CHAPTER 211: CHAPTER 106 IF HE COULD WRITE MY NAME BACKWARDS_2

It was just after lunchtime, when the men and women from each household had just returned home to have lunch and rest, not yet gone out to work. There isn’t much in the way of entertainment in the village, but the nature of gossip is the same everywhere. The loud quarreling of the Sang Pingliang couple had already drawn the neighboring men and women to come out to watch the excitement, quickly gathering a crowd of more than a dozen people.

Seeing Sang Yufei standing there with a face full of embarrassment and helplessness, almost being pointed at his nose by the gesticulating Sang Pingliang, the crowd couldn’t help but start discussing among themselves, inwardly sympathizing with Sang Yufei.

Some older and more mature onlookers couldn’t resist stepping forward to persuade Sang Pingliang, "After all, he is your own nephew. Brother Sang, if you have something to say, say it nicely. Why get so furious!"

"This disgraceful wretch! I’m angry because he’s not living up to expectations, really! Just like your deadbeat dad, never listening to advice, always ’exam, exam, exam’, huh! Do you even have the fate for it!" Sang Pingliang ranted bitterly, then turned to the crowd and said, "He spent who knows how much silver going to Hangzhou, he’s bound to squander all of this family’s assets sooner or later!"

"Exactly! You’ll probably end up not even having porridge to drink in the future!" Mrs. Li gave Sang Yufei a scathing glance.

It was common knowledge that Sang Yufei went to Hangzhou for the rural examination. Seeing him return alone, dressed in old cotton clothes, and knowing the Sang family’s prestigious history, there was no need to ask—the crowd subconsciously assumed that he must have failed the exam. Although to a certain extent they felt that Sang Pingliang had a point, after all, where would rural people have so much spare money to squander? There were old scholars who never passed exams all their life and died without a coffin or decent clothes!

However, the words of the Sang Pingliang couple didn’t seem befitting of elders.

Sang Yufei was also annoyed and spoke firmly: "I just came to borrow some flour from my second uncle and aunt. If you are unwilling to lend it, let it be, why say so much? I, Sang Yufei, didn’t spend a penny of your money for my exams. You can badmouth me, but why do you also speak ill of my dad? Second uncle, by disrespecting my dad this way, don’t blame me for not acknowledging you as my second uncle!"

"As if we care that much!" Mrs. Li spat back scornfully: "You think calling ’second uncle’ makes you so precious? If you don’t acknowledge me, then so be it! Let it be heard by everyone here! It’s you who said you won’t acknowledge us, so don’t come to us for anything in the future!"

"You, you, how dare you talk back!" Sang Pingliang was also infuriated.

"You were the first to disrespect my father!" Sang Yufei stood his ground.

"Second brother, what is all this about!" Mrs. Fang and Sang Hong arrived as well, with Mrs. Fang saying, "It’s just asking to borrow some flour, how did it turn into this mess!"

"Oh, you’re playing the good Samaritan with my things!" Mrs. Li retorted sarcastically: "If you’re so generous, why don’t you buy it yourself? Now you want to offload this burden and use our food to feed him? Don’t even think about it!"

"Second aunt!" Sang Hong’s face darkened as he spoke angrily, "Axian simply mentioned borrowing, she never intended to take advantage of you. Even if I have to support my younger brother for a lifetime, I am willing to do so. Second aunt, don’t make such unpleasant remarks!"

"Fine! Then you support him for a lifetime! Don’t bother borrowing from us, there is none!" Mrs. Li snorted.

"Then we shall not borrow!" Mrs. Fang scoffed coldly, "Still calling yourselves elders, showing such cold-heartedness! You talk big, but over the years, when have you ever lent a helping hand even as small as a thread? Don’t put on the airs of an elder and just lecture. If you look down on us that much, from today on we’ll sever ties completely. Even if Xiaofei never succeeds in the exams, we are willing to support him; we’d rather beg than to come near your doorstep! If he becomes successful and you refuse to revel in his success, then I shall admire you!"

Hearing this, the onlookers remembered what the Sang Pingliang couple had done to the main family over the years, and couldn’t help but start discussing, although the criticism was not overt, the way they looked at Sang Pingliang and his wife changed somewhat.

"You hussy, you, you—" Sang Pingliang, furious and embarrassed, pointed at Mrs. Fang, expecting Sang Hong to come forward to chastise his wife, but Sang Hong just stood there with an iron-blue face, motionless, clearly in agreement with his wife’s words.

Even he has turned against me! Sang Pingliang, about to explode with anger, sneered: "Fine! If he ever becomes a successful candidate in the imperial examinations, I’ll write my name, Sang Pingliang, backwards—from then on, I won’t take any advantage even if he begs me to!"

"As if he has a chance to pass the exams! His ancestral grave would have to spout green smoke first!" Mrs. Li scoffed dismissively.

Mrs. Fang raised her eyebrows and mocked: "You all talk lightly now, but words alone are no proof. I’m afraid when the time comes, you’ll still act all high and mighty with the airs of elders! Heh, who in the village doesn’t know? Second uncle and aunt are the sharpest at penny-pinching! Wouldn’t miss a chance for a bargain!"

The crowd couldn’t help but laugh out loud with a "bang", covering their mouths. Thinking of the Sang Pingliang couple’s usual behavior, like squeezing every last drop from a toad, almost nobody hadn’t been taken advantage of by this thick-faced couple. Hearing these words, they were quite pleased and began to talk softly, recounting the couple’s ’glorious’ deeds.

Sang Pingliang, unused to such treatment, suddenly turned red in the face, furious and embarrassed, he retorted: "Nonsense! I, Sang Laodi (younger brother), am always a man of my word. When have I ever been untrustworthy? Fine! We will go to the Li Zheng’s house and write a deed of separation, you brothers can fend for yourselves from now on, and even if you freeze or starve to death, I will not care! Don’t even think about taking my things!"

"Is second uncle really willing to do this?" Mrs. Fang sneered coldly: "Maybe this time around, second brother might just pass the rural examination! The good news hasn’t arrived yet, who dares to say for certain he won’t pass! Perhaps second uncle should think twice? Don’t end up unable to save face later!"

"Good news, go on with your wild dreams!" Mrs. Li jeered: "What? Got scared hearing about the deed of separation? Still thinking of taking advantage of our family later on? Let me tell you, it’s too late for regrets now. Let’s go, we’re off to Li Zheng’s house right now!"

"Why must family turn on each other like this!" Someone in the crowd sighed and urged.

"Indeed, indeed!" others in the crowd agreed.

"Hmph!" Mrs. Fang sneered with disdain.

Sang Pingliang and Mrs. Li, unable to bear this treatment, became enraged, insisting they go to Li Zheng’s house to sign the deed right away.