Chapter 75: I am your daughter-in-law (2)
But before Huang Qi could speak, someone else spoke for him.
“Ridiculous, men’s ambitions are in all directions. What’s the difference between them and animals, only knowing to continue the male line all day? Do you really think everyone is like you?”
Said a thin, dark young man slicing meat.
Huang Qi looked over in surprise and found it was his cousin He Chao.
“So what if you found a sweetheart? Look at your lazy, good-for-nothing appearance. I despise you from the bottom of my heart.”
Another young man with a round face, about the same age, chimed in. He was Huang Qi’s sworn brother Liu Keqian.
“You’re such good brothers! It seems I have good relationships with the villagers.”
Huang Qi was moved to tears.
“It’s old Master Huang’s birthday today. Neighbors are putting down their farm work to help, but what about you? As his own grandsons, you’re lazy and good-for-nothing. Are you not ashamed?”
“Old Master Huang outwardly found two granddaughters-in-law, but in reality, he’s missing two laborers. What’s the difference between that and having no descendants?”
“Yes, having grandsons like this is irrelevant. They don’t even know that filial piety is the foremost of all virtues.”
“What do they know? If they knew, they wouldn’t have kicked Old Master Huang out.”
… With two leading the way, other single young men also loudly condemned them.
Huang Long and Huang Bo were caught off guard, completely unprepared for arousing public anger.
“These Huang Long brothers really deserve it. Mocking me is one thing, but why be so reckless with your words? There are many single young men in this village.”
Huang Qi was greatly pleased to see his two cousins being attacked.
“It was my idea to let them rest. Do you have any opinions?”
At this moment, Huang Qi’s second uncle, Huang Kaiyou, suddenly spoke. In his eyes, his daughters-in-law were clearly much more important than his father who was seventy or eighty years old.
“Yes, as the saying goes, filial piety is the foremost of all virtues, but there is also the saying, ‘Of the three unfilial acts, having no descendants is the greatest.’ Therefore, Huang Long and Huang Bo’s most important mission now is to accompany my two daughters-in-law, otherwise, who will continue the Huang family line?”
Huang Qi’s second aunt, Zhou Fang, also spoke, her words sarcastic and suggestive.
“That’s right. If you have any opinions, feel free to ask my father and see if he thinks his two grandsons working is more important or accompanying his granddaughters-in-law is more important.”
Huang Kaiyou passed the difficult question to his old father.
“Old Master, if you think Huang Long accompanying me is unfilial, I can leave.”
“Yes, I don’t want to be unfairly labeled a unfilial grandson. If that’s the case, then being a granddaughter-in-law isn’t worth it.”
… Xie Mei and Qu Zhen, the two women, also threatened them.
Huang Xinghu sat at the door, his expression extremely unpleasant. To be honest, the second branch of the family was indeed unfilial, but he was their grandfather after all, and he really didn’t want to be slandered for driving away his granddaughters-in-law.
Huang Xinghu was in a dilemma and could only stand up and silently return to the side room.
Seeing that the birthday star did not support them, He Chao, Liu Keqian, and the others were immediately speechless.
“What? Mute? You still talk about men’s ambitions being in all directions. What right do you worthless people who can’t even get a wife have to talk about aspirations?”
Huang Bo, having gained the upper hand, surveyed the surroundings with mockery.
Li Fen, losing face, hurriedly entered the main hall.
“Mother, don’t worry, I promise this will be the last time.”
Huang Qi narrowed his eyes and stood up again. It seemed he was destined to be high-profile today.
Amidst everyone’s confusion, Huang Qi walked into the main hall, directly picked up a pen from the table, wrote nine large characters on a nearby piece of paper, and then held it up, walking to his parents’ bedroom door.
Huang Qi intended to knock, but he vaguely heard his parents arguing, so he leaned in to listen.
“Huang Kairong, this was your terrible idea. If we don’t see a daughter-in-law later, I’ll see how you handle it!”
Li Fen said emotionally.
“Don’t worry, there’s no need to handle it. Huang Qi won’t be back for a while, so no one will know if we have a daughter-in-law or not,” Huang Kairong said confidently.
“How do you know?”
Li Fen asked doubtfully.
“I’ve already instructed him in a letter. If he hasn’t found a wife, he should come back in the evening. Otherwise, do you think I would dare to lie?”
Huang Kairong explained.
“But what’s the use of that? You can hide it for a while, but not forever.”
Li Fen couldn’t understand.
“After today, let them mock if they want. Out of sight, out of mind,” Huang Kairong snorted coldly.
“You’re just deceiving yourself.”
Li Fen’s tone was full of disappointment.
Hearing this, Huang Qi took a deep breath, then knocked on the door. The next moment, his mother opened the door.
“Guest, is there anything I can help you with?”
Li Fen was slightly startled to see Huang Qi and showed an awkward smile.
Huang Qi said nothing, just silently handed over the paper in his hand.
Li Fen took it in confusion, and the next moment her eyes widened in disbelief. The paper read eight large characters: “I am Huang Qi’s fiancée.”
Li Fen’s mind went blank from the immense surprise. She incredulously leaned her face close to the paper, as if afraid of misreading even half a word. After a while, she tremblingly stammered, “Girl, is… is this for real?”
Huang Qi couldn’t speak, so he just nodded vigorously.
“I… I was wondering why you didn’t bring any gifts. It turns out you prepared an even bigger surprise for us Huang family.”
Li Fen said, tears of joy streaming down her face.
Huang Qi wanted to comfort her, but being unable to speak, he could only anxiously fidget.
“What’s written?”
Huang Kairong leaned his head over curiously and then saw the eight characters written there. His breath hitched, and he mechanically looked up at Huang Qi, who was taller than him, then looked at the paper in his hand again with uncertainty. The next moment, he suddenly burst out laughing: “Haha, Huang Qi, you are truly my good son! Now, even if I die, I will have the face to see my ancestors!”
Huang Qi was startled and was complaining about how loud his father was being when he inadvertently saw his father’s eyes reddening, which shocked him deeply.
“When was the last time Father cried? It should have been when Grandmother passed away!”
Huang Qi remembered vividly. He didn’t expect a daughter-in-law to be so important in his father’s eyes.
Huang Kairong was so excited for a reason. In the current world, the lifelong goal of ordinary men was to marry and have children. His son was nearly thirty and still single. He had always considered himself an incompetent father and carried a heavy psychological burden. Now, it was all gone, and the pressure on him had vanished.
“By the way, why aren’t you speaking? And why are you wearing a veil?”
Li Fen, in her excitement, finally realized that this girl seemed not to have spoken since entering the house.
Huang Qi had already thought of a countermeasure and wrote on the paper: “Just had my wisdom teeth pulled, toothache, can’t open my mouth, and my face is swollen, so I can only wear a veil to cover my ugliness. It will be fine in a few days.”
“I see!”
Li Fen breathed a sigh of relief, then quickly reached out to wipe the tears from her face, afraid of embarrassing herself in front of the future “daughter-in-law.”
“Alright, come out with me to meet the elders and villagers outside. Now let’s see who dares to mock me sarcastically to my face.”
Huang Kairong’s slightly hunched back straightened up considerably, and he strode out the door.
Huang Qi held the paper and pen in his hand and then decisively followed him. Wasn’t everything he did for this moment?
Li Fen followed behind, wiping her tears. In front of everyone, as a mother-in-law, she couldn’t embarrass her future daughter-in-law.
Outside the door, Huang Long and Huang Bo were still directing their output towards the single men in the village.
“He Chao, Liu Keqian, do you know whose surname this courtyard is? It’s Huang! When did it become your turn, you two outsiders, to point fingers here?”
“Yes, we are cousins with Huang Qi, and we are also half masters of this courtyard. Wanting you to get lost is just a word away.”
…
The two brothers focused their firepower on He Chao and Liu Keqian, who were leading the charge.
He Chao and Liu Keqian lowered their heads and said nothing. Since the host didn’t stand up to support them, they had no courage to argue.
“You want to be the masters of this courtyard? Did you ask me?”
As soon as he stepped out of the main hall, Huang Kairong questioned loudly.
