Chapter 101: Chapter 101 She is an Outsider
“She’s become someone else’s family member, and even if she’s offering incense and paper money to her father, she’s still an outsider.”
“Allowing an outsider to provide for my son? Even if the paper money is burnt for the King of Hell, I’m afraid the King of Hell wouldn’t recognize it.”
“So naturally, it should be her cousin who takes on the responsibility!”
Grandma Xia spoke as if it all made perfect sense.
Perhaps it was the presence of Huo Shiqian, or maybe it was seeing Uncle Xia injured, but today, Grandma Xia was particularly bold, spilling all the thoughts she’d kept buried in her heart.
Uncle Xia and Aunt Xia instantly flew into a rage. Zhao Xiaogui, who had been playing with a cart outside, heard the commotion inside and charged in, “Old hag, what nonsense are you talking about! So what if my sister is a girl? Can’t a girl inherit the family line? If it comes to it, my sister can just find a man to marry into our family…”
“Ouch!” Zhao Xiaogui was cut off mid-sentence by a slap from Aunt Xia.
Stupid child, what are you babbling about!
Zhao Xiaogui covered his head, feeling wronged; he was just trying to stand up for his sister out of a sense of injustice.
He sensed eyes on him.
Xia Chuyi just smiled and blinked: don’t worry, I’m fine.
Huo Shiqian withdrew his gaze.
She wasn’t lying or pretending to be strong, hearing these words truly didn’t upset her at all.
What was there to be upset about? Sorrow, heartache, agony, breakdowns, as well as disappointment and despair, she had experienced them all thoroughly in her previous life.
Listening now, all she found it to be was interesting: what had given Grandma Xia such sudden confidence?
Grandma Xia saw Zhao Xiaogui, a junior, daring to curse at her nose-to-nose, and was completely enraged. She said, “Uncle, let’s settle the matter of Chuyi today.”
“Chuyi is a child with a tough life, born to be the bane of her father. As you know, the news of her father’s death from the army arrived just after she was born…”
“Old hag, what drivel are you spouting?” Zhao Xiaogui interrupted before she could finish.
However, it was Uncle Xia who held back his son, his gaze fixed intently on Grandma Xia.
He wanted to see what else Grandma Xia could say.
In this moment, Xia Chuyi again caught Huo Shiqian’s gaze.
She stole a secretive smile at him while no one was paying attention.
Seeing Uncle Xia restrain Zhao Xiaogui, and thinking she had the upper hand, Grandma Xia tilted her head slightly and smiled before continuing, “When his second daughter-in-law gave birth to her, she was out of sorts at first, and then casually chose the name Chuyi for the child, saying it was to commemorate the child’s father.”
Grandma Xia’s tone suddenly became stern: “Uncle, you also know, in our family, the girls are named in the order of plum, orchid, bamboo, chrysanthemum. The second daughter-in-law chose her name without consulting us, that’s like not regarding this child as a member of the Xia family!”
Grandma Xia grew increasingly angry as she spoke.
“The second daughter-in-law was grieving then, young and naive, not mindful of these traditional customs, which is forgivable. Chuyi is after all my son’s own flesh and blood, letting her live as an idle member of the household, that’s fine.”
“But as the child grew up, she stopped seeing herself as part of the Xia family. Not only did she often run off to the Zhao family as a little girl, but recently, she even insisted on splitting from the Xia family.” Grandma Xia paused at this point, her eyes filled with accusation, “Tell me, within the three regions and eight villages, where is there a young maiden who lives alone after splitting from her family?”
“Uncle, you tell me, can this child still be considered a part of the Xia Family?”
Grandma Xia looked meaningfully at Uncle Xia, as if directly asking whether Xia Chuyi should bear the Zhao surname instead.
“Of course, we also understand, when a child’s heart runs wild, they can’t be confined, so we just let her go.”
“But having left the family, she can no longer be considered a member of the Xia family. Now, I hear she still wants to bask in the glory of my son?”
In the end, Grandma Xia summarized with an air of an Old Sealed Lord.