Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: Chapter 41: United in Hatred (1/2)

Chapter 41: Chapter 41: United in Hatred

Translator: 549690339

Mrs. Qian’s words became increasingly sorrowful, and she dabbed at her tears with a handkerchief, “Fang Ru turned fifteen today, just the age to discuss marriage. Who could have expected such a thing to happen, oh, oh!”

“Fang Ru is beautiful and bright, clever and alert. During her years at the Su Family, she’s grown even more attractive and composed in her actions, her judgment solid and measured. Suitors have practically worn down our threshold. It had been agreed that she would be engaged to the young master of a pharmacy in the County Town upon her return this autumn. Who would have thought an event like this would occur? Forget the arranged engagement, I fear that in the future, no decent families would want our daughter. After all, a servant driven out by her masters is seen as either flawed or of ill character by others.”

Mrs. Qian looked absolutely miserable, and Wang Decai, who had all this while been silent, grew increasingly somber. Wang Fangru’s eyes were swollen from crying, as the matter related to her future. Now everything had turned into such a mess, what was she to do! She, of all people, couldn’t possibly end up marrying an unworthy farmer like her cousin, could she? Unacceptable! She refused to accept her fate. It was all Wang Qianru’s fault. If it wasn’t for helping her, how would she have ended up in such a predicament? With these thoughts, Wang Fangru’s gaze filled with more resentment towards Wang Qianru.

It wasn’t as if Mrs. Qian was wrong. Fang Ru had always had it better than her from a young age, spoiled by their grandmother, and later even served as a servant girl in the Su Family. Wang Qianru had always harbored some dark thoughts, and now, seeing her self-important eldest uncle’s family plunged into gloom and Fang Ru, who always looked down on others, in such a pathetic state, she couldn’t help but feel a secret thrill. They had once looked down on her family, and knowing of her own engagement to Han Lin, they had scoffed, as if she only deserved a farmer. Turns out, how fortune turns!

However, Wang Qianru was always good at playing the part, and besides, her family was not in good circumstances either. They still needed to borrow money from her eldest uncle’s family, so she couldn’t show her true feelings. Seeing Fang Ru’s accusing eyes, she knew she had to redirect all the bitterness towards someone else; if not, her family would get nowhere today, let alone borrow any money.

“Eldest uncle, eldest aunt, cousin,” Wang Qianru said, “I’ve wronged you all. I didn’t realize Su Wenyue was so narrow-minded. It’s one thing for her to target me at every turn in the Han Family, but to not even spare my cousin is truly malicious. Do you think I would have returned today if not for Su Wenyue framing me, causing a rift between me and my mother-in-law? I was unable to stay with the Han Family and had no choice but to come back.” As she spoke, tears rimmed her eyes, her face the picture of sorrow, startling Mr. and Mrs. Wang Desheng.

They had been so preoccupied with worry for their son that they weren’t eating or sleeping properly, and had not thought to ask when their daughter returned. They hadn’t imagined that she was back because of mistreatment by her in-laws.

“My daughter, what happened? Is Miss Su really that malicious? Why would she target you? What kind of mistreatment have you suffered? Your father and I have been so worried about your brother that we hadn’t taken the time to ask you about your situation,” Mr. and Mrs. Wang Desheng asked with guilt and concern on their faces.

In the presence of her eldest uncle’s family, Wang Qianru spoke of her own misfortunes in the gravest terms in order to win their sympathy and unite them against a common enemy. She described the Han Family’s injustices in detail, and even Fang Ru, who previously resented Wang Qianru, now felt her cousin’s circumstances were pitiable. Just when she had started to live a good life, Miss Su’s entry into the Han Family brought her to a dire state, slapped by her mother-in-law and driven out. It seemed they were all victims of the Su Family.