Du Tonghe and his wife looked at Su Xiaotian in disbelief.
This little girl used to practice martial arts, but her skills didn't seem this good before.
However, it was good that her martial arts had improved.
For a girl, especially a beautiful one, being skilled in martial arts was not a disadvantage.
The hearts of her grandparents were always worried that their little granddaughter would suffer.
When Ma Shanfang realized she was being held so tightly that she couldn't move, it was too late to break free.
She had always been domineering and had never taken Su Xiaotian, such a young girl, seriously.
Yet, it was this very girl whom she had underestimated who had her completely at her mercy with a simple turn of her wrist.
Ma Shanfang struggled desperately, trying to break free and counterattack.
She firmly believed that she had made a mistake due to underestimating her opponent.
"You'd better stop struggling. If your arm breaks or your leg snaps by accident, I really won't be able to compensate you!"
Su Xiaotian said with a smile, but her words were incredibly infuriating.
"Your bones are not as young as they used to be, they're quite brittle."
Ma Shanfang felt like spitting blood.
But she was inherently defiant.
Someone who had been arrogant her entire life wouldn't be intimidated just because a little girl had her under control.
It didn't matter if she couldn't break free; her mouth was still functional.
She was originally the young mistress of a wealthy family, but after years of living among commoners, Ma Shanfang had mastered the art of vulgar and abusive language.
She unleashed a torrent of foul language at Su Xiaotian.
Su Xiaotian extended her other hand and slapped Ma Shanfang's mouth.
"Your mouth isn't very clean, let me help you wash it. You're welcome!"
Ma Shanfang wanted to curse again, but seeing Su Xiaotian's fair and tender little hand move, she immediately backed down.
This damned girl couldn't be cursed at, lest she get slapped again.
But the anger in her heart was unbearable. She ultimately chose to vent her fury on the person who never resisted.
"Du Tianhe, are you even a man, just watching someone bully your wife like this? How could I be so unlucky to marry such a spineless man..."
Du Tianhe's face turned red and then pale as he was insulted by his wife, especially in front of his elder brother and sister-in-law.
Any man would hate to be called spineless, especially by his own wife; the embarrassment was unimaginable.
Du Tianhe wanted to retort, but he had been timid for most of his life.
Especially when facing Ma Shanfang, he was incredibly timid, almost to the point of never fighting back or talking back.
He looked at Su Xiaotian, just a teenage girl, and moreover, his elder brother's granddaughter.
Could he, as an elder, lay hands on a little girl?
Of course, more importantly, even if he stepped forward, could he defeat this little girl, Su Xiaotian?
He was someone who couldn't even defeat Ma Shanfang.
And Ma Shanfang couldn't defeat Su Xiaotian.
What if he rashly went forward and this little girl, without any regard for decorum, stomped him under her feet?
Hesitating, Du Tianhe didn't know what to do.
At the same time, the eyes of Su Xiaotian's brothers were fixed on Du Tianhe.
Their stance suggested that if Du Tianhe made a move, they would likely all gang up on him.
Du Tianhe and his wife were simply annoying to look at!
Even if they were Grandpa Du's younger brother and sister-in-law, being annoying was enough to cause trouble.
Hua Xiucheng watched the spectacle, adding fuel to the fire with some sarcastic remarks.
"Xiaotian, your martial arts are so impressive, I'm rooting for you! Later, let's spar, okay?"
This remark gave Du Tianhe an excuse.
He didn't dare to make a move against Su Xiaotian, but he felt no pressure towards his elder brother and sister-in-law.
After all, since childhood, this so-called elder brother had always been his defeated opponent.
He glared resentfully at Du Tonghe and Yu Ruiyuan.
Why hadn't these two died in the Northwest?
If they had died in the Northwest, all these properties would now belong to their family, and they wouldn't have to endure such grievances.
Some people are like this; they never admit their own faults, and if they don't achieve their goals, it's always someone else's fault.
"We are all Du family members, aren't you just going to stand by and watch this unknown little girl bully my wife?"
Du Tianhe's words lacked any politeness, not even addressing them as elder brother and sister-in-law.
Hua Xiucheng watched from the side and couldn't help but click his tongue twice, saying, "Those who know will say you're talking to your own elder brother, but those who don't might think you're talking to an enemy?"
"Exactly, that look in his eyes, like he wants to eat people. Elder brother, I'm scared!" Su Ciliang put on a cowering, frightened act.
Su Shouwen was speechless. Was this idiot really his brother?
Well, he was his brother!
Su Sangong turned his head away, not wanting to acknowledge such a second brother at all.
Being cornered like this, Du Tianhe became even more enraged.
"This is the Du family. How can you outsiders bully me like this?" Du Tianhe's face turned red.
Yu Ruiyuan had no good feelings for this younger brother-in-law.
When she married in, this younger brother-in-law and his mother had ganged up to bully her, causing her immense suffering.
Even now, she couldn't let go of those days.
Later, in the struggle for family property, there were frequent internal conflicts, and even several times, he had laid hands on her son.
These days only improved somewhat after the old master passed away and the two branches of the family split.
The old master doted on his second wife, and consequently, he doted more on the children of the second branch.
When the family was divided, the eldest son of the main branch received only half the family property that the second branch received.
It was a pity that the old master, who was blind for his entire life, never realized that the son he doted on for most of his life was a spendthrift.
A spendthrift remained a spendthrift; within a few years, the vast family fortune was squandered.
On the other hand, the main branch, although receiving less family property, managed it well and saw an increase in wealth over the years.
Du Tianhe's family, with their malicious intentions, set their sights on their branch's property, causing much trouble.
"This is my home, and these people are my relatives and guests. It is you, who have come uninvited, who are to be disliked," Yu Ruiyuan said calmly.
"This wild girl who appeared from nowhere is too presumptuous!" Du Tianhe's eyes were bloodshot.
He had long considered the property of the Du family's main branch as his own, given that his elder brother was useless and had only one son who died young.
This vast fortune of the Du family should rightfully be his!
He had naturally instilled this belief in his grandsons at home.
"My granddaughter, not some wild girl who appeared from nowhere!"
Du Tonghe was a gentle person, but when he heard Du Tianhe speak of Su Xiaotian like that, he couldn't help but get angry.
"You two old geezers, why don't you tell this wild girl to let go of my grandmother?"
"My grandfather said that if you two are sensible, he'll give you a bowl of rice to eat. If you're not sensible, just starve to death. All this property belongs to us!"
Du Tianhe was caught off guard by his two grandsons speaking such words.
These words were fine to say at home, but how could they be spoken in public?
"You two little rabbits, what nonsense are you spouting?" Du Tianhe quickly scolded his grandsons.
Ma Shanfang also hurried to yell at her grandsons, but her mouth was swollen from Su Xiaotian's slap, and her words were muffled and unintelligible.
Yu Ruiyuan certainly heard these words and was even more furious.
If she had retained her former disposition, she might not have been so impulsive, but in the past few years in Hongxin Brigade, she had witnessed the straightforward revenge of the village women and found it quite appealing.
She had never imagined that this couple harbored such wicked thoughts!
"You beasts, you want to seize our family property and starve us to death?"
In her anger, Yu Ruiyuan, who had always been gentle and demure, found a large broom and lunged at Du Tianhe.
As Du Tonghe ran, he still shouted at Du Tianhe, "You're just going to watch a woman beat me? We are brothers!"
Upon hearing this, Du Tonghe sneered and said, "What brothers? My mother only gave birth to me. You are not my brother, you are the son of my enemy!"
When Du Tonghe said this, everyone, including Yu Ruiyuan, was stunned. The large broom she was holding slipped from her grasp.
Du Tianhe became even more flustered, stumbling and falling to the ground.
"You, what are you saying? I, I, I don't understand!"
As he spoke, Du Tianhe puffed out his chest.
However, no matter how well he acted, his shifty eyes betrayed him.
Du Tonghe stared at Du Tianhe, his eyes growing colder.
Du Tianhe knew about this matter!
Indeed, he knew about it!
It was to be expected; mother and son were of the same ilk, equally vicious. How could he not know?
"Whether you understand or not, it's all in the past. The one who harmed people is also dead!" Du Tonghe said indifferently.
He only learned about this matter after he grew up. His mother had not died of illness but had been poisoned to death by Du Tianhe's mother.
This was because his mother was the first wife of the Du family, while Du Tianhe's mother was merely an unpresentable concubine.
Unfortunately, by the time he learned of this, Du Tianhe's mother, that poisonous woman, was already dead.
This left a lingering regret in his heart.
For so many years, he had always regretted not being able to avenge his mother by killing his enemy. However, he had also repeatedly told himself that the elders were gone, and it was best to let those past events remain buried.
Who would have thought that Du Tianhe, with his wolfish ambition, would not only want to seize his family property but also wish for him and his wife to starve to death!
"Du Tianhe, I always thought you were just a beast, but today I realized that calling you a beast is an insult to beasts!"
Du Tonghe laughed in anger, a smile on his face, but it was a smile tinged with unconcealable desolation.
Yu Ruiyuan also forgot about hitting Du Tianhe and stepped forward to support Du Tonghe.
"Old Du, calm down. We won't argue with people like this. From now on, we just won't let this family visit."
They had malicious intentions, but they hadn't acted on them yet, so there was nothing they could do.
However, it was always right to keep such people at a distance.
"Xiaotian, please do me a favor and throw this woman out," Du Tonghe said wearily.
Su Xiaotian had also heard enough to understand that the decades of grievances within the Du family were truly...
Speaking of which, Grandpa Du's life had been truly fraught with hardship.
He had always thought that Grandpa Du, born into a wealthy family, must have had a very happy life in his early years. Who knew he would hear such things today?
She suddenly understood why Du Tonghe and Yu Ruiyuan were willing to acknowledge a little girl like her as their granddaughter in Hongxin Brigade, rather than adopting a child from within their own clan.
Such a family of beasts could indeed not produce any good children.
Even if they adopted one, it would only be like raising a tiger to cause trouble!
Naturally, Su Xiaotian only thought these words to herself and did not speak them aloud.
"Okay, Grandpa!" Su Xiaotian briskly picked up Ma Shanfang and walked towards the door.
"You are heartless and unrighteous, throwing me out! You are not human! Yu Ruiyuan, Du Tonghe, may you die a horrible death!" Ma Shanfang struggled desperately.
Perhaps feeling that all hope was lost, she was able to utter a coherent sentence.
"Do you want to be hit again?" Su Xiaotian's voice was as sweet as ever, but to Ma Shanfang, it sounded like a terrifying demonic sound.
"Grandpa Du, what should we do with these people?"
Su Xiaosi pointed at Du Tianhe and the children they had brought with him, his knife glinting.
Since that old shrew had been thrown out, shouldn't these people be dealt with as well?
Xiaotian had already worked hard for a long time, so she shouldn't have to deal with these people, right?
"Please trouble yourselves to throw them out!" This time, Yu Ruiyuan spoke.
How could Yu Ruiyuan not know that her husband, being a man of deep loyalty, would be reluctant to directly tell his own brother to be thrown out?
Therefore, she would be the one to play the villain.
The Su brothers were not naive. Following Yu Ruiyuan's instructions, they immediately took action and threw out Du Tianhe and the grandsons he had brought with him.
Du Tianhe shouted curses, saying that Du Tonghe was ungrateful for their kinship and would not be buried in the ancestral grave when he died.
"You've been shrewd your entire life, even guarding against me, your brother. Can't you see that these people are after your fortune? Du Tonghe, do you really intend to hand over the Du family's fortune?"
Du Tianhe's voice gradually faded. Du Tonghe heard these words but showed no reaction.
When Su Xiaotian came back in, Du Tonghe forced a smile and said weakly, "Good child, you've had to witness the worst."
Su Xiaotian smiled sweetly and said, "Grandpa, it's okay, I've grown up!"
Su Xiaotian hesitated for a moment, then said, "Grandpa, please don't take Du Tianhe's words to heart. I really didn't come for your fortune..."
Before Su Xiaotian could finish speaking, Yu Ruiyuan interjected, "Of course, you didn't come for our fortune. Back then, we were poor and injured when we arrived in Hongxin Brigade. How could you have come for our fortune?"
At that time, even they themselves didn't know if they would ever have the chance to return to the capital. How could this little girl, Su Xiaotian, have approached them for their fortune?
Besides, the Su family had always been kind and benevolent, which was evident in Hongxin Brigade and even in the surrounding brigades.
"Good child, you don't need to take the vulgar words that person spoke to heart! Since your Grandma and I have acknowledged you as our granddaughter, we consider you our own granddaughter!"
It was perfectly fine to leave their family fortune to their granddaughter; no one could say anything against it!
The originally harmonious atmosphere was broken by the arrival of Du Tianhe's family.
Fortunately, with so many people and Hua Xiucheng's shameless presence, the atmosphere soon became lively again.
Yu Ruiyuan didn't want to mention Du Tianhe's family anymore, so she asked Du Tonghe.
"Old Du, you seem to have a special regard for Hua Xiucheng!"
Du Tonghe hesitated for a moment, his gaze towards Yu Ruiyuan deepening.
Yu Ruiyuan felt a bit uncomfortable under his gaze.
"Ruiyuan, if I tell you, you mustn't be sad!"
Hearing Du Tonghe say this, Yu Ruiyuan suddenly felt unwilling to listen. Although she trusted her husband, what did his tone of voice imply?
Who was this young man named Hua Xiucheng? Could he be an illegitimate son Du Tonghe had with another woman?
Thinking of this possibility, Yu Ruiyuan admitted that she was truly afraid.
They had been a model couple for a lifetime, living in harmony. But if, at this age, it suddenly turned out that her husband had an illegitimate son, how would she face it?
"I, I don't want to hear it!" Yu Ruiyuan wanted to escape.
"Ruiyuan!" Du Tonghe was bewildered. She had been so interested just moments ago, why did she suddenly not want to listen?
Was the heart of a woman truly as unfathomable as the sea?
In Du Tonghe's confusion, Yu Ruiyuan had already quickly left his sight and returned to her room!
Back in her room, Yu Ruiyuan's emotions were turbulent. She didn't know why she was afraid.
Her son had passed away many years ago. Even if Old Du had an illegitimate son, what of it?
Why was she so worried?
From another perspective, if this young man was indeed Old Du's son, they would have a successor, and what would be wrong with that?
But why did she feel such a gnawing discomfort, finding it so difficult to accept?
Yu Ruiyuan spread out the Xuan paper on the table, intending to write to relieve her complex and distressed mood.
However, when one's mind is unsettled, even writing cannot bring peace.
Yu Ruiyuan irritably threw the brush onto the table and covered her face...
[Author's Note]
The first day of the Lunar New Year. Happy New Year, my dears!