CHAPTER 153: CHAPTER 153: BEWITCHED AND CONFUSED

Ju Xiang’s tears pained Meng Qingshan terribly.

He comforted Ju Xiang softly, wrapping an arm around her shoulder right in front of Meng Zhu.

Then, his eyes bulged like copper bells, looking as if he could eat Meng Zhu alive.

"If you care so much about your mom, why don’t you use your own silver to pay her fine silver?" Meng Qingshan shouted at Meng Zhu.

Meng Zhu sneered, "Who ever said ’A daughter married is water poured’? And who, year after year, tries every tactic to make me hand over silver from our family? Helping out my own family occasionally can’t be faulted, but is this occasional? Moreover, do I need to repeat why my mother needs to pay the fine silver? If you all treated me well, I could be a willing fool. Have you treated me well?"

You think you can pressure me into giving silver? No way.

Besides, the family wealth was built through hard work and cannot be irresponsibly squandered.

Meng Zhu was very agitated, and Meng Yao gently tried to calm her down, telling her not to get worked up over such infuriating matters—it wasn’t worth it.

Meng Zhu took a deep breath to steady herself and spoke calmly, "It’s not out of the question for me to provide silver, but as she just admitted to coming into this house as a concubine, let’s have her sign a deed of sale. Then, when my mother returns, I won’t hold onto the deed of sale, and will give it to her. I’m sure my mother will be so grateful to know how devotedly she looks after my father."

Meng Qingshan and Ju Xiang’s faces changed.

Would they want Sun Shi to return? Certainly not.

If Sun Shi returned and found out how Meng Qingshan and Ju Xiang were entangled, would she spare them?

Meng Qingshan was still Sun Shi’s husband. No matter the chaos, it wouldn’t uproot him. But would Ju Xiang fare as well?

Sun Shi isn’t foolish; could she figure out the details? At that point, Ju Xiang’s ’good days’ would be inescapable.

"Brother Shan..." Ju Xiang pitifully reached for Meng Qingshan’s arm.

"A daughter married is water poured, my own business is none of your concern," Meng Qingshan barked gruffly. "Get going, go on, the family doesn’t welcome you here."

With that, he shoved Meng Zhu out.

Meng Zhu shook with anger, "Aren’t you afraid that the villagers will gossip about you?"

"Everyone lives their own life; good or bad, they know best themselves. What do I care what they say or do?" Meng Qingshan retorted confidently.

He’s completely besotted, utterly bewitched.

With Meng Qingshan being so shameless, there was nothing Meng Zhu could do with him.

Ju Xiang’s eyes were smug; the old fool was easy to coax and would do anything as long as she fawned over him.

Meng Zhu trembled with anger and Meng Yao quickly reassured her.

Meng Qingshan and Ju Xiang had clearly decided to be shameless, and open confrontation with them was truly ineffective.

Meng Yao supported Meng Zhu as they prepared to leave.

The eastern wing door suddenly burst open, and a burly young man came out howling.

"Mother, wife, I want a wife."

After speaking, he stared directly at Meng Yao, drool dripping from his mouth.

It was apparent he was not of sound mind.

Ju Xiang quickly tried to soothe him, "Be good and go back to your room. In a couple of days, mom will definitely bring you a wife. This one’s not a wife; you got it wrong."

The fool swatted Ju Xiang away, pointing at Meng Yao, "I want her."

Ju Xiang grew annoyed, knowing about Meng Yao; her eldest son wasn’t much younger than her own son—a woman that age was old enough to be his mother.

How could she be a match for her son?

"Listen to mother. Mother will find you a pretty young girl you can do whatever you want with," Ju Xiang coaxed the fool.

Meng Qingshan looked unperturbed, appearing used to the fool’s behavior.

Meng Yao and Meng Zhu found it utterly repugnant, but what could they argue with a fool who wasn’t sane?

"Let’s go, Ah Yao, I’m hungry," Meng Zhu said.

Meng Yao nodded slightly, ignoring the fool, and steered Meng Zhu away.

No one expected that as soon as they started leaving, the fool lunged forward, reaching out, clearly intending to grab Meng Yao.

Meng Yao could dodge, but with Meng Zhu standing beside her, if she ducked, the fool would undoubtedly topple Meng Zhu. If she pulled Meng Zhu to avoid it, she feared the sudden movement would jostle Meng Zhu.

So she faced him head-on.

No need for courtesy or fairness with a fool.

Meng Yao kicked hard, square into the fool’s stomach, knocking him several steps back, then he collapsed to the ground. Meng Yao didn’t restrain her strength; the fool wailed in pain.

"Mother, it hurts, it hurts." The fool clutched his stomach, writhing on the ground.

Ju Xiang frantically cradled the fool, "Oh my son, don’t scare mom! Where does it hurt? Where does it hurt?"

Meng Yao snorted coldly, "Next time it won’t just be a kick."

With that, she led Meng Zhu away.

Ju Xiang wanted to argue with Meng Yao, but knowing her son’s strength — even two or three grown men couldn’t usually restrain him — yet Meng Yao had knocked him down with a single kick, clearly showed Meng Yao was not to be trifled with.

"Brother Shan, why are you still standing here? Get the doctor fast! Zhu Zi means the world to me. If anything happens to him, I can’t go on living," Ju Xiang cried to Meng Qingshan, weeping piteously.

Though Meng Qingshan didn’t care for Ju Xiang’s big brute of a son, he doted on Ju Xiang.

For the sake of Ju Xiang, he had to take care of this fool.

"Don’t worry, let’s get Zhu Zi back inside first." Meng Qingshan promptly said.

Pillar was a hefty fellow, and Meng Qingshan, just a frail old man, struggled but eventually managed to help bring him inside.

Prompted by Ju Xiang to fetch the doctor, Meng Qingshan dared not delay.

On their way home, Meng Yao finally managed to soothe Meng Zhu until her mood improved a bit.

Meng Zhu fumed, "He’ll regret it eventually."

Ju Xiang was still quite attractive, while Meng Qingshan was just an old geezer.

Does she genuinely love him, cling to him? It’s not like she’s after his silver, is it?

Borrowing a famous catchphrase: You’re not after his money, not his house, so you’re after his age? After the fact he doesn’t bathe?

Surely he’ll regret it later?

"If he wants to make a fuss, let him. Just don’t bring it to you. Frankly, should anything really happen, just make sure he has enough to eat, don’t let him starve," Meng Yao said.

"Utterly vexing," Meng Zhu still felt a heavy weight in her heart.

They had been delayed for quite some time at the Meng family, and ran into Zhao Xiaohua and Wen Nuan out looking for them on the way back.

"Mom, sister-in-law had the meal ready for a while now!" Zhao Xiaohua said. "You two aren’t children anymore, how come you still make people so worried?"

"Weren’t we on our way back?" Meng Yao chuckled, "Just strolling around the village. What could actually happen?"

"I was worried, alright!" Zhao Xiaohua pouted.

"It won’t happen again," Meng Yao quickly promised.

At home, Song Xiu’er had already set the table, waiting for Meng Yao and Meng Zhu.

"In future situations like this, just go ahead and eat, leave some for us. No need to wait until we’re back," Meng Yao said a bit sheepishly. Even though they were elders, having everyone wait around didn’t feel right.