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Chapter 174: Chapter 167 Shen Yunxiu Returns
The two reached their front door and found old Master Shen’s son, Shen Ninglin, sitting at the doorway playing with stones.
"Ning Lin, why are you here? Did Grandpa want to see me for something?" Shen Yunfang asked as soon as she approached.
Shen Ninglin was feeling bored, and upon hearing that the awaited person had returned, his spirits lifted immediately. "Aunt Yunfang, you’re finally back. I’ve come several times already. Grandpa asked me to call you and Uncle to come to our house for dinner."
After finishing his words, he looked up at Shen Yunfang with hopeful little eyes.
It wasn’t until he received a piece of candy from Shen Yunfang’s hand that he grinned contentedly and prepped to run home.
"Hey, wait, do you know why he’s calling me over?"
"My Aunt Yunxiu is back. She even brought something for you. Grandpa says he wants you to come over for a meal," Shen Ninglin mumbled through the candy in his mouth.
"Alright, I got it. Your uncle and I will head over in a bit," Shen Yunfang said after pondering for a moment.
Once Shen Ninglin had run off into the distance, the couple finally entered their house.
After arriving home, they boiled water to wash their faces. Having toiled with the land all day, they were covered in grim and dirt and had to clean up before meeting anyone.
Meanwhile, Shen Yunfang took the opportunity to brief Li Hongjun on the basic situation of her cousin and, of course, she couldn’t leave out how her cousin’s husband came into the picture.
After listening, Li Hongjun nodded in understanding. He had heard about this cousin from his mother before, but not in such detail.
The couple quickly washed up and then headed to old Master Shen’s house together.
As soon as they entered the courtyard, they were greeted by the exaggerated laughter of Second Aunt Shen and the slightly sycophantic flattery of Second Great Aunt.
Shen Yunfang frowned; it seemed that today’s feast wouldn’t be that enjoyable.
Regardless, since they were already there, they couldn’t leave. Shen Yunfang took the lead into the house and handed over her basket to huffing and puffing Great Aunt Shen.
"Oh my, look at you acting like outsiders, bringing things to your own uncle’s house," Great Aunt Shen said as she cheerfully took the basket.
"It’s nothing much, just a few quails. Hongjun said they are tasty, so I thought I’d bring some over for Uncle to enjoy with his drink," Shen Yunfang replied with a smile.
Li Hongjun also greeted Great Aunt Shen.
After they entered the house, they saw people sitting on the kang bed and stools, even more crowded than on their wedding day.
"Oh, look who’s here! Is that our new bride?" Shen Yunxiu, who was surrounded by a group of people on the kang, jeered at Shen Yunfang and the unfamiliar man entering.
When she had left, Shen Yunfang was at the hospital caring for her injured fiancé. Shen Yunxiu had thought that by the time she returned, she would hear the news of Shen Yunfang calling off her engagement. To her surprise, not only had Shen Yunfang gone through with the marriage, but she had also managed to bring her husband back to Gaijiatun. The faint hope that had lingered in Shen Yunxiu’s heart was now completely shattered, and her mood soured instantly upon seeing Shen Yunfang.
Li Hongjun frowned at Shen Yunxiu, not liking the tone of her voice.
"Yeah, your new bride is here to see you, the pregnant lady," Shen Yunfang said airily, emphasizing the words ’pregnant lady’ heavily. The mocking tone in her voice was unmistakable to anyone there.
Everyone knew all about Shen Yunxiu’s past scandals. She shouldn’t think that a trip to the Capital could change anything—her pregnant belly was proof of her shamelessness.
The moment these two cousins met, sparks flew everywhere, shocking everyone present for a moment.
But the response was quick nonetheless.
"Oh, a girl should not behave like this, Yunfang, even though you’re married, Second Aunt still has to say a few words to you..." Second Aunt put on an air of an elder ready to scold Yunfang, while also trying to curry favor with Yunxiu.
"Second Aunt, I heard that my sister-in-law didn’t come back for the New Year’s?" Minding others’ business without having your own in order is truly embarrassing.
"Yunfang, hurry and help Hongjun over here to sit." Elder Shen stepped in to smooth things over.
Shen Yunfang and Li Hongjun both gave Elder Shen face, sighing, she helped Li Hongjun over to the Elder Shen’s side, with several women, including Shen Yunxiu, across the kang table from them.
"Yunxiu, keep talking, what else is there about that shopping mall?" Second Aunt was so curious about everything in the Capital.
"Second Aunt, it’s the Chinese Shopping Mall, all the things there are sold to foreigners, the quality, I can’t even begin to describe, we here haven’t even seen the likes of it." Shen Yunxiu bragged, casting a glance at Shen Yunfang while doing so.
Shen Yunfang acted as if she hadn’t heard a word and focused on chatting with Elder Shen along with Li Hongjun.
"What did you buy? Show it to Second Aunt so she can be enlightened."
The smug smile on Shen Yunxiu’s face froze instantly.
"Second Aunt, my mother originally wanted to buy Yunxiu a few clothes, but Yunxiu said she can’t fit into anything right now, it would have been a waste to buy, so she didn’t let my mother get anything," Fang Chengjian said with a smile as he took over the conversation.
"So you didn’t bring anything back." Disappointment tinged Second Aunt’s tone.
The corners of Shen Yunxiu’s mouth drooped downwards.
"Yunxiu’s belly is so big now, I had to take care of her when I got back, I couldn’t bring much. My mother bought some fabric to make clothes for the baby; once they’re done in a few days, we’ll mail them over," Chengjian maintained his smile.
Shen Yunfang’s mouth curved upward in a smirk; it seemed that Shen Yunxiu wasn’t all that favored by her mother-in-law either.
Which decent family would really appreciate such an acquired daughter-in-law? Even though her own son was also at fault, people are biased by nature; at this point, they could only see the mistakes made by Shen Yunxiu, the outsider.
Everyone in the room chatted about their own things, and all was well for the moment. Soon, Elder Shen and her daughter-in-law had the meal ready. With so many people, they still had to split into two tables. The men’s table even had an additional plate of fried quails Yunfang had brought, intended to accompany liquor.
Li Hongjun, due to his "leg still not being well," didn’t drink. Chengjian and him met for the first time but weren’t awkward, and Chengjian kept engaging him in conversation at the dinner table.
Li Hongjun knew Shen Yunxiu’s story, so he had a very unfavorable impression of his cousin-in-law and wasn’t keen to associate with him, giving terse and perfunctory replies when spoken to which lacked sincerity. Fortunately, this was consistent with his usual demeanor.
It was livelier on the women’s side.
Since Shen Yunxiu was not there when Yunfang got married, Second Aunt eagerly turned the events of Yunfang’s wedding days into jokes for Yunxiu at the dinner table.
Fortunately, she spoke the truth, so Yunfang had nothing to counter and didn’t feel like refuting either. She thought it was her own business and knew the truth, so why bother with what others thought?
"Yunfang, are you really moving back here to live, and your in-laws allowed it? Wouldn’t your cousin-in-law become a ’back-inserted’ son-in-law? Hehehe!" Shen Yunxiu seemed as if she had discovered a new continent, laughing like a witch.
"Yo, cousin, look at what you’re saying. With you and brother-in-law’s situation far more scandalous, doesn’t that make my little affair seem less novel?" Yunfang snorted with laughter towards Yunxiu.
Some people just don’t use their brains; they don’t think of their own flaws before mocking others. If you haven’t cleaned your own backside, how dare you provoke anyone else?
