The next day, He Family's grownups weren't at home. He Xiao Ning had closed the room door to embroider her dowry. Lian Huer, who lived near the courtyard door, heard the door knock and came out to see that person. Fearing that she was here to borrow food again, she asked with a cold face: "What are you doing here?"
She knew this person. It wasn't just her. Her family's reputation in Wuliqiao wasn't very good. In her twenties, she hadn't married yet.
The visitor was Chen Xiao Hong, eldest daughter of old Third Chen's family. Chen Xiao Hong was over twenty years old but had been unable to get married. The reason was very simple. When many people hear that she was old Third Chen's daughter, they wouldn't consider her at all.
As for those who don't care about their reputation and can't come up with dowry money, Eldest Brother would refuse to marry her off. In the course of time, she became a well-known spinster in Wuliqiao.
"Elder Sister-in-law, don't misunderstand. I'm not here to borrow food today." Chen Xiao Hong quickly halted the courtyard door that Lian Huer almost closed. Showing a slick smile, she approached closer: "I heard something connected to Elder Sister-in-law yesterday. After much deliberation, I felt that I shouldn't hide it from you. After all, you are a good person, Elder Sister. I really can't bear it. "
Hearing her talk so much, Lian Huer was a little impatient: "What exactly do you want to say?"
She didn't want to have any contact with this stinky person in patched hemp clothes. Her whole person stinks, what was there to get close to. The clothes on her body were made of fine cotton material with silk interlacing. What if it gets dirty?
Chen Xiao Hong suppressed the displeasure in her heart as she pretended that she couldn't see Lian Huer's disgusted gazes. Grinning, she spoke: "Elder Sister-in-law, I'm really thinking for your best. Why don't you let me in first?"
Although Lian Huer was a little unwilling, she took half a step back at her seriousness and let her into the yard.
***
As soon as Zhao Chun Hua came home today, she noticed the atmosphere at home was a little strange. No, to be more precise, Daughter-in-law's attitude was a little strange.
Although Lian Huer didn't talk much in the past, she respected her. So why was her gaze vicious toward her today? Like she wanted to eat people?
"What's wrong with your Elder Sister-in-law? This gaze looks like she wants to eat people." After the meal, Mrs. Zhao carried little Ni Ni to He Xiao Ning's room to talk to her. After seeing that there was no one outside, she asked in a hushed voice: "Today has anyone been to the house?"
He Xiao Ning didn't understand what Mother meant. Still, she obediently replied: "I think that Elder Sister Xiao Hong from Third Uncle Chen's family came here in the afternoon."
Chen Xiao Hong, who wanted to stir up trouble behind the scene, didn't expect her whereabouts had been encountered by He Xiao Ning who was returning from going to the toilet: "However, she and Elder Sister-in-law were behind closed doors. I don't know what they said."
"Chen Xiao Hong?" Zhao Chun Hua didn't like Chen Xiao Hong, who can be regarded as having a bitter life. Being poor and having it hard wasn't easy. However, Chen Xiao Hong, always wanted to borrow money from one family in the east and steal from the west. From time to time, she visits Su's house to swindle them.
That year, she really couldn't stand Chen Xiao Hong spreading rumors of Su Family killing old Third Chen. So she told the truth that old Third Chen was sentenced by the official for posing as a bandit and robbing.
Later, Chen Xiao Hong calmed down. Why did she find Lian Huer while she wasn't at home? Zhao Chun Hua didn't even need to think about it and decided in her heart that it was Chen Xiao Hong who spread rumors in front of her daughter-in-law. She carried her granddaughter and went to the East Wing. The family's life had to go on.
"Lian Huer, is there something you want to tell Mother? Don't bottle up everything in your heart." Smiling amiably, Zhao Chun Hua put little Ni Ni on the kang.
Lian Huer sneered in her heart. You've already gone out to speak ill of me to others, why are you still acting so hypocritically? The resentment towards Mother-in-law grew. However, she didn't say anything. Just shook her head lightly: "I'm fine."
The smile on Zhao Chun Hua's face froze for a moment. As a mother-in-law, she talked to her daughter-in-law so nicely. What she got was a hot face placed on cold butt. She didn't want to talk to her: "Little Ni Ni just peed. Remember to take care of it later."
Then she left the east wing.
Neither mother-in-law and daughter-in-law poke it open. There was also a thorn in each other's hearts. The atmosphere at home became more and more tense. Even He Xuan Hai, who had never cared much about family affairs, discovered something was amiss with the family.
But how could Lian Huer possibly say? In her heart, she believed that people in He Family treated her as an outsider. Husband's heart contained someone else, while the old woman ran to speak ill of her to Husband's crush. Lian Huer felt that it was even more embarrassing than taking off her clothes and walking on the street!
***
Back to Chen Xiao Hong who went to the He's house to stir up trouble. Seeing Zhao Chun Hua's gloomy face these days, she was really happy. Her plan was more than this though. Today, when the members of He Family weren't at home, she found Lian Huer again.
After hearing Chen Xiao Hong's idea, Lian Huer felt a little nervous. She hesitantly said, "Isn't this bad?"
She did hate Su You Jin. But destroy a woman's innocence? This was simply driving people to death! She had secretly thought how everything would be fine if Su You Jin died.
"Elder Sister-in-law Lian Huer, don't be stupid. If you think for others, who will think for you?" Chen Xiao Hong wanted to trick Lian Huer into doing this with her: "Besides, we are helping her find a good marriage. How can it be destroying her innocence?"
Hearing this, Lian Huer really felt that Chen Xiao Hong was a little too shameless. Still the condition Chen Xiao Hong set made her heart move: "Elder Sister-in-law Lian Huer, as long as the matter is accomplished, I will give you a thousand silver liang!"
That was one thousand silver liang! Although Lian Huer had some dowry and her mother-in-law would give some silver as pocket money after marrying into He Family, she only had a dozen or so silver liang in her hand. If there was a thousand silver liang, she can stand upright and have some say at home!
Thinking how she could also wear gold and silver like Su You Jin and have servants to command, Lian Huer's eyes turned red. She gave into to the devil and agreed to the matter: "OK. I would only give you silver. The rest, I won't get involved."
Chen Xiao Hong came to her to ask for money to implement the plans. Seeing Lian Huer finally nodded, she was naturally overjoyed. She took the small ingot of silver from Lian Huer and smilingly stated: "Elder Sister-in-law, don't worry. This matter will be a success!"
But neither of the two noticed that under the window sill of the east wing, a girl bit her lip for fear of making a sound as she listened to the conversation between the two of them.
Hearing the commotion in the east wing, He Xiao Ning hastily crouched and left quietly. Once in her own room, she panted heavily and sat on the kang in shock. After thinking about it, she felt that she should tell her parents about it.
After He Hao and Zhao Chun Hua listened to their daughter's detailed account of what happened during the day, the couple's faces turned black. The family of three just sat quietly. No one spoke or knew what to say.
"This matter can't be hidden from Xuan Hai. After all, Lian Huer is his wife." After a long time, He Hao broke the silence. A pipe was smoked one after another. Still no good solution appeared. He only knew that if his daughter-in-law did such a thing, Su Family would definitely not let their family go.
"At the beginning, Su Family was just a family with a little background and her father couldn't do anything to You Jin. Now Su Family has more than ten or twenty guards. Is Chen Xiao Hong out of her mind or gone crazy for money?!"
Zhao Chun Hua was infuriated to the point of collapsing. She was angry and sneering at the same time. Her good daughter-in-law was very courageous and dimwitted. She dared to do anything!
He Xuan Hai, who was studying in the room, was suddenly called by his younger sister. He didn't know what happened. But seeing his father and mother's stern faces, he felt a chill in his heart. Could it be that something serious happened at home?
"Xuan Hai! Father and Mother don't want to disturb your study. But this matter involve Lian Huer. So I called you here." He Hao sighed and repeated what his daughter said earlier to his son: "I don't know what Lian Huer is thinking. Although our family is much better off now, going against Su Family is like throwing an egg at a rock!"
Although He Xuan Hai didn't communicate much with his wife on most days, he had always thought that his wife was a gentle and quiet woman. Now that he heard this out of the blue, he really couldn't accept it. Sitting on the long bench in front of He Hao, he remained silent for a long long time.
In the end, the four members of He Family came up with a solution. Early the next morning, He Xuan Hai took a leave of absence from the academy and then went home to pick up Lian Huer and little Ni Ni to bring them back to Lian Huer's maternal home in Luohe Prefecture city: "Now we've entered the autumn harvest and Xiao Ning is busy embroidering the dowry, I'm afraid that you will be alone at home and no one can take care of you. So I specifically told Father and Mother to let you go back to your maternal home for a few days."
When He Xuan Hai said this, there was no abnormality in his face. Lian Huer thought that she was only going back to her maternal home for a short stay. So she happily followed He Xuan Hai into the city.
The young couple had just entered the city, when Zhao Chun Hua hurried to Su's house to tell You Jin about this matter. However, she put all the responsibility for this matter on Chen Xiao Hong and Xiao Ning unintentionally overheard it.
It wasn't that Zhao Chun Hua wanted to protect Lian Huer. She was afraid that Su Family would blame their family because of Lian Huer and implicated the family.
While Chen Xiao Hong was still daydreaming of living a good life like Su Family, she was completely unaware that she had been completely exposed by He Family.
Discovering this matter, You Jin was so angry that she wanted to laugh. Over the past few years, she pitied Chen Xiao Hong's family of old, weak, women, and children and their lack of land, she had sent a lot of food and clothes to their family openly and secretly.
Unforeseen, the human heart can't be satisfied and becomes a snake. She wanted her rubbish elder brother to take her innocence to make her marry into their Chen family with a large dowry?
"You Jin, don't be too impulsive. That Chen Xiao Hong isn't a good thing. Don't ruin your body because of such person." Zhao Chun Hua saw You Jin's fuming smile. Her heart was slightly relieved. Luckily she didn't tell the whole truth. If You Jin knew that Lian Huer was also involved in this matter, it might not end well.
You Jin sent Mrs. Zhao to the gate and said: "Don't worry, Auntie. I know the boundary. Auntie, don't interfere in this matter, lest you get pulled into this mess."
Lian Huer didn't know about Wuliqiao's matter. She only knew that she stayed at her maternal home for eight days before her husband came to pick her up. But after returning to Wuliqiao for a few days and Chen Xiao Hong didn't come again, she made some inquiries. She found out that Chen Xiao Hong had already been sold by Chen Family's eldest son to a passing merchant. As for Chen Family's eldest son, he owed a large sum of money to the casino for gambling and sold his mother and younger sister. While, he himself was also missing. The whole Chen Family had completely disappeared in the Luohe Prefecture.
After hearing the news from He Xiao Ning, Lian Huer felt a little terrified. She thought to herself: "Could it be that Su Family knew about Chen Xiao Hong's plan and took action? Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence? Within seven or eight days, the whole family encountered a mishap?"
Seeing Eldest Sister-in-law's shocked expression, He Xiao Ning felt a little depressed. She became more distant from Lian Huer.
After this incident, Lian Huer still overthink a lot. But she never dared to have crooked thoughts, for fear that she would be the next Chen Xiao Hong. Before malice began, it was already killed in its infancy.