Deeply Disgusted

Magistrate Wen and his wife nodded with satisfaction.

"Die'er." Madam Wen said: "When you go to the Xu family in the future, you must take care of your younger siblings and treat them as your own brothers and sisters. You must respect Wenwu's parents as if they were your own parents. They are all easy to get along with. Don't throw a tantrum in the future, otherwise mother won't help you!"

Wen Die blushed, nodding earnestly.

Magistrate Wen smiled: "My dear, isn't this conversation a bit premature? Die'er and Wenwu aren't even engaged yet! If anyone overhears us, we'll be the laughing stock."

Madam Wen rolled her eyes at her husband: "There's no one here but family. I'm just teaching Die'er how to behave in the future. What do you know, husband?"

Qibao piped up: "So should I start calling you 'big sister-in-law' from now on?"

Xu Wenwu chuckled and gently patted his sister's head: "Sure, as long as Die'er is okay with it!"

Qibao pretended to be angry and said: "Humph! Big brother, you won't stop caring about me as your younger sister after you marry Sister Die'er, right?"

Although Wen Die was shy, she didn't want to ruin the relationship between the siblings, so she took Qibao's hand and explained: "Sister Qibao, your elder brother is not that kind of person. I can see that in your elder brother's heart, you are the one he loves the most!"

Qibao smiled and held Wen Die's hand and said: "Sister-in-law, I was just joking with my brother! Now you are the apple of my brother's eye! You two will be good in the future."

Wen Die, feeling both flustered and sweet from being called 'Sis-in-law', just nodded gently.

Xu Wenwu spoke seriously: "Both of you are my most important people!"

Qibao beamed at her brother, and Xu Wenwu put a drumstick into her bowl, his eyes filled with overflowing affection.

Wen Die felt a twinge of envy, she wished Xu Wenwu would look at her with that same tenderness.

Noticing Wen Die, Xu Wenwu smiled and added another drumstick to her bowl.

In an instant, all of Wen Die's jealousy vanished. She reached out to put some food onto Xu Wenwu's plate as well.

Xu Wenwu didn't decline either, quickly picking up the food Wen Die had placed on his plate and eating it all.

The three shared a knowing smile. It was as if they were already a family, everyone else excluded from their little world.

"Hey, hey, hey! We're still here! This is a bit much!" Su Chenyu couldn't stand it anymore.

"Hahaha!"

Instantly, laughter filled the table.

Xu Wenwu didn't mind, and Qibao certainly wouldn't care about the laughter. But Wen Die, embarrassed by the attention, lowered her head. Her hand, however, secretly tugged at Xu Wenwu's sleeve.

Xu Wenwu caught the hand resting on his sleeve. Its smooth touch sent his imagination running wild.

Qibao noticed their little exchange. Surprisingly, her usually refined older brother had his own secret desires.

Wen Yuan smiled and asked: "So, from now on, should I stop calling you 'Brother Xu' and switch to 'Brother-in-law' instead?"

Xu Wenwu didn't hesitate: "Yes, my dear brother. I look forward to your guidance!"

"Wonderful! I'll gladly offer my guidance!" Wen Yuan was internally giddy with happiness.

Madam Wen glared at her son: "What kind of guidance? What can you possibly teach Wenwu? How dare you make such a promise!"

Wen Yuan was stunned. His mother wasn't like this before, right? She used to be kind and caring, never scolding him from his childhood to now. But today, because of a casual remark he made, she had scolding at him!

"Mother!" He said, incredulous: "A-are you really talking about me?"

"Yes, I'm talking to you!" Madam Wen said, rolling her eyes: "Look at your mindless thoughts! How dare you say you'll give advice!"

Feeling like he might cry, Wen Yuan said: "So it's just another example of a mother-in-law disliking her own son! No wonder people say that the more time they spend with their future son-in-law, the better they like him! There must be some truth to those sayings!"

Seeing Wen Yuan's pitiful expression, everyone laughed again.

Wen Die picked up a piece of chicken wing with her chopsticks and put it in Wen Yuan's bowl: "Thanks, little sister." He said warmly: "But can I have that drumstick you just put in my bowl?" 

Pretending not to hear, Wen Die took a small bite out of the drumstick.

Wen Yuan shook his head in disappointment, shooting a resentful glance at Xu Wenwu. He could only compete with the chicken wing in his bowl now.

"Wenwu, congratulations! When you get married, please be sure to invite me to the wedding! I will prepare a big gift to congratulate you!" Su Chenyu said.

Xu Wenwu replied: "Definitely!"

Not long after the meal, the woman named Yan Shuxiang took the initiative to approach everyone.

Seeing them, she dropped to her knees and wouldn't get up no matter what they tried.

Between sobs, she said: "Please, hear me out. I lived in a village outside Xuanyang Town. My two daughters were quiet and well-behaved. It was just the three of us, relying on each other. But half a month ago, someone harmed my daughters. When I saw them again, they were two bodies left unrecognizable by torture!"

Her tears flowed like a flood, her face filled with anguish, mixed with a hint of hatred.

The group exchanged glances, stunned.

Su Chenyu asked: "Auntie, did your actions earlier suggest you knew Feng Zheng was behind this?"

When she heard Feng Zheng's name, Madam Yan Shuxiang's fingernails dug into the ground as she struggled to control her emotions. Nodding, she said: "It's him!"

Madam Wen, also a mother, was filled with anger at these words: "What about your husband?" she asked.

The woman laughed bitterly: "I don't have a husband. My husband's family kicked us out because I only had two daughters. They said it wasn't good enough."

"That's ridiculous! Daughters are their own flesh and blood too. How could they be so heartless?" Madam Wen exclaimed.

The woman said: "I once begged the child's father to help us for the sake of the child, but he beat me up instead. It turned out that he had brought back a pregnant woman from outside, and he was afraid that my daughter and I would offend his unborn son."

"He's just a beast. You were right to leave that place. But it's a shame for your poor daughters." Madame Wen sighed.

"I know you're all important people." The woman said: "And I'm very grateful to the young masters for saving me from prison. Once my wounds are healed, I'll leave. I need to avenge my daughter. I won't let that dog Feng escape either—it was he who had my daughter captured and handed her to that beast Feng Zheng! I wish I could drink their blood, eat their flesh, and gnaw on their bones—it's the only way to relieve my hatred!"

As the woman became more and more upset, Su Chenyu tried to comfort her: "Auntie, don't worry. I've already written a letter reporting this father-and-son pair's crimes. I expect someone will come soon to investigate. Once they find out what happened, this pair will definitely be beheaded!"

The woman was stunned: "Really? Can those scum actually be punished?"

Su Chenyu promised: "I assure you, they will be! But right now, you can't act alone. You can't seek revenge on your own. When the time comes, you can be a witness, and that will be your revenge!"