390, Despair (3rd Update)
Yuan Liuwang married, and Xie Zhinuan curled her lips.
She didn’t see Yuan Wang out the door.
By the time they reached the town, it was almost dark.
It was only then Dong Sheng asked Xiaoyuan, “Are you going home with me?”
“No, I’m going to my parents’ house, you go back by yourself!”
Their homes were on opposite banks of the river, close enough to hear each other if they shouted.
Xiaoyuan was reluctant to go to Dong Sheng’s home, feeling uncomfortable all over whenever she did. She might as well go back to her parents’ house.
There, at least she would have a warm meal and hot water to drink.
“Then I’ll walk you to your doorstep!” Dong Sheng said softly.
“No need, it’s just a few steps away!” Xiaoyuan said, stepping forward first.
In the darkness, her figure was indistinct, but as Dong Sheng stood there, he felt she was gradually moving farther and farther away.
He couldn’t even grasp her fading silhouette.
Dong Sheng felt extremely distressed.
Dragging his heavy body and heart, he walked towards his home.
From afar, he smelled the aroma of meat and saw the bright red lanterns hanging in the direction of his home, pretty to look at.
His heart sank.
With his father seriously ill, would there still be red lanterns hanging at home?
Approaching the door, Dong Sheng heard the laughter and cheerful voices inside. His mother’s voice was loud and clear, showing none of the feebleness she had displayed during their last meeting.
Dong Sheng raised his hand to knock but paused upon a sudden thought and headed next door to knock on the neighbor’s door instead.
The neighbor opened the door and was surprised to see Dong Sheng, “Dong Sheng, you’re back? Why aren’t you going home? Your brother is about to get married!”
“Uncle, I just wanted to ask, has my father been ill these past few days?” Dong Sheng asked with a hoarse voice.
“Ill? Not at all. Your father is in great health, bustling about all day preparing your brother’s dowry. He doesn’t look sick at all!” the neighbor said with a laughing disbelief.
Seeing Dong Sheng walk away dispirited.
As if understanding something, he shook his head and sighed, “This favoritism in parents is just too much!”
When Dong Sheng himself got married, there was no dowry prepared; they just brought Xiaoyuan home in a simple ceremony. The day after the wedding, his mother-in-law and sisters-in-law beat Xiaoyuan. Dong Sheng’s mother was indeed fierce and formidable.
Dong Sheng slowly pushed open the main gate and immediately, everyone in the hall turned to look. They were all surprised and bewildered to see Dong Sheng.
“Brother, you’re back!”
“Oh, Dong Sheng’s back!”
Dong Sheng turned a deaf ear and just walked step by step to his father, “Dad, mom said you were gravely ill and needed ten taels of silver for treatment, is that true?”
Dong Sheng’s father’s face turned red, and he choked, unable to speak.
Dong Sheng’s mother cried out, “You child, how can you speak like that? How can you curse your own father? Have you eaten? Come and sit down to eat!”
She deftly avoided the issue, trying to gloss over the matter.
But Dong Sheng laughed, “Eat? Because mom, you hurriedly said dad was sick and needed ten taels of silver, I didn’t ask the owner for permission and stole the ten taels of silver for you. The owner drove me out from the noodle shop and said since it’s my own father who’s sick, he told me to go home and fulfil my filial duties…”
Dong Sheng paused, “So from now on, I’ll just stay at home and be a good filial son!”
With that statement, Dong Sheng stunned the people around the table, including his own younger brother.
Kicked out? Accused of embezzlement? If that’s the case, then who will make money for the family? He still dreamed of studying and gaining official recognition.
Horrified, Dong Sheng’s mother was speechless, stammering, “What about Xiaoyuan? Isn’t Xiaoyuan Xie Miss’s apprentice? What did she say?”
“She wants to divorce me, and this time it’s for real. You’re all great, really great. It was me who dreamed of earning lots of silver to honor my parents; it was me who wanted to support and pursue scholarly honors for my brother. But you all conspired together to ruin my happiness, my future. Great, really great!”
Chapter 392