filled your head with the idea that our parents played favorites—that they were unfair, that they spoiled me while leaving you with nothing. They made you believe you were cast aside while I was showered with everything.

"Let me guess. They told you our parents gave you just twenty taels of silver and a few acres of land—barely enough to make a mark—while I walked away with land, silver, and even a shop. That’s what they said, didn’t they?

"And you believed them."

The matter of their family buying a shop was not hidden from others, especially since the shop was registered in Song Dingxiang's name, which caused many people to gossip in private.

Song Yulan still remained silent.

Song Dingxiang pressed on, her voice unwavering. "Sister, you can’t really be telling me you’re completely in the dark about this. Zhou Ge severed ties with the Zhou family and walked away with nothing but twenty taels of silver and five acres of land. He knew that marrying me in those circumstances would cast a shadow over my name, so what did he do? He vanished into the mountains for three days—three whole days—risking his life to bring down a tiger. Do you have any idea what that means?"

Song Yulan gave a small nod, but Dingxiang wasn’t finished.

"And that land? That wasn’t a handout. It was his betrothal gift to me. The tiger—he sold it for silver, took that money, and bought the shop. Then he turned around and gave that to me too. Now, do you really think any of this came from our parents?" She let out a sharp breath, eyes locking onto her sister. "Everything I have, everything I hold, was fought for by my husband—earned with blood and risk, not handed down from some family allowance. He’s terrified that if something happens to him, I won’t have enough to survive. And he knows that if I go begging to our parents, the whole town will have something to say about it."

"Please, stop—I understand," Song Yulan’s voice broke as tears slipped down her face.

"You really just don’t get it, do you? If you did, you wouldn’t be standing here, running back to our parents for money just to prop up your husband’s business. When Mom arranged your marriage into the Xu family, she did it because she believed they were decent, hardworking people. But if she had known what they were truly like, do you think she would have still sent you off with them? And tell me this—when the day comes that you can’t keep supporting them, do you honestly think they won’t turn their backs on you in an instant?"

"That won’t happen," Song Yulan shot back, her voice tight with urgency. "Yes, they care about money, but my in-laws have never treated me badly. And my husband... he—he treats me well!"

Song Dingxiang had a real headache.

Not to mention in this era, even in the new era after liberation, many women still didn't understand this, always thinking that once they were married off, they belonged to someone else's family, and they focused on pleasing their husband's family while complaining about their own.

Taking a moment to regain her composure, she looked at her sister with a sharp glint in her eyes and said, “Sister, let me ask you something. Do you really know who’s going to have your back when the Xu family treats you like this?”

Song Yulan wiped away her tears, her voice still trembling as she responded, “My family, of course. Who else could it be?”

“Right," she replied, voice dripping with subtle sarcasm, "Your family will always have your back when you're wronged, because they care about you. But that kind of care isn’t infinite, you know? It wears thin over time. Sure, the first few times, they’ll stand up for you. But what happens after that, huh? If you keep letting them walk all over you, it won’t just be your dignity that’s crushed—our parents’ pride is on the line too. And believe me, it won’t sit well with them. It’s not about you being a victim anymore. It’s about us, and what we're willing to accept."

She paused, her words feeling like a lecture, but she couldn’t help herself. The frustration was too much to ignore.

She had been managing the household since she was fifteen or sixteen, never married. She always taught her siblings to be independent, to understand the meaning of relying on oneself, and that only relying on oneself was the right path.

The children of their family who went out were all outstanding, and none of them had turned out like this before.

Song Yulan straightened her back, struggling to defend herself. "It's not like this has happened over and over again! This is literally the first time... and you stopped me before I could even do anything."

"Exactly. And thank God I did," Song Dingxiang shot back, her voice edged with exasperation. "Do you have any idea that our mother is expecting another child?"

Yulan's eyes widened, the unshed tears in them freezing in shock. "Wait—what? Mom is... pregnant? Again?"

"Yes. At her age. Can you imagine what it would do to her if she found out? That her daughter is out there, asking for money while her in-laws are draining her dry, that you’re struggling but too afraid to admit it? Do you think she’d be at peace? That kind of worry..."

"Stop. Just—stop, okay? I won’t do it again." Yulan cut her off quickly, her voice tight, almost pleading.

Song Dingxiang exhaled, rubbing her temple. "And when you go back, what are you going to tell him? That you changed your mind? What do you think your husband’s reaction will be?" She paused, letting the weight of the question settle. "Listen to me. Don’t make it obvious. Find a way to casually bring it up with Mom first. Feel out her stance. Then when you go home, tell your husband that our parents aren’t against helping, but money isn’t just something to be handed over without a second thought. If he wants it, he needs to come up with a plan. And let’s be clear—if he’s calling it an investment, what are the terms? Is it a loan or a business partnership? If his so-called business fails, does that money just vanish into thin air, or does he intend to return it? You need to think about all of this before you say yes to anything."

Yulan fell silent, absorbing the words. After a moment, she slowly nodded. "You're right. I can’t just hand over money without thinking. This isn’t Xu family’s money—it’s the Song family’s."

Dingxiang let out a soft chuckle, watching her sister closely. "See? You’re not as naive as you pretend to be."

Song Yulan flushed deeper, a mix of embarrassment and realization washing over her. "I’m not stupid, okay? I’m just saying—if he refuses to come up with a solid plan, then that means... what? That he never actually intended to pay it back in the first place?"

Song Dingxiang tilted her head, her expression unreadable. "How should I know? He seems like an honest guy. Would he really do something like that?"

And yet, despite her own words, the unease in her gut remained. Because even the most honest people could have dishonest intentions when money was involved.

Song Yulan washed her face in the room, looking composed without any signs of crying, before walking out with Song Dingxiang. She saw Qiao Shi couldn't help but ask, "Hey, why hasn't your eldest sister returned home this year?"

Song Dingxiang replied, "She'll leave this afternoon, Mom is expecting, so she's busy inside and out. I'm staying here tonight, and she'll take my brother and nephew back this afternoon, only coming back tomorrow morning. My eldest uncle's wife has already gone back, and as for my second sister-in-law, her home is far away, she's heavily pregnant, and with the freezing cold outside, she's afraid of accidents, so she decided not to come back this year."

Song Yulan and Xu Dashan stayed here for an hour, had lunch together before leaving. As they left, Fang shi also packed up a lot of things for her daughter, watching her until she disappeared before returning.

Fang Shi observed her eldest daughter with a thoughtful gaze, her intuition whispering that something was weighing on the young woman's mind. Turning to her younger daughter, Song Dingxiang, she asked casually, yet with a trace of curiosity,

"You spent quite some time talking with your sister earlier. Did she mention anything?"

Song Dingxiang, ever quick on her feet, feigned innocence with practiced ease. She shrugged lightly and replied with an air of nonchalance,

"Not much, really. Just some idle talk about marriage… something about how I have no in-laws hovering over me, which she thinks is a luxury."

Fang Shi scoffed, momentarily sidetracked by the topic.

"Luxury? Nonsense. A good family can be a blessing—look at your grandparents."

She let the thought trail off, her mind already wandering elsewhere. Content with the diversion, she stretched lazily and decided it was the perfect time for a nap, dismissing any lingering thoughts about her eldest daughter's mood.

Or so she thought.

Because just a few days later, before the sun had fully risen on the morning of the fifth, Song Yulan appeared at Song Dingxiang's door, hesitant and visibly distressed.

The sight startled Song Dingxiang awake, cutting through the last traces of sleep in an instant. Her sister? Here? This early? Something was definitely off.

Without hesitation, she gestured for Zhou Yinuo to remain in the outer room before ushering Song Yulan inside. The space was small, not exactly suited for visitors, but none of that mattered now.

As soon as the door closed, Song Yulan’s composure shattered. Tears welled up in her eyes and spilled over as she clutched at Song Dingxiang’s sleeve.

"Sister, I… I really… I don’t know what to do. I feel awful."

Song Dingxiang’s expression sharpened, the easygoing mask slipping as concern took its place.

"What happened? Don’t cry. Tell me—did Xu Dashan do something again?"

Because if he did, she was going to make him regret it.

After sobbing for a while, Song Yulan finally spoke, her voice carrying the weight of exhaustion and frustration. "When I got home, I told him exactly what you said. At first, he didn’t react at all, just kept quiet. But over the past few days, he’s been acting strangely—distant, like something’s on his mind. Then last night at dinner, Mother-in-law brought it up again. She said our family only cares about you, that no one ever thinks about me, that I’m not their real daughter, so of course, they don’t treat me the same. I tried to explain, to stand up for myself, but she wasn’t having it. She got angry, started throwing accusations—like how our family bought a shop for the younger daughter while completely ignoring the eldest daughter’s struggles."

Song Dingxiang curled her lips in a sneer, her tone edged with disbelief. "She actually said that? What kind of person even thinks like that, let alone says it out loud?"

Tears welled up in Song Yulan’s eyes again. "I told them the shop was paid for with the money from selling that old tiger, but they twisted it. Said I was looking down on my husband, acting like I was too good for his family. They even questioned why I married into their family in the first place, as if I had some ulterior motive all along."

Song Dingxiang fell silent, momentarily at a loss for words. When she finally spoke, her voice was measured but firm. "Sister, take a moment and think carefully—how has his family really been treating you all this time?"

For a long while, Song Yulan said nothing, only covering her face as she cried. When she finally found her voice again, it was laced with quiet bitterness. "It wasn’t always like this. When I first gave birth to our eldest child, things were fine—or at least, they seemed fine. But over time, something started to feel off. Looking back now… it all changed when they found out you were engaged to Xu the Scholar. I remember them being pleased. And then, when the Xu family broke off the engagement, their attitude shifted. And after Taohong got married… it just got worse. Ever since then, it’s been the same thing over and over—how our family only cares about you and never about me."

A sharp glint flashed through Song Dingxiang’s eyes. Could Taohong have a hand in all of this?

"Sister, listen to me," she said slowly, deliberately. "This kind of resentment doesn’t just appear overnight. Their sudden change in behavior—it has to come from somewhere. And I have a feeling this is only the beginning. Tell me the truth—has your husband or your in-laws been unusually close to… Taohong recently?"

She had to consider the worst. This wasn’t just about her sister anymore—whatever was brewing in that household could soon find its way to her doorstep too.

After a long pause of careful deliberation, Song Yulan finally spoke, her voice measured but carrying an undertone of unease. “Their house is much closer to ours, and now that they have a Scholar in the family... When Taohong got married, everyone went to celebrate. But I—" she hesitated, her fingers curling slightly. "I had a fever that day and couldn’t go.”

Song Dingxiang’s expression darkened. She sat silently on the kang bed for a moment, her lips pressing together in a firm line before she finally broke the silence. “Sister, you really need to think this through. There’s an old saying—it's not the act of stealing that’s the problem, it’s the desire to steal. And right now, their family looks like they’ve got their eyes on our money. Before, your husband’s family might have been content with their few acres of land, but someone must have whispered something to them—something they weren’t supposed to hear.”

Song Yulan shot up from her seat, fury flashing in her reddened eyes. “Are you saying this is Taohong’s doing?” Her voice trembled with disbelief and anger.

“Oh, sister!” Song Dingxiang reached out and pulled her back down before she could storm off. “There’s no proof. We’re just talking between ourselves—don’t go making a scene over it. But tell me this, sister… if your husband truly does favor her, then what?”

Song Yulan froze. The words hit like a slap, knocking the air from her lungs. “What am I supposed to do?” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “What else can I do? Can’t we just live in peace?” The moment the words left her lips, she felt a wave of cold dread wash over her. Her face went pale.