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墨書 Inktalez
Ye Xiaohan finally understood that everything had originated from her.
It turned out that ever since the Peach Blossom Studio started making money, the lives of the Liu family improved, which made the villagers extremely envious. The village had always been poor, but when everyone was in the same situation, they had grown accustomed to it and didn’t think much of it.
However, once someone began to dress well, others couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable looking at their own patched clothes. The aroma of meat wafting from someone else's home made the corn porridge in their own bowls taste unpalatable.
Initially, they planned to demand a share of the profits, but after being rejected by the Liu family, they turned their attention to the secret recipe, which also failed. This only angered Ye Xiaohan further; she directly went to another village to purchase raw materials, cutting off their last source of income.
They were also subjected to ridicule from people in the neighboring village, who mocked them for letting a golden goose slip away without gaining any benefit.
As a result, the villagers grew increasingly furious, believing that the Liu family's actions were a slap in their faces. Since the Liu family was ungrateful and unwilling to share even a penny, they felt no need to hold back.
The villagers began approaching Liu Bei, urging him to quickly relocate the Liu family's ancestral grave; they claimed that the village did not welcome them. Liu Bei tried to reason with them, explaining that the Liu family had been farmers for generations, born and buried on this land.
This place was their root; ancestral graves should not be disturbed. Generally, no one would dare to disturb graves or disrupt the peace of their deceased ancestors.
The villagers made threats, but when it came down to taking action, they hesitated.
Such wicked acts against ancestral graves would earn them scorn from others; besides, they feared that vengeful spirits might come knocking at night. They pushed and shoved each other but dared not take any real action.
Just as both sides were at an impasse, Liu Second Uncle suddenly jumped into the fray.
“Who?” Ye Xiaohan exclaimed in surprise. “You’re Second Uncle? Didn’t you go back? How did you reappear?”
Liu Bei explained, “After Second Uncle returned home, my brother’s health has been poor. He went to see a doctor who couldn’t find any cause; he just needed rest. They concluded it was a lingering effect from previous poisoning and were quite unhappy about it. Later on, someone from the village went to speak with him about something, and that’s why he came.”
Ye Xiaohan felt a twinge of guilt; their judgment was correct—she had indeed acted behind the scenes. Although the poison wouldn’t cause significant harm to the body, its unique properties meant that even after detoxification, remnants would remain in the body, affecting metabolism and weakening one’s constitution.
It seemed that Liu Second Uncle’s family harbored resentment. Coupled with the villagers’ instigation, both sides quickly united to create trouble for the Liu family.
“What happened next? Did they dig up your father’s grave?” Ye Xiaohan pushed aside her unease; it was crucial to address the pressing matter at hand.
Liu Bei recalled with veins bulging: “The villagers brought my Second Uncle along; they didn’t dare touch our ancestral grave. My Second Uncle wasn’t afraid; he took charge himself and personally…”
"These bastards, how can they do such a thing without fearing the consequences!" Ye Xiaohan exclaimed angrily. Although she didn't believe in curses, the fact that these people acted while believing in them showed just how much hatred they had for the Liu family.
They were all from the same village, yet because of their own greed, they resorted to such actions.
"What kind of people are these? This place is toxic; no wonder people say that poverty breeds wickedness. It's referring to folks like them! We can't stay here any longer. Once we resolve this matter, let's move away quickly," Ye Xiaohan thought, feeling nauseated at the thought of the villagers.
Liu Bei had no objections. "You're right; we can't stay here any longer. However, regarding my family's situation... My Second Uncle is also a member of the Liu family and an elder. He’s using the excuse of relocating our ancestors' graves to dig them up openly, and I can't stop him."
Once again, the weight of filial piety pressed down on him, making him feel powerless.
Ye Xiaohan rolled her eyes and said, "Since it's your Second Uncle who's digging up the graves, as a junior, you have no authority in this matter. I have a plan; leave it to me. Don't worry, I can convince your Second Uncle to agree to reinter your father in the original burial site."
Ancient customs placed great importance on feng shui; burial was a significant event that required consulting a geomancer for location selection. Moreover, with the Liu family’s ancestral graves located here, how could Liu Laodi be moved away from his family's resting place?
Liu Bei looked at her deeply, a hint of exhaustion in his gaze, and nodded. "Alright."
Ye Xiaohan's heart skipped a beat under his gaze, and she couldn't help but want to comfort him and ease his sadness. "I was wrong earlier; I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you."
"No, it was my fault," Liu Bei quickly replied. "I was angry with someone outside and ended up venting it all on you. After returning home, I regretted it and wanted to apologize to you. I didn't expect you to come and bring me medicine for my injuries."
They exchanged smiles, letting go of their earlier quarrel.
"Elder brother, sister-in-law, come eat!" Liu Yang's head popped in through the door, holding a spatula.
Behind him peeked another head that chimed in, "Elder brother, sister-in-law, it's time to eat. Second Brother cooked today; it's not very good."
Liu Qi made a face of disdain to express her dissatisfaction.
Liu Yang wrapped an arm around her with his free hand. "Which greedy cat doesn't want to eat? I'll make sure she gets two bowls later."
Liu Qi giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck.
The family enjoyed a harmonious meal of burnt rice.
The next morning, Ye Xiaohan dawdled for a long time before finally heading out. When Sixth Bei asked her about it, she only smiled mysteriously and refused to reveal anything, simply thinking she had come up with a plan.
Seeing the sparkle in her eyes, Sixth Bei tacitly decided not to press further.
As soon as Ye Xiaohan stepped outside, she spotted Sixth Second Aunt peering around at the entrance.
I knew you wouldn't be able to hold your horses.
Without even glancing at her, Ye Xiaohan walked straight ahead.
As soon as Sixth Second Aunt saw her, she hurriedly rushed over and blocked her path. "Ye Xiaohan, stop! I need to talk to you." She called out her full name, clearly determined to confront them.
Ye Xiaohan obediently halted and exaggeratedly exclaimed, "Who am I? Oh, it's Second Aunt! Long time no see!"
Sixth Second Aunt scoffed, "Don't try to get chummy. You've already been dumped by Sixth Bei. You're no longer part of our family, so don't call me that. I can't bear it. You're such a heartless woman; you inflicted such harm on my son. Who knows if you'll quietly bring me down too."
Ye Xiaohan chuckled, "Second Aunt, where are you getting this from? Your son stole money and got himself poisoned by me. If you hadn't done something outrageous, I wouldn't have needed to take action."
"You!" Sixth Second Aunt was furious. When it came to banter, she was no match for Ye Xiaohan and could only humiliate herself further.
Unwilling to back down, Sixth Second Aunt threatened, "Don't think that just because you're sharp-tongued, I'm afraid of you. I'm not afraid of you! But don't forget that Sixth Bei's father's bones are still exposed above ground. As long as my old man points his finger, that coffin will stay right there; no one can touch it!"
Feeling she had struck a nerve, she smirked triumphantly. "You never expected this day would come for you, did you? You harmed my son and expected us to apologize to you. Back then, you were so powerful; now let's see how powerful you are! Hmph! I've never liked you anyway."
Ye Xiaohan nodded in agreement. "I admit that; likewise, I see your whole family as a thorn in my side."
"You admit it! You truly have a heart like a snake and scorpion; you're such a vixen!" Sixth Second Aunt gritted her teeth and hurled her meager insults at Ye Xiaohan once more.
This little exchange had no effect on Ye Xiaohan: "Second Aunt, I have things to attend to. I'm leaving now; feel free to continue your tirade here."
"Stop!" As soon as Ye Xiaohan turned to leave, Second Aunt hurriedly stepped forward. "I'm not done yet! If you want us to back down, it's not impossible. As long as you're willing to part with some money, we will agree to let Beibei's father be buried. After all, you have plenty of money; you wouldn't refuse such a small request, would you?"
Ye Xiaohan replied calmly, "I refuse."
She attempted to walk away again. She knew very well that Second Uncle's family had stepped into this murky water for their own gain. In plain terms, they wanted to use Beibei's father's grave as leverage to extort money from the Ye family.
If she agreed right away, it would only confirm that Second Uncle's family was correct in their judgment and that their bargaining chip was indeed valuable. At this moment, she needed to employ the strategy of feigning indifference, creating the illusion that she didn't care, so they wouldn't lead her by the nose.
Beibei's father deserved a proper burial, but Second Uncle's family shouldn't expect to take advantage of the situation easily.
Second Aunt thought she had misheard and asked incredulously, "What did you say? You refuse? You don't care about Beibei's father?"
Ye Xiaohan looked at her strangely and said, "Second Aunt, weren't you just saying that since I've been divorced, I'm no longer part of the Ye family? Since I have no ties to the Ye family anymore, why should I care about Beibei's father? If you want money, go ask Beibei; he will surely give all his money for his father's sake."
"Don't try to fool me!" Second Aunt shouted angrily. "Do you think I don't know? You witch! You've pocketed all the money from the Ye family; where would Beibei have any money left? You've tricked him out of it!"
Ye Xiaohan shrugged. "Do as you wish; in any case, this matter has nothing to do with me. You've got the wrong person."
Second Aunt panicked. In her mind, as soon as she mentioned the grave issue, Ye Xiaohan would beg her to agree. At that point, not only would she extort a hefty sum from Ye Xiaohan, but she would also make her kneel and apologize, forcing her to regret how ruthlessly she had treated them before.
Unexpectedly, Ye Xiaohan's reaction was completely different from what she had imagined. Ye Xiaohan appeared indifferent and didn't even spare her a glance as she continued on her way.
Second Aunt felt furious and embarrassed for not regaining any face; instead, she felt humiliated. Worried about not getting any money at all, she was left in a daze.
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