CHAPTER 479: CHAPTER 245: SHI YUMEI BORROWS MONEY (PART 2)

Shi Fengju subconsciously recalled Sang Wan’s previously blurted suggestion about urging her older sister to divorce, and to his surprise, he felt somewhat shaken. If things continue like this, it might be cleaner to just divorce!

"Unable to attend the poetry gathering without silver, your brother-in-law’s friends have started looking down on him. They don’t invite him to casual gatherings anymore, and it makes your brother-in-law furious and he vents at home! He says that working in isolation has stiffened his brain, he’s oblivious to current affairs, how can he make any progress! Let alone the next examination, I fear even the one after next he won’t pass! Ah, I’m really worried, the way he is now, he simply can’t settle down to review his studies, and if he keeps failing, what can your older sister look forward to? Younger brother, why don’t I write you an IOU, and you help us again!"

Shi Fengju hesitated before saying, "Older sister, don’t be too indulgent with your brother-in-law! Look at Uncle Liu from the Sang family and our third brother, aren’t they diligently studying hard without attending numerous gatherings and poetry gatherings? True scholars don’t have time for such idle activities! You should advise your brother-in-law to focus and study hard! Besides, you know what his friends are like, are any of them serious? It’s a good thing for him to be away from those people! Protecting him like this now, hmph, I fear if he does succeed someday, he might not even regard you! Older sister, I think you should start planning ahead early!"

Shi Fengju’s last remark was just a probe to test his older sister’s intentions, and seeing her expression darken as soon as he finished speaking, he regretted bringing it up.

Sure enough, Shi Yumei responded with a hint of annoyance, "I’m just asking for your help. If you’re unwilling and think that as an older sister I’m taking advantage of you, just say it! I won’t resent you for it. After all, this shouldn’t be your responsibility to worry about, and I’m not unreasonable! Yes, your brother-in-law does have a bit of a strange temperament, but he is a decent person, even if sometimes he speaks harshly, he has never done anything to wrong me! If you compare him to Uncle Liu, I have nothing to say; who told Uncle Liu to be luckier? But you shouldn’t belittle your brother-in-law like this! As a married woman, my husband is my lifelong support, his future is all I hope for, what else can I plan for myself! Aren’t you clearly harboring ill intentions!"

She got angrier as she spoke, and fretfully said: "You would never have said such things to me before, has someone been stirring you up? Who is so malicious and unethical, who just cannot stand to see me prosper, wanting my family to be ruined before they are satisfied, right!"

As Shi Yumei spoke these last words, her voice involuntarily rose, and she glanced intentionally or unintentionally in the direction of the warm pavilion.

Sang Wan suddenly sat up, feeling somewhat baffled.

Shi Fengju and his sister exchanged words that Sang Wan couldn’t hear clearly from inside, but Shi Yumei’s angrily spoken words were clearly directed at her, inevitably making her a bit annoyed, not understanding how she could have offended this venerable Bodhisattva suddenly!

"Older sister!" Shi Fengju inwardly mocked himself, thinking that this was a fair hit although it was not Miss Wan who incited it, for these were indeed the very words she had said which made him think like this, yet Miss Wan meant well! His sister’s reaction, however, unjustly implicated Miss Wan.

"Older sister, take it as me speaking nonsense out of a slip of the tongue, forgive me! Don’t take it to heart, there’s no one stirring things up behind your back!" Shi Fengju quickly said with a smile and kept apologizing.

Seeing him like this, Shi Yumei didn’t feel right to say anything more, then added, "I was just saying it, younger brother, don’t take it to heart!"

"Your words make me feel like an outsider! We are close kin, how could I take it to heart!" Shi Fengju said with a smile again.

"That’s good! That’s good!" Shi Yumei replied.

"By the way, I don’t know if the older sister has had dinner yet?" Shi Fengju asked with a smile.

Only then did Shi Yumei remember that her brother probably hadn’t eaten yet, so she stood up smiling, "I’ve already eaten at mom’s place, then, I won’t disturb you, I’ll head back now!"

Shi Fengju nodded and stood up to see her off: "Older sister, take care!"

Seeing that he didn’t mention lending silver at all, Shi Yumei felt slightly disappointed, but they had both already stood up to say goodbye, it was too embarrassing for her to bring it up again, so she just swallowed it and left with a forced smile.

Shi Fengju sent her off and then returned to the warm pavilion; by now Liu Ya and Xingzhi had come in to light the lamps and were attending to Sang Wan as she got up.

Seeing Shi Fengju come in, Sang Wan sent the two to fetch water for washing up and then asked Shi Fengju, "About the words Older Sister said just now, did I somehow offend her again?"

Shi Fengju knew she would ask him this, and hurriedly said with a smile, "No! It was just me carelessly saying the wrong thing that made her misunderstand, it really has nothing to do with you!"

Sang Wan looked deeply at him, pausing before merely responding with an "Oh." She would be surprised if she believed him!

Shi Fengju gave a bitter smile and shook his head slightly, hastily holding onto her shoulders and saying with a smile, "Miss Wan, don’t overthink it; older sister just came back, you two barely exchanged a few words, how could you have offended her!"

Sang Wan flatly said, "The one overthinking isn’t me, it’s her. You don’t need to explain this to me, I’m fine!"

Shortly afterward, Liu Ya and others brought in water; they washed and soon set out the meal to eat together with Shi Fengju.

Shi Yumei, thinking of the boastful words she had spoken in front of her husband when returning to her natal family, suddenly felt agitated, at times blaming her husband for not striving harder, and at other times resenting her brother for not being considerate. Pondering left and right to no avail, she eventually plucked up the courage to speak to Mrs. Wang, told a lie, and took four hundred silver banknotes from Mrs. Wang before giving up.

Sang Yufei was in a rush to go to Beijing, and seven or eight days later, he embarked on the journey to Beijing.