Chapter 17: Playing Tricks Doesn’t Work

As for Sister-in-law Tian, her skill at spreading gossip in the village was publicly acknowledged. There was nothing unpleasant she could not say with that mouth of hers. “Everyone listen, the Lu family really is different now that they’ve married a daughter-in-law. Even their voices are louder. They’ve got someone backing them up.”

Those words were meant to mock Mother Lu, and even more so to bully her for usually being honest and clumsy with words.

Mother Lu straightened her back, wanting to make a declaration that she really wasn’t afraid of her. Yet she simply couldn’t shout it out. She didn’t even know what to say.

Fang Yuan stepped forward. “Mom, your voice is soft and you speak gently. In the future, when it comes to greeting people like this, leave it to me.”

After speaking, she looked toward Sister-in-law Tian, raised an eyebrow, and planted her hands on her hips. Without saying a word, her meaning was clear: make your move. In terms of presence alone, she outclassed Sister-in-law Tian by a huge margin.

Who in the surrounding villages didn’t know Fang Yuan, that troublemaking girl? Forget being unable to outargue her, even if someone could, they still wouldn’t dare provoke her. Fang Yuan had several brothers behind her.

When Fang Yuan caused trouble outside, things were fine as long as she didn’t suffer. But whenever she did suffer a loss, Fang Yuan’s mother would bring her sons to seek justice for her. That had happened many times.

People within dozens of kilometers had all heard of that family. That was also why Fang Yuan had ended up marrying a man whose engagement had been broken before. Good families didn’t dare provoke such a household.

The moment Fang Yuan stood there, Sister-in-law Tian shrank back in embarrassment and didn’t dare step forward even half a step. There really were people she didn’t dare mock.

Mother Lu grabbed Fang Yuan’s hand, her excitement impossible to hide. This was the benefit of marrying a good daughter-in-law. Look, no one even dared argue with her anymore.

In the past, Mother Lu had three grown sons at home, and her eldest was already well over twenty without being able to marry a wife. She simply hadn’t had the confidence to quarrel with people.

Now things were different.

The only problem was that she still hadn’t learned how to quarrel.

Lu Chuan could see it too. This was what it meant to have a fearsome reputation. He hadn’t even gotten a chance to stand up and protect anyone.

Mother Lu walked happily the whole way, speaking even more happily. “Second Daughter-in-law, from now on Mom will learn from you. Once I learn, whenever you argue with someone, Mom will be the one to charge in.”

Fang Yuan raised an eyebrow. She didn’t think much of Mother Lu’s abilities. A woman who hadn’t even spoken up when her son was snatched away, what could anyone expect from her?

Lu Er twitched his lips. This really was a daughter-in-law bought with money. His mother’s flattery had gone beyond all reason. That expression on her face wasn’t very pleasant to look at.

As for his own mother’s fighting ability, it wasn’t that Lu Er looked down on her. It simply didn’t exist.

What he didn’t know was that Mother Lu’s feelings were genuine, not flattery. She truly liked Fang Yuan and genuinely wanted the two of them to fight side by side in the future.

Mother Lu praised Fang Yuan all the way there, and Fang Yuan seemed to enjoy it quite a bit. She didn’t even blush. One dared to praise, the other dared to accept it. Lu Er was impressed.

From far away they heard Lu San shouting, “Second Brother, Second Sister-in-law, come over. We can eat now.”

Lu Feng’s body stiffened slightly. Around Fang Yuan, he couldn’t relax. After all, she was a woman who had once been matched with him and had even gone through wedding ceremonies with him.

Of course, she had also robbed him of his family assets last night. Love and resentment mixed together, leaving his heart slightly chilled.

Li Meng was extremely alert. The moment she saw Fang Yuan, she immediately moved to Lu Feng’s side. “Brother Feng, don’t worry, I’m fine. I’ve already explained things to Second Brother’s wife. I’m not pregnant. In the future, I won’t be afraid of her going around talking nonsense about us.”

What made Lu Feng uncomfortable was how complicated the relationships had become. Yesterday she had married into the family, and today she had become his younger brother’s wife. He glared at Li Meng and said nothing.

Li Meng pouted and cast a gloomy glance toward Fang Yuan. That woman should never have appeared in this family.

Father Lu came out and cheerfully greeted Fang Yuan. “Second Daughter-in-law is here. Eat first, eat first.”

The whole family welcomed Fang Yuan into the house as if they were welcoming an Empress Dowager.

That attitude made Li Meng feel somewhat sour. She had spent the entire morning going around the village, then came back and helped set the table and tend the fire. Yet she hadn’t received a single smile from her parents-in-law.

But when it came to this woman, her parents-in-law practically revolved around her.

Why?

They were both daughters-in-law. They couldn’t be treated differently.

Li Meng didn’t want to be ignored like this. She blocked the doorway and glared at Fang Yuan. It was clearly a challenge.

Before Fang Yuan could do anything, even Lu Er, who intended to step forward and smooth things over, was half a step too slow.

They saw Mother Lu dart to the doorway. “What are you doing? Don’t you know you’re blocking the way? Move aside.”

With one hand she shoved Li Meng aside, then turned to Fang Yuan. “Second Daughter-in-law, come in quickly. Didn’t you say last night that you wanted meat rolls? Mom made them.”

Lu Er watched as his mother invited Fang Yuan inside as though she were serving her own mother-in-law.

Fang Yuan didn’t even need to spare a proper glance for the Li Meng who had been pushed aside.

This battle didn’t even need to be fought.

Fang Yuan had already won.

She simply didn’t regard Li Meng as worthy of attention.

Standing off to the side, Li Meng felt so aggrieved she nearly smashed something. Thinking about how unstable her position still was, she forced herself to endure it. In the future, none of these people would need to benefit from her success.

She still shamelessly moved next to Lu Feng. “Brother Feng, it’s fine. I’m not wronged.”

Lu San happened to hear that and shivered. He hurried away at once. This eldest sister-in-law was seriously unwell.

Lu Feng ignored her too. He couldn’t even tell what she felt wronged about.

The family table was small and couldn’t fit so many people. Lu San automatically took a bowl of porridge and a roll, then sat on the doorstep to eat.

Most families in the village were like that. Aside from pickled vegetables and bean paste, there wasn’t much on the table anyway. It didn’t matter where one ate.

Lu Feng glanced at Fang Yuan and thought that this woman probably didn’t know to let men sit at the table first. He felt uncomfortable eating at the same table as her anyway, so he picked up his bowl and joined Lu San on the doorstep.

Fang Yuan didn’t even spare Lu Feng and Li Meng a glance. She looked down on them. Nor did she have any of Lu Feng’s awkwardness or discomfort.

As a new bride, she crossed her legs and sat steadily at the head of the kang.

Then Mother Lu personally handed her the meat rolls.

Li Meng watched with jealousy and followed along, intending to sit on the kang as well. Fang Yuan merely glanced at her, and Li Meng immediately lost the courage to sit down.

Fang Yuan called out to Lu Er, “Why aren’t you coming over to eat yet?”

Lu Er thought to himself, Mom and Dad, two new daughters-in-law sitting on the kang is one thing, but out of us three brothers, two are sitting on the ground. How can I possibly bring myself to sit on the kang?

Then he heard Fang Yuan say, “Lu San isn’t married yet. He’s still just a kid, so it doesn’t matter how he eats. But you’re married now. You’re a man who heads his own household. When you eat, you should sit on the kang and treat yourself like someone important, like our dad.”

As she spoke, she had already pulled Lu Er down to sit beside her. Although she never mentioned Lu Feng, Lu Feng still felt as though he’d been struck squarely by the remark. Somehow he was always the one getting caught in the crossfire.

After all, he was squatting on the doorstep eating.

Father Lu felt delighted by the praise. His daughter-in-law really respected him. He was just about to praise Fang Yuan for speaking well.

But Li Meng was unwilling. “My husband isn’t sitting on the kang yet.”

If she didn’t protect her own husband, who else could she rely on?

This was her chance to perform.

She absolutely couldn’t let the second branch outshine them.

Fang Yuan let out a scornful laugh and spoke with obvious sarcasm. “Wherever your husband sits, he still doesn’t amount to much. Don’t you know that yourself?”

Father Lu silently continued eating.

He really couldn’t praise the second daughter-in-law’s words anymore.

As an elder, it wouldn’t be right for him to take sides.