CHAPTER 22: CHAPTER 22: LET HER BROADEN HER HORIZONS FIRST

Eventually, Li Hongmei was ushered out by Yang Xiumei, and the crowd just watched the commotion with no intention of stopping it.

Ye Xiaotong, although confused, was greatly shocked and simultaneously embarrassed that He Chen had such relatives.

She glanced at Xie Fengmian’s expression, and upon seeing his disdainful frown, she quickly pulled Yang Xiumei down to sit.

She couldn’t let Xie Fengmian think her family was like that too.

"Alright, mom, don’t be angry, don’t upset yourself, it’s not worth it."

Yang Xiumei held her hand, thinking of the generous gifts Ye Xiaotong brought back today, she smiled reassuringly.

"My daughter is so considerate."

As they were about to brag about local affairs again, Ye Manman felt incredibly bored.

Seeing He Chen quietly placing his hand on his lap, she playfully picked up one of his hands and put it on the table to fiddle with.

His hand was so big, a single finger was as thick as two of hers, and his palm was full of calluses; Ye Manman was curious and poked it, finding it not only hard but also scratchy.

She turned to playing with his fingers, sometimes comparing their thickness, sometimes pinching and squeezing.

He Chen, who never experienced this in front of others, watched as her fair, slender hand kneaded his bronze-like fingers. The strong visual and tactile sensations distracted him, making it hard for him to concentrate.

He could only force himself not to draw back his hand, his face growing hotter and hotter...

Opposite them, Xie Fengmian watched this scene, finding the mother-daughter duo of Ye Xiaotong who only knew to boast extremely annoying.

He actually felt a bit envious of He Chen...

Ye Manman’s fingers were so fair and delicate, long and beautifully proportioned, with joints tinged with a slight pink, and smooth backs without hair, just looking at them promised an amazing feel...

Lost in thought, Yang Xiumei and Ye Xiaotong finished showing off and turned to kill the chicken Ye Manman brought for lunch.

Having returned home with great difficulty, naturally, they would eat a meal together before leaving, Ye Xiaotong, intent on showing off, sat deliberately next to Ye Manman after the meal was served.

"Manman, it looks like your brother-in-law really takes care of you; you seem healthier than before."

She purposefully, in front of Ye Manman and He Chen, took out the tea box she brought and carefully pinched some to put in the teapot.

Her whole motion was like in slow motion, her arm constantly blocking Ye Manman’s view.

Ye Manman frowned, but Ye Xiaotong mistakenly took it as envy and jealousy. She sat down, gently touching the silver bracelet on her wrist, and began to speak in a patronizing manner.

"Oh, sorry, I forgot you don’t have a mother-in-law to give you these newlywed gifts, but if you like, I can take them off for you to see."

She flaunted her generosity, shifting everyone’s attention to her and Ye Manman.

Yang Xiumei saw Ye Xiaotong really intending to take off the bracelet, and quickly spoke up.

"Isn’t it just the same to look at it on your wrist? This child is so inconsiderate. Keep what your mother-in-law gave you properly, don’t take it off recklessly to show others. Too many eyes around, you might accidentally lose it."

"I know, mom, I just thought since Manman has nothing, she might not have seen these before, just wanted to give her a preview, to avoid future embarrassment elsewhere."

Ye Xiaotong never intended to actually take it off for Ye Manman to see, so she sweetly responded, gently turning the bracelet back.

This was clearly to mock that their family had no elders or money, never having seen the world. He Chen clenched his hand on his lap silently.

Ye Manman, as if noticing the bracelet on Ye Xiaotong’s wrist for the first time, frowned and asked.

"Is that a bracelet?"

"I thought you put a metal ring on your hand for fun."

Her tone showed no envy or jealousy, only confusion and misunderstanding.

Ye Xiaotong couldn’t tolerate others questioning her like this, so she immediately extended her hand to Ye Manman to let her look closely.

"Don’t speak if you don’t know, this is the gift my mother-in-law gave me, how could it be iron, it’s a pure silver bracelet, don’t talk nonsense if you haven’t seen it."

She was very upset, and Xie Fengmian couldn’t hold his face either, saying in a deep voice.

"This bracelet was bought by my mom from the silver shop not long ago, it can’t be fake."

Yang Xiumei also chimed in, her face clouded.

"The Xie Family is in town, with such good conditions at home, how could they give Xiaotong an iron bracelet, Manman, even if you don’t have, you shouldn’t deliberately insult others, I didn’t know you were so narrow-minded."

"..."

Ye Manman was quite speechless, seeing that none of them believed the bracelet was fake, she had to go to the kitchen to get some matches.

"Shall we test it then? Real gold and silver won’t change color when burned, but fake ones will turn black and can’t be wiped off, want to try it?"

Feeling just as bored, as Ye Xiaotong flaunted in her face, Ye Manman didn’t mind giving her a slap in the face.

"Let’s try it."

Ye Xiaotong couldn’t stand Ye Manman’s calm demeanor, so she reluctantly took off the bracelet and put it on the table, still proudly holding her chin up, waiting for Ye Manman to be embarrassed by her.

However, after the match was lit, the flame burned the bracelet, leaving black marks that couldn’t be wiped off, Ye Xiaotong’s face suddenly turned very unpleasant.

"How is this possible?"

Not just her, the others’ faces also turned extremely unpleasant.

Yang Xiumei couldn’t believe it and took another match to burn the bracelet all around, resulting in it turning completely black and couldn’t be cleaned.

"Is it really fake?"

Xie Fengmian also stood up, full of disbelief.

"It’s impossible..."

He recalled some past conversation with his mom, his face turning extremely unpleasant.

"...Mom must have taken the wrong one, she went to the silver shop not long ago."

At this time, Xie Fengmian’s explanation was too flimsy.

Ye Xiaotong’s face turned pale, sitting back on the stool soullessly, staring blankly at the blackened iron band she had treasured and polished daily, unable to believe it.

"It turned out to be fake..."

Then didn’t all her behavior just now seem like a clown?

And in front of Ye Manman no less.

All the Ye Family members were deep in thought, including Ye Guoqiang, who frowned and glanced at Xie Fengmian several times, making Xie Fengmian restless, unable to taste the food, wishing to go back immediately to ask his mom about the situation.

Only Ye Manman and He Chen remained unaffected.

He Chen picked up a piece of chicken, carefully peeled off the skin, and placed it in Ye Manman’s bowl.

Ye Manman accepted it without hesitation, even instructing, "I want that too."

He Chen quickly added it to her bowl, not only without a word of complaint but with a look of happiness busily occupied.

Watching the natural scene between them, Ye Xiaotong felt miserable, not only starting to blame the Xie Family for giving her a fake bracelet but also filled with envy.

Clearly everyone in the village said He Chen was a big, bad-tempered man, surely often beating his wife, especially with his parasitic relatives, anyone marrying him was doomed.

But the opposite was true.

Moreover, Xie Fengmian had never once served her food, let alone taken care of her so carefully.

...

Once the meal was done, although Ye Manman wasn’t too satisfied with the taste of the food, she was full. Just as they were about to leave, she suddenly stopped.

"Right, sister, do you remember our previous agreement? I’m heading home now, if you have those things with you, give them to me now so I don’t have to come again."