Xiao Yuerong returned to the room, full of anger, crying and making a scene, “Grandma clearly promised to stand up for me, but she went back on her word.”

Zheng Peier was also dissatisfied with Wang Lu’s later attempt to smooth things over, but Zheng Peier still knew her limits.

“What nonsense are you talking about? Your grandma must have her reasons for doing this.”

Xiao Yuerong gritted his teeth and said, “That little fool is so cocky now! Give it some time and he’ll be climbing on my head, making me his horse.”

Back then, when he’d beaten the little fool, the boy didn’t dare make a sound, but now he was so brazen. Third Uncle was like a different person. Before, when he’d bullied the little fool, Third Uncle never said a word.

Zheng Peier lowered her head, thinking: Not only is Xiao Xiaofan brazen! Xiao Jingting is also pretty cocky. Xiao Jingting had always been unhappy with how Xiao Qingyan got better treatment. Now that he’s grown stronger, is he trying to fight for better treatment?

Xiao Jingfeng used to hang around with the mercenary group, but now he’d joined up with Xiao Jingting, backing him in everything. Xiao Jingfeng might not have been taken seriously before, but now that he was siding with Xiao Jingting, he was really becoming a problem.

After settling Xiao Yuerong and Xiao Yuefeng, Zheng Peier walked out the door.

“Is the boy asleep?” Xiao Qingyan asked with a stern face, clearly in a bad mood.

Zheng Peier nodded and said, “He’s asleep.”

“Is Arong alright?” Xiao Qingyan asked.

“He kept holding his head and saying it hurt,” Zheng Peier said, full of sadness.

“Third Brother never even cared about that little brat before! But this time, he stood up for him,” Xiao Qingyan said hatefully.

“In my opinion, Xiao Jingting didn’t necessarily want to stand up for that brat. He just used that brat as an excuse to get under your skin,” said Zheng Peier.

Xiao Qingyan nodded and said, “You’re right. Third Brother’s strength has improved, and he’s gotten greedy. What’s worse is Xiao Jingfeng—he keeps helping Xiao Jingting go against me at every turn.”

Xiao Qingyan clenched his fists. Although their parents still showed him favor, Xiao Jingting and Xiao Jingfeng’s improved cultivation had changed their opinion of the two, and they’d become much colder toward him. Luckily, both of them developed resistance to the spiritual medicine; it’d now be hard for them to make further progress.

………………

Xiao Chengfeng’s other courtyard.

“Mother, what’s got you so happy?” Xiao Muhong looked at Liu Xian and asked.

Liu Xian smiled and said, “Xiao Jingting’s only been back for two days, and his son already had a fight with Xiao Qingyan’s son. I heard Xiao Yuerong, that brat, got badly hurt by that fool. In the past, Xiao Jingting ignored that fool, but now he’s going out of his way to defend him. Looks like these two brothers are going to butt heads.”

Xiao Muhong gave a cold laugh, thinking: The more those brothers fight the better. If they didn’t, that would trouble him.

“Zheng Peier isn’t the forgiving type. Her son got beaten—she’ll definitely hold it against Xiao Jingting.”

Liu Xian nodded, “That woman is definitely fierce. Xiao Yuerong’s temperament is just like his mother—he can’t stand being slighted.”

Xiao Yuerong was also like the little tyrant of the Xiao family, always making others carry him like a horse. The family’s servants all bowed and scraped before him because he was the young master, and let him do as he pleased.

He also liked to make less favored children close to his own age give him horse rides, causing various incidents. But even though Xiao Yuerong was young, he chose weak targets—kids without strong backing, so Zheng Peier easily suppressed any trouble that followed. In the past, Xiao Xiaofan had suffered a lot at his hands… This time, Xiao Yuerong really suffered a setback—his head was cracked open by Xiao Xiaofan, who was totally unharmed.

“I heard Xiao Jingting is acting cold towards your wife since he came back?” Liu Xian asked.

Xiao Muhong nodded, “That’s right. Xiao Jingting doesn’t seem like before.” This time back, his relationship with Xu Muan seemed much improved.

Liu Xian’s face darkened. “That guy really hit a streak of dumb luck, even managed to break through to level five. When Xiao Jingting first arrived at Mound Village, I sent someone to check on him. The report was he just moped around, spent money recklessly, had a gambling problem, and got hooked on Xiaoyao San.”

“Mother, what kind of person did you send? Could they have brought you false information?” Xiao Muhong asked.

Liu Xian shook her head. “Shouldn’t be—he’s a trusted aide I’ve had for years. I doubt he’d make things up.”

………………

Xiao Jingting was walking down the corridor when he unexpectedly ran into Sun Miaomiao. Xiao Jingting gave a light “Cousin-in-law” greeting and turned to leave.

“Jingting,” Sun Miaomiao called.

Xiao Jingting felt a chill on his scalp when he heard Sun Miaomiao’s plaintive call. He turned to look at her and asked, “Cousin-in-law, do you need something?”

“Jingting, do you hate me?” Sun Miaomiao asked sadly.

Xiao Jingting nodded, “Yes.”

Sun Miaomiao was stunned—she hadn’t expected Xiao Jingting to admit it so directly. “Because I married your cousin?”

“You can marry whomever you want, it has nothing to do with me. I’m just surprised—did my pursuit really disgust you that much, to the point your Sun family wished so much for me to go astray, lose my wife and family?” Xiao Jingting said coldly.

“I don’t understand what you mean,” Sun Miaomiao said.

Xiao Jingting smiled, “Go ask your brother. If you don’t get it, he does.”

“Jingting, do you really hate me that much?”

“Cousin-in-law, don’t put on this act like the world owes you, as if I wronged you. The truth is, we never even started anything,” Xiao Jingting said coldly.

Sun Miaomiao watched Xiao Jingting’s back, feeling a deep sense of emptiness.

……

Xiao Jingting’s other courtyard.

Xiao Xiaofan hugged his foot, rolling back and forth on the bed.

“I went up with a brick—had him crying for his dad and mom, hahaha…” Xiao Xiaofan said gleefully.

Xu Muan looked at Xiao Xiaofan, feeling both vindicated and uneasy. “Alright, don’t get too cocky. If your father hadn’t shown up, your grandfather and grandmother would have locked you up in the ancestral hall.”

Before Xiao Jingting arrived, Zheng Peier had wanted to put Xiao Xiaofan in there to reflect for a few days.

The ancestral hall was chilly and damp. Xiao Xiaofan was so young—he wouldn’t have lasted at all. The thing was, if Mu Shuyu hadn’t stopped them, Wang Lu might have agreed to it.

“Dad’s really good to me now.” Xiao Xiaofan said joyfully, snuggling with his blanket. “Before, Dad never cared about me. When that fat jerk pushed me in the river, he didn’t care.”

Xu Muan lowered his head, feeling grateful that Xiao Jingting had become who he was now.

“Is Xiaofan asleep?” Xiao Jingting asked.

Xu Muan nodded, “He’s asleep… though probably still excited.”

“That’s only natural—getting revenge is a big deal.” He recalled that Xiao Xiaofan always got bullied by the Yuerong brothers. No wonder the boy was excited after finally coming out on top.

“What are you saying?” Xu Muan glanced around—walls have ears! Xiao Jingting couldn’t help spouting nonsense.

“Father and Mother still prefer Big Brother,” Xiao Jingting said.

Xu Muan nodded, “Yes.” Although they hadn’t pressed the issue this time, Xu Muan could see that Wang Lu was quite unhappy Xiao Xiaofan hit Xiao Yuerong.

Xiao Qingyan was always their parents’ favorite child. That sort of favoritism wasn’t going to change easily.

“Tomorrow, let’s take our son out shopping.” Xiao Jingting said.

Xu Muan hesitated, “Tomorrow… probably not a good idea. Xiaofan just got in trouble, and you want to take him out?”

“What are you scared of? I was lawless before anyway, never got along with Xiao Qingyan,” Xiao Jingting said.

Originally, Xiao Qingyan looked down on Xiao Jingting, and Xiao Jingting felt that Xiao Qingyan stole his resources. Their relationship had always been terrible.

“You’re right,” said Xu Muan.

“We can invite Second Brother too,” Xiao Jingting added.

Xu Muan nodded, “Okay.” This time, Xiaofan escaped punishment thanks to help from Xiao Jingfeng and Mu Shuyu.

“Did you see Sun Miaomiao while you were inspecting the fields today?” asked Xu Muan.

Xiao Jingting nodded, “I did. I just ran into her again now.”

Xu Muan was surprised. “Just now?”

“It looked like coincidence, but I think she was waiting for me,” Xiao Jingting said.

Xu Muan smiled. If Xiao Jingting was still the man he used to be, he’d have jumped at Sun Miaomiao, but Xiao Jingting had changed. Sun Miaomiao was destined to be disappointed—this Xiao Jingting said he likes men.

“Sun Miaomiao has high ambitions. She married Xiao Muhong thinking the main branch should have held the power.” Xu Muan said.

Xiao Jingting folded his arms, “Whatever. In a while, I’ll ask Father about moving out.”

Xu Muan nodded, “Good idea.” Xiao Jingting’s jade pendant space couldn’t be exposed, and with so many sharp-eyed elders about, it was only a matter of time before something slipped.

…………

“What are you thinking about?” Mu Shuyu asked Xiao Jingfeng.

Xiao Jingfeng shook his head, “Nothing, just that our parents are too biased.” If Third Brother hadn’t argued on principle, Xiaofan would have been locked in the ancestral hall. After spending some time with Xiaofan, he felt that although the boy wasn’t very bright, he was obedient and sensible.

Mu Shuyu nodded, “I agree. Although it wasn’t right for Xiaofan to smash Yuerong with a brick, how could Yuerong make Xiaofan carry him like a horse? That’s so disrespectful. Xiaofan’s so little—if Yuerong climbed on him he’d get hurt, and your big brother doesn’t even keep his son in check.”

Xiao Jingfeng shook his head, “They don’t care. Honestly, Big Brother’s kids used to bully Xu Muan’s kids all the time, so there really was a deep-rooted grudge.” He hadn’t come back often before and hadn’t been close to Xu Muan, so he could only meddle a bit.

Mu Shuyu took a deep breath and said, “I’ve heard about what your Third Brother used to be like. Thankfully he’s changed.”

Xiao Jingfeng nodded, “Yeah.”

 

 

Edited by: Tetsu

Proofreader: Taalia

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