Chapter 378: Chapter 378: Launching Attack (Fifth Update~Vote Request)

Aunt Qu finally left.

Luo Dahua spoke up, “This person doesn’t look trustworthy. In the future, we should avoid people like this, so as not to cling to them like a cat to the scent of fish.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

This Aunt Qu, her gaze flickered, and she spoke unclearly, clearly with ulterior motives.

Yang Peiying whispered, “This person is Brother Qu’s mother.”

“Qu Fangsheng?”

Yang Peiying nodded, “He doesn’t seem the same as his mother.”

At this moment, Shen Yixiang frowned upon looking at her, “Yingzi, when did you get so close to him? Calling him ‘Brother Qu,’ so affectionately, do you know what kind of person he is?”

Upon hearing the word ‘affectionately,’ Yang Peiying’s face turned bright red, and she became flustered, “No, that’s not it. I don’t really know how to address him. He’s a bit older, so it doesn’t seem wrong to call him that, does it?”

Luo Dahua seemed to also sense something, “Yingzi, it sounds like you’re quite familiar with him. What does he do for a living? Who’s in his family? What’s his character like? How old is he? Is he married?”

Yang Peiying replied, “We’re not exactly close. He’s borrowed things from our house a few times and has helped carry firewood over. He also works at the leather factory, but I don’t know doing what. His family seems to consist of his parents, two younger sisters, and two nephews. He’s not married. This is what the neighbor Shuang Mei told me. She also said he’s quite helpful to everyone in need. Everyone likes his recipes… He must be around twenty-five or six?”

Yang PeiMin also perked up with curiosity, “What about his two nephews? Why haven’t we heard about his brother and sister-in-law? Don’t they live here?”

“No, his brother passed away in an accident five years ago, and his sister-in-law has remarried. The two nephews now live with him.”

Luo Dahua asked another question, “Then why hasn’t he married? Do his parents work? And his sisters?”

Yang Peiying shook her head, “His parents don’t work. They stay home to help with his nephews. His sisters didn’t continue schooling; one is about my age and also works in the leather factory. I heard she’s preparing to get married. The younger one doesn’t work and helps out with the children at home. Oh, right, his father suffered a stroke and is bedridden, in need of care… As for why he’s not married, I seemed to have heard something. There was a relationship before, but apparently, considering the heavy burden of his family and the two nephews, she wasn’t willing, so they broke up.”

Luo Dahua frowned upon hearing this, “You’ve heard it, who would willingly get involved with such a family? Yingzi, you don’t know, what you see of his family might be just the surface. Otherwise, why would that girl have left so abruptly? There must be something else. After all, when she started dating him, she should have been aware of his situation. Pursuing the relationship meant she didn’t mind his family burdens, but then they broke up. There must be an issue. You should stay away from them. Listen to your sister-in-law; we want nothing to do with such family circumstances. Don’t think only women flock to men with good prospects; men can do the same when the women have good prospects. Our family, even the neighbors, should know a bit. From the way you all dress and how you buy groceries, if they are observant, they can tell your family is not so bad off.”

Yang PeiMin kept nodding, convinced that experience counted for something.

Shen Yixiang exclaimed, “Could it be that Aunt Qu is aiming for this?”

Luo Dahua nodded, “What else could she be aiming for?”

Shen Yixiang spat in disdain, “Shameless, to think their family, in such a sorry state, could even dream about our Yingzi. One look at Aunt Qu and you can tell she’s not easy to deal with. Yingzi is so naive. If she married into their family, wouldn’t she be completely at her mercy? This can’t happen under any circumstances, Yingzi. Don’t listen to them, stay far away from them right away.”

Yang Peiying was dumbfounded by the barrage of comments and hastened to nod, “I haven’t.”

“There’s nothing to worry about then. I’ll keep an eye on them too. Next time they come over to borrow anything, I’ll just chuck them out.”

No sooner had she said this than the gate to the courtyard clapped open. Shen Yixiang quickly stood up and marched out to open the door with a commanding presence, and everyone craned their necks to look towards the courtyard entrance.

Sure enough, it was Qu Fang again, this time claiming to borrow a flashlight. Shen Yixiang took her stance in the doorway, only opening the door halfway and said expressionlessly, “We don’t have a flashlight in our house. You’d better ask someone else. Oh, and by the way, we don’t have anything here, so you don’t need to come over to borrow from us anymore.”

Qu Fang’s face turned red, and she walked away, embarrassed.

Only then did Shen Yixiang walk back, chin slightly uplifted.

“What a coward, scared off by a few words.”

Yang Peiying was somewhat flabbergasted.

But Shen Yixiang’s smugness didn’t last long before a hubbub of loud arguments and swearing was heard from outside. Shen Yixiang ran out and listened intently before returning with a face signifying bad news.

Everyone hurriedly asked her what was going on.

Shen Yixiang replied angrily, “It’s that Mrs. Qu from just before, gossiping and badmouthing us! She’s insinuating all kinds of things, saying our family is ungrateful, stingy, and one that only takes without giving. That we have no neighborhood spirit, and even mentioned how they helped us in the past, but now we don’t even recognize them. She’s using her little daughter to spread the insults. It’s infuriating to listen to. I can’t stand for this; I have to go out and confront her.”

Luo Dahua quickly held her back, “She didn’t name us directly, there’s no need to go out and take it personally. Just let her be. We’re not asking her for any handouts. We’ll just avoid them from now on.”

Shen Yixiang finally sat back down, visibly angry, “If only my brother were here, they’re just taking advantage because there are no men in our family.”

Her words were quickly caught by Luo Dahua, “We can settle the score once your brother returns.”

Shen Yixiang glanced at Yang PeiMin and immediately nodded in agreement, not bringing up Shen Yiguang again.

Yang PeiMin felt helpless; in truth, she didn’t harbour many thoughts on the matter. She was somewhat saddened that Shen Yiguang had not returned yet, but it wasn’t to the point of disappointment. She was just worried about him. Four months had passed since he left, and she hadn’t received a single letter, not knowing whether he faced any dangers.

She shouldn’t think too much and should just focus on her upcoming delivery. By the time he returned, she would have already given birth, and with a healthy, chubby child to boost, it would be a joyful surprise for him.

She had just thought this when, that evening, she went into labor. Her water broke, right after she had finished bathing and was getting ready to sleep in bed.

Yang Peiying was also in the room and told her to call Luo Dahua in.

Yang Peiying was so nervous, she started screaming in the room, and Luo Dahua and Shen Yixiang rushed in immediately.

“What’s the matter? Is it time to give birth? Hurry up, Yixiang, go get someone to bring over the handcart. We need to rush your sister-in-law to the hospital.”

This was all pre-arranged; they had already agreed with a neighbor, the Zhao’s, to borrow their handcart when the time came. They were determined to go to the hospital for the birth, not to have the baby at home like some people do.