Third Grandma Guan's whole body trembled slightly, and her sobs were heavy with despair.
When she finally told them the truth—after Zhao Shenggu had calmed her down—Guan Yuan and Zhao Shenggu were so furious they wanted to chop those two heartless wretches into pieces.
Third Grandma Guan had gone two days without food. Zhao Juan had locked her in her room while Guan Mandi took meat to her family. When Guan Mandi came back and tried to let his mother out, Zhao Juan refused and threatened to go back to her parents' house. Guan Mandi gave in. It wasn't until the second night that he finally released Third Grandma Guan.
Third Grandma Guan was nearly sixty and already frail. There was no way she could endure that kind of treatment. She'd dragged herself to Zhao Shenggu's house on sheer willpower, but after eating, she came down with a fever. Guan Yuan fed her some spiritual spring water before she began to recover.
Zhao Shenggu was livid. "We can't let those beasts get away with this. If this keeps up, Third Grandma won't survive."
But Guan Yuan was harder-hearted. "We're outsiders. No matter what we do, Third Grandma has to be the one to make up her mind..."
At that, two tears rolled down Third Grandma Guan's wrinkled face. Guan Yuan knew she'd heard him.
"Third Grandma Guan, I know you heard me. People like Guan Mandi and Zhao Juan aren't worth protecting anymore. If you can find the resolve, my brother and I will make sure you get justice. From now on, we'll be your grandsons."
Third Grandma Guan's tears fell even harder. After a long pause, she finally opened her eyes. "Xiao Yuan... you're right. I have to be strong myself. From now on... it'll be as if I never raised that son..." Her eyelids drooped, heavy as if they could barely stay open, and she closed her eyes again.
Third Grandma Guan didn't return home that night, and no one from her family came looking for her. She'd finally given up on that worthless son. The next day, Guan Yuan and Zhao Shenggu asked Li Ying to help look after Third Grandma Guan, and then they headed off to school.
When they got home from school, they found Third Grandma Guan sitting in the yard, wrapped in layers and soaking up the sun. Guan Yuan asked Li Ying if Guan Mandi had come by. Li Ying spat in disgust, "That spineless good-for-nothing—what's in his eyes besides that tramp?" Then, as if realizing she shouldn't be saying such foul things in front of Guan Yuan, she quickly changed the subject.
Guan Yuan sneered inwardly: Guess I was stupid to expect anything from a beast.
"Auntie, brother and I are going to see the village chief about this. Can you keep an eye on the workshop for us?" Guan Yuan said to Li Ying. Li Ying untied her apron and replied, "I'm coming too. Ermao's at the workshop, so nothing'll go wrong."
Guan Yuan had already laid out their plan yesterday, but it required Third Grandma Guan to harden her heart and identify Guan Mandi and Zhao Juan. Third Grandma Guan agreed. So Guan Yuan, Zhao Shenggu, and Li Ying escorted Third Grandma Guan to the village chief's house.
Smoke was rising from the chimney of the village chief's house—looked like they were making dinner. The chief was in the yard smoking when he saw Guan Yuan and Zhao Shenggu coming and greeted them warmly.
He genuinely admired these two money-making golden boys, especially since both his daughters-in-law worked at their workshop.
After the pleasantries, the village chief asked, "So, what brings you here?"
Zhao Shenggu told him all about what Third Grandma Guan had suffered. The village chief listened, his eyes widening in shock. "Sister, is this true?"
Third Grandma Guan nodded. "I've brought this misery upon myself..."
The village chief's temples bulged with veins. "In all these years, Guanjia Village has never seen such an ungrateful, heartless pair. Wait here—I'll get on the loudspeaker right now. This needs to be dealt with properly!"
Soon enough, the village chief announced over the speaker for everyone in the village to gather for a meeting at six o'clock, by which time most people would have finished dinner. Guan Yuan and Zhao Shenggu waited at the village chief's house, and by a little past six, just about everyone had arrived. Though the household responsibility system was already in place, the village still preferred to settle matters internally—the law hadn't really taken root in people's minds yet.
Guan Mandi and Zhao Juan were naturally in the crowd too. When they saw Third Grandma Guan being supported by Guan Yuan and Zhao Shenggu, they were taken aback, and their hearts sank—they had a feeling this had something to do with them.
Sure enough, the village chief began his indignant condemnation: "As the old saying goes, raise children to care for you in old age. But now, Guanjia Village has produced a beast who'd starve his own mother..."
A wave of murmurs rippled through the crowd. Who could be so unfilial?
"Bring Guan Mandi and Zhao Juan up here."
The village chief's two sons promptly dragged the panicking pair forward.
When the crowd saw it was them, they nodded knowingly. It was no secret that these two had been mistreating Third Grandma Guan for years.
"Zhao Juan is Guan Mandi's wife. Since she married into this family, she's abused her mother-in-law, bullied her husband, borne no children in seven years, and been unfaithful. In the old days, a woman like her would've been put in a pig cage." The village chief's words stoked the crowd's anger, especially among the more traditional women, who couldn't stand women like Zhao Juan and spat at her.
[In ancient China, adultery was often punished by placing the offender in a bamboo pig cage and drowning them in water]
Seeing things had gone this far, Zhao Juan threw caution to the wind. "Pah! Who dares touch me? This is a new era—what right do you have to tie me up?"
Guan Mandi, meanwhile, kept his head hung low, as if deaf to the insults around him.
"We can't lay a hand on you now, that's true. But Guanjia Village doesn't want a daughter-in-law like you, and we can still send you packing."
Zhao Juan's face went pale with panic.
Guan Mandi finally lifted his head. His lips moved, but no words came out. Zhao Juan snapped at him, "Guan Mandi, you spineless coward! Your wife's about to be thrown out..."
So Guan Mandi turned to the village chief and begged, "Please, Chief, don't send my wife away."
Seeing Guan Mandi speak up for her, Zhao Juan regained some confidence. She knew that keeping him under her thumb was what really mattered. Her voice grew louder again: "You think you can just kick me out? Not so fast. I have a marriage certificate with Guan Mandi. Other than him divorcing me, what right do you have to send me away?"
Guan Yuan was surprised that Zhao Juan knew all this, but on second thought, it made sense. She'd been caught cheating before, so she'd probably asked around about the rules. He'd heard she had some distant cousin working at the county court.
The village chief and the other villagers had no idea about any of that. Hearing Zhao Juan's words, they started whispering among themselves. The village chief was stumped too. "Shenggu, is Zhao Juan telling the truth?" In his eyes, Zhao Shenggu was the one with real learning.
Zhao Shenggu nodded. "Yes, that's correct..." Zhao Juan couldn't help looking smug. But then Zhao Shenggu added, "However, elder abuse is a crime, and it carries prison time. If we push it as aggravated—attempted murder, even if unsuccessful—then the two of them could be looking at at least twenty years behind bars."
Zhao Shenggu was clearly exaggerating, but it was enough to terrify Zhao Juan and Guan Mandi.
Zhao Juan forced herself to stay defiant. "Nonsense! You think you can scare me with that?"
"Whether it's nonsense or not, we'll find out once we send them to the police station," Zhao Shenggu said coldly.
The villagers hesitated. Taking things to the authorities was more than they were willing to do.
Guan Mandi had already gone pale with fear. He dropped to his knees in front of Third Grandma Guan. "Mom, I'm a beast, I'm a beast! Please forgive us! I swear Juan and I will take good care of you from now on. Mom, please say something!"
Zhao Juan, seeing that Zhao Shenggu was genuinely about to grab her, dropped to her knees with a thud as well. "Mom, I'm a beast too! I'll never treat you like that again. Please, tell everyone to let us off!"
"Mom, if I go to prison, who'll look after you in your old age? Who'll burn paper money for Dad on the anniversaries?" Guan Mandi sobbed.
Third Grandma Guan's body trembled. At last, tears streamed from her sunken eyes. "Forget it... this is my karma... Dear neighbors, for this old woman's sake, let it go this once..."
With that, Third Grandma Guan turned away, unable to face Zhao Shenggu or Guan Yuan, and wept bitterly. The village chief and the others felt relieved too—at least they wouldn't have to deal with the authorities.
Guan Mandi and Zhao Juan quickly scrambled up and flanked Third Grandma Guan, one on each arm.
Under the circumstances, Guan Yuan and Zhao Shenggu—who had stood up for Third Grandma Guan—ended up looking foolish. As Third Grandma Guan passed them, she wanted to say something, but Zhao Shenggu turned aside.
Her heart ached. She knew she'd hurt the two boys this time.
On the way home, Zhao Shenggu was gloomy and quiet. Guan Yuan didn't feel much about it—he didn't have strong feelings for anyone other than Zhao Shenggu anyway. He'd only done this to repay Third Grandma Guan for taking care of them. Since she didn't want their help, why bother forcing it?
"Come on, brother, it's fine. They're family after all."
Zhao Shenggu let out a long breath. "Yeah. They really are family."
There was resignation in his voice.
Guan Yuan knew—his brother's heart had closed off to Third Grandma Guan.
"Come on, Xiao Yuan, let's go make something good to eat. It's already this late and we haven't had dinner yet!"
"Mm. I want the crispy pork you made last time." Ever since Zhao Shenggu had learned to read, he'd been studying recipes from the space, racking his brain to get Guan Yuan to eat more. His cooking had actually surpassed Guan Yuan's by now.
The two walked hand in hand toward home—a home that belonged only to the two of them.
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