CHAPTER 109: CHAPTER 108: ARE YOU FOR REAL?

Yu Xiaolian was also filled with complex emotions, overwhelmed by mixed feelings.

She only wanted to stay with Mrs. Sun and Yu Changhe and live a quiet and simple life.

"Sorry, I mistook you for someone else!"

Qi Yunfan lightly tapped his toes and flew up into the air, disappearing in the alley in the blink of an eye.

Hey, you even called my name, and you still say you mistook me—aren’t you being fake?

It’s good that he’s gone.

Anyway, she didn’t want to acknowledge any parents or brothers from the Witch Clan; if she left with them, how heartbroken would Mrs. Sun and Yu Changhe be?

Since her arrival, Mrs. Sun and Yu Changhe had treated her very well, and she had long considered them her own family—she couldn’t bear to leave them.

Su Jingchen looked worried, "Although this person seems harmless to you, he definitely knows you. It’s just unclear what his intentions are, so you should be cautious."

"Don’t worry, I know him, he won’t harm me." Yu Xiaolian opened the wooden door, "I’ll head back now."

Mrs. Sun and Yu Changhe were now very strict about her daily outings.

If she stayed out too long, they would worry greatly. She usually took Zhao Erya along, but today’s discussion wasn’t suitable for Zhao Erya’s presence, so Yu Xiaolian didn’t bring her.

Su Jingchen walked around to the back door.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw Aunt Li busy with the charcoal brazier.

Upon seeing him return, she smiled, "Young Master, you’re back!"

"Is Jingyue complaining about the cold in the house again?"

"No, it’s the master who came. He said our house isn’t warm enough, so he asked me to add more charcoal braziers."

Father Su was planning to purchase a batch of goods from Maizhou and return before the year’s end to sell them at a good price and make a big profit.

Maizhou?

Isn’t that the place Yu Xiaolian mentioned where her father encountered trouble?

Now that Su Jingchen knew the dangers of Maizhou, he certainly didn’t want Father Su to take the risk.

However, Father Su had long agreed with several fellow merchants, so how could Su Jingchen stop him?

He detoured to Shangyang City just to see his two sons, ensuring they were well so he could go out and earn money with peace of mind.

"Be cautious with the charcoal brazier at night, and don’t seal the doors and windows too tightly." Father Su advised as he pulled out a fifty-tael silver note from his pocket.

He left the silver note and prepared to leave.

But his son blocked his way.

Father Su glared angrily, thinking Su Jingchen was complaining about the small amount of money given, "I’m purchasing a large quantity this time, needing at least a thousand taels of silver to circulate smoothly. Furthermore, your stepmother is about to give birth—girls need to be hired to serve her—and there are many expenses at home. Just take these for now; you and your brother can manage with it for two or three months."

Having a stepmother means having a stepfather.

The years of pillow talk from Mrs. Yao had long deviated Father Su’s affections.

Even though Father Su was partial to the child in Mrs. Yao’s belly, Su Jingchen couldn’t just stand by and watch his father go to Maizhou to court death.

When Yu Xiaolian warned him, he anticipated this day, but didn’t expect it would happen more than a year earlier than she had said.

Luckily, he had already prepared.

Su Jingchen didn’t hesitate and straightforwardly threatened Father Su with Mrs. Yao’s indenture contract.

He stated if Father Su dared go to Maizhou, he would immediately return to Lower River Bend and sell Mrs. Yao along with her unborn child.

"You wouldn’t dare!" Father Su was so furious he was trembling all over.

After Mother Su’s death, within less than a hundred days, Father Su was already entangled with Mrs. Yao, who had also urged him to reclaim her indenture contract.

Yet after many searches through Mother Su’s belongings, the indenture contract couldn’t be found.

When asked, the young Su Jingchen claimed he didn’t know or understand.

He was only six when Mother Su died, so naturally, Father Su believed him when he said he didn’t know.

Unexpectedly, after so many years, the son who once insisted he didn’t know what an indenture contract was suddenly produced it to threaten him.

Father Su was furious, shouting, "Ungrateful son!"

While speaking, he reached out to grab Mrs. Yao’s indenture contract, but Su Jingchen was prepared and hid the contract behind him as Father Su lunged.

Father Su harshly accused, "Mrs. Yao is now your stepmother, no longer your mother’s maid. What right do you have to keep her indenture contract? Hand it over!"

Su Jingchen sneered, over the years he had tolerated enough; had it not been for Jingyue losing his mother at birth, he wouldn’t have permitted Mrs. Yao, a simple maid, to arrogantly assume the role of their stepmother.

Though he had given Mrs. Yao a chance to prove herself, she remained ignorant, always trying to marginalize the two brothers.

Father Su was often away from home for business, while Mrs. Yao displayed the utmost responsibility of a stepmother in front of villagers, acting with deep care, garnering praise from everyone.

But only the two brothers knew the real situation.

In public, Mrs. Yao pretended to worry about Su Jingchen’s frailty, acting exhausted and often saying she couldn’t eat due to concern for Su Jingchen and Jingyue, unable to sleep.

Yet, in reality, she was enjoying meals heartily, fit and strong, sleeping until the sun was high.

Su Jingchen truly admired Mrs. Yao’s skills at changing her demeanor and acting, seamlessly shifting between vibrant health and feigned weakness.

Su Jingchen looked at Father Su, now a middle-aged man with a paunch, "Father, have you ever considered, as you’re often not at home, that Mrs. Yao may not be as virtuous as she appears?"

"What are you trying to say now? Are you again disparaging your stepmother? Despite her years of hard work raising you two, you don’t show filial piety, and instead, frequently speak ill of her."

As soon as Su Jingchen started, Father Su’s temper flared, pointing at the younger son, "Especially you, always capable of irritating her the most."

During Mrs. Yao’s pregnancy, she often experienced chest tightness, the doctor said it was due to emotional distress.

Since Su Jingchen took away Su Jingyue, gossip arose in the village that Mrs. Yao was ill-treating her stepchildren.

If Mrs. Yao were genuinely kind to her stepchildren, would Su Jingchen have needed to take his young brother away for studies?

Wasn’t it obvious Mrs. Yao was a poor stepmother?

If she were good, would Su Jingchen have taken Jingyue?

It’s as obvious as lice on a bald head!

Mrs. Yao was unhappy hearing such gossip, and in order to restore her image of a virtuous wife and mother, she acted melancholic and uninterested in food before Father Su daily.

Seeing how affected Mrs. Yao was by his sons’ departure, Father Su deemed Su Jingchen as utterly ignorant.

He intended to comfort Mrs. Yao but was instead comforted back by her gentleness.

Mrs. Yao not only bore no grudge against the two sons; she showed constant concern during conversations, worrying about their well-being and living conditions in Yangcheng.

Compared to Mrs. Yao, his sons’ behavior disappointed him completely.

Father Su seethed with anger, "Despite your stepmother’s constant concern for you, you hold onto her indenture contract with the intention of selling her—you truly are my ’good’ sons!"