Chapter 54: It’s Better to have a Dog
Translator: c.o.keZero Editor: Rainystars
Lu Jiao ignored Lady Ruan. After she greeted the cla.s.smates, she left the room.
First, she put her basket into the kitchen and snuck the deer and rabbit into her s.p.a.ce. She didn’t dare to access her s.p.a.ce in front of Lady Tian and Lady Ruan before. However, if she waited any longer, her meat would spoil.
After she was done, she poured a few cups of sugar water.
Xie Yunjin’s cla.s.smates took a long journey here and should at least get some water.
Though the cups were old and chipped, it was the thought that mattered.
Lu Jiao placed the cups on the small table and brought everything into the east bedroom.
“Young masters, please drink up. Our living conditions are not the best – please forgive us.”
The cla.s.smates checked out the stuff Lu Jiao brought and found the cups to be exceptionally clean. The table also was without dust or stains.
Though their house was missing lots of normal household objects, everything was organized and clean. Even the clothes Xie Yunjin wore were freshly washed.
He was bedridden but there was no foul smell.
This meant his wife was diligent and a good person.
The four men thanked Lu Jiao and each poured themselves a cup of water.
It was rude to refuse water when it’s been brought to you.
After everyone took a cup, she poured some to feed Xie Yunjin.
Inside the room, Lady Ruan and Xie Lan rolled their eyes and silently cursed at how fake she was being.
Lady Ruan’s eldest son-in-law, Chen Liu, said loudly, “Third-sister-in-law, you should pour some water for mom at least.”
Lu Jiao smiled and looked back at her, “I am out of cups. Should I take some from your house?”
Chen Liu was taken aback. The four cla.s.smates noticed the strange vibe and decided it wasn’t wise to stay. They stood up to pay respect.
“Yunjin, then we will get back first. We’ll find another time to visit you.”
Darkness flashed across Xie Yunjin’s eyes. Since they were leaving, he gestured to Lu Jiao, “Send off our guests.”
Lu Jiao stood up. The leader of the pack, the young man in a brocade robe, said kindly, “I am Yunjin’s cla.s.smate, Han Tong. I currently study at Qinghe County School. If you need anything, you can come and find me.”
Lu Jiao thanked him, “Thanks. Once Yunjin is healed, I will ask him to personally visit you and thank you.”
Some hope flashed across Han Tong’s eyes. The others, however, didn’t take her seriously. How could a handicapped man heal?
They didn’t say much else and left the room. Outside, the villagers started to chitchat.
Han Tong and his cla.s.smates then rode away in their horse carriage.
Lu Jiao turned to go back to the living room. Before she even entered, she heard Xie Lan’s delighted voice, “Mom, this textile looks lovely. Give it to me as my dowry, what do you think?”
“This multi-colored desert is perfect for your brother. Also, this tea. I can tell these are quality products.”
The mother and daughter duo acted like everything here was theirs and picked their favorites.
Lu Jiao entered the room and coldly ordered, “Put everything down and get out of my house.”
Lady Ruan’s face changed color. With fury, she snapped at Lu Jiao, “You want to take possession of my son’s stuff?”
Lu Jiao was so angry she laughed, “At your age, can you be less shameless? You didn’t take care of your paralyzed son and now you have the audacity to take his stuff?”
Lady Ruan’s face was insanely cloudy as she gritted through her teeth, “He cannot use this stuff. If he could, I wouldn’t take them.”
Then, she pointed at some medicinal ingredients from the pile, “He could use the medicine. We won’t touch that. The other stuff won’t be useful for him so why is it wrong to give everything to his brother? That’s his blood-related brother.”
Lu Jiao chuckled yet again, “It’s better to have a dog than to have a brother like that.”
Lady Ruan loved her youngest son the most. To have him compared to a dog made her lunge violently at Lu Jiao.
Lu Jiao was too lazy to talk reason. They were shameless b.a.s.t.a.r.ds and nothing could get through to them.
Lu Jiao grabbed Lady Ruan with one hand and started to drag her outside.
Xie Lan screamed, “Lu Jiao, you dare to disrespect your mother-in-law.”
She then chased after them and whilst chasing, she still remembered to hold onto the roll of textile she had her eyes on.
Lu Jiao got Lady Ruan outside and turned around to block Xie Lan. She grabbed the roll of textile out of her hand and then dragged her outside.
“Get the **** out of here.”
Behind them, Chen Liu was greedy for all the goods in the room but didn’t dare to move. She could tell that Lu Jiao was not to be messed with and decided to do what she could with words.
“Lu Jiao, you’re a daughter-in-law. Your husband’s mom is your mom. How can you hit your mom?
Those gifts from cla.s.smates… keep what you need. You may as well give what’s useless to you to mom to show respect.”
Lu Jiao coldly stared at Chen Liu and pointed outside as a way to tell her to leave.
Chen Liu’s heart ached but didn’t dare to stay. She knew if she stayed, that woman would beat her out.
Inside the yard, Lady Ruan had collapsed onto the ground and now slapped her own thigh while she cryied, “Everyone, come here and watch a daughter-in-law hit her mother-in-law. She eats all the good food and leaves nothing to her mother-in-law. Such unfilial women should be fed to the pigs.
Oh my lord, how can my life be so hard? I worked so hard raising my children just to be bullied by my daughter-in-law. I may as well die.”
Inside the room, Lu Jiao could hear Lady Ruan speak disgustingly. She was angry and wanted to step out to teach her a lesson. Suddenly, Xie Yunjin’s voice arose.
“Lu Jiao, come in here.”
Lu Jiao turned and went to the east bedroom. She then unpleasantly looked over at Xie Yunjin.
How did this paralyzed man end up with a mother like that? How unfortunate.
Even if he does end up becoming the First a.s.sistant, it must be exhausting to have a mother like that.
Xie Yunjin’s eyes were frigid and so was the air around him. He stared at Lu Jiao and said in a low voice, “Lu Jiao, that’s my mother out there.”
Lu Jiao’s face dropped. What did he mean by that? Was he implying that she needed to treat his mother better and give her all those goods?
Ha… Well, if that was what he wanted, she could make it happen.
Lu Jiao angrily tried to walk out, but Xie Yunjin continued to speak, “She’s your elder. If you fight against her, you’re at a disadvantage. No matter how right you are, as a daughter-in-law, your reputation will be tarnished. It’s not worth it for you to get hurt over someone like that.”
Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow. So he wasn’t worried about his mother but was worried about her reputation.
Lu Jiao knew that what Xie Yunjin said was logical. No matter how out of line Lady Ruan was being, as her daughter-in-law, she will get a bad reputation for fighting back.
Xie Yunjin stared at Lu Jiao darkly and whispered, “Hit her where it hurts. Everyone has a weakness. My mother loves my fourth brother the most.”
He then closed his eyes as if resting.
At the door, Lu Jiao’s eyes brightened. That was true. She couldn’t do much to Lady Ruan but that didn’t mean she couldn’t beat up Xie Laosi. Xie Laosi was a deadbeat who always hid behind his mother. If she beat him up, n.o.body could say she did anything wrong. After all, she was Xie Laosi’s third eldest sister-in-law.