Yu Jingting cut all the red strings in one stroke. Clearly, on the way here, someone must have explained to him what these strings were all about.
"I promised my wife that I will never engage in any unlawfulness. Men should keep their word."
Suizi gave him two thumbs up with both hands, clearly expressing her admiration.
He was indeed her man. She liked how ruthless he could be.
"Cutting a few red strings, that’s not illegal, right?" Yu Jingting turned to the old man on the bed who was gasping for air and gave a toothy smirk.
"All these red strings by your bed... are you a passionate embroidery enthusiast? Relax, I’ve just cut a few of your strings, leaving you with a dual-threaded knitting basket. I’m a civil person, you know."
"So civil..." Suizi continued to admire him, wondering why she hadn’t thought of this before.
"You...ah..." The old man’s eyes rolled back, and he passed out.
He really wasn’t doing well this time.
The other family members were all stunned, realizing they were truly finished now.
These strings were all attached to soul-summoning bells.
A master had once said that these bells were made to ward off evil spirits, to keep the souls suspended. Once broken, not even a god could save them.
Yu Jingting led Suizi and Jiaojiao out the front door, yet still turned around to give some sincere piece of advice.
"If I were you, I’d find a comfortable place to have a nice meal and change into respectable clothes. One less chance to enjoy such pleasures, alas, the good old man passed away due to your care, will the other families even spare you?"
"Ah, is he already dead?!" Jiaojiao found it terrifying but also a bit curious. She wanted to peek. She had never seen a dead person before.
"Well, he’s still breathing now, but who knows about later."
Yu Jingting walked out with stride, one arm around his wife and one guiding his sister, keen to leave before a corpse became part of the scene.
"It’s all over...all over..." Second Grandma muttered, looking at the old man on the bed, her eyes glazed over.
The Fan brothers exchanged a glance, realizing the situation was settled.
They rushed out after them.
"Wait a minute!"
"What is it, looking for a fight? Yu Jingting freed one hand and motioned with his fingers.
"Taking on both of us together?"
"No, no, you’ve misunderstood. We are parked quite far from here, we can drive you there."
"Yes, yes, we also have two cases of local produce at our place. You can help deliver it to your uncle on your way."
The brothers were humble and trying their best to please.
They weren’t at all concerned that an old man was dying in the ward, demonstrating precisely what it means ’out of sight, out of mind.’
"I don’t even know what to say..." Jiaojiao was at a loss for words at the dramatic turn of events.
She was having a hard time adjusting to these two-faced people, given her straight-forward nature.
"Didn’t you guys just threaten my sister-in-law?"
Jiaojiao’s question darkened Yu Jingting’s gaze momentarily as he smirked at the Fan brothers.
"Little girl, you only know one side of the story. We change allegiance according to the circumstances."
"Yes, we’ve turned to your side now. We’ve even tipped you off about things at home, that counts as making amends for our past actions, right?"
The two brothers, recalling Suizi’s description of Yu Jingting as a coward who could be bullied by even a three-year-old, tried to smooth things over with flattery and sweet talk.
"Making amends for past actions?" Yu Jingting snorted, "Alright, let’s reward you for your services."
The brothers looked up just in time to see Yu Jingting land two blows, leaving them with identical black eyes and giving them a few swift kicks for good measure.
The brothers cried out in pain, looking pitifully at Suizi. They thought Yu Jingting was supposed to be timid, even a child could pee on him, right?
Suizi merely shrugged her shoulders.
"I forgot to mention, the one who peed on him is my set of boy and girl twins, barely two years old..."
"And my brother truly is timid around my sister-in-law. No matter how she treats him, he would never fight back, he doesn’t even dare talk back." Jiaojiao nodded, emphasizing, "I would say, he is the man who fears his wife the most in our village."
"Stop talking nonsense, am I really afraid of your sister-in-law?"
Suizi looked at him, and Yu Jingting hastily added: "I just don’t like to see your sister-in-law cry."
"He is never scared of me, one hand of his can easily pin me down. He simply respects me. A man who can respect his spouse and control his instincts is capable of great things." Suizi never passed up a chance to sincerely praise her husband.
Yu Jingting was indeed very pleased with himself, and even more motivated to keep fighting.
"To me, he truly is a good, honest man. But to others..."
Suizi’s words were drowned out by the miserable yells of the Fan brothers.
The demon in the eyes of these men was the best man in her heart.
The brothers dropped off Suizi and her husband at the freeway exit, where Fan Huang’s car was still standing, seemingly not yet repaired.
What surprised Suizi was the mule frolicking on the asphalt... and the man on top of the mule was her dad?!
"Quick! Help my dad!" Suizi was frantic, urging Yu Jingting to get out of the car. Yu Jingting and the Fan brothers struggled to control the mule.
Fan Huang, drenched in sweat, dismounted from the mule. Seeing his daughter standing there unharmed he didn’t even bother wiping his sweat, but immediately ran over.
"Are you okay?"
"Um, I’m okay-- Are you okay?" Suizi looked at her dad, who was in a disheveled state, dirty, a far cry from his usual elegance.
Fan Huang and Yu Jingting’s car had broken down on the way. Yu Jingting had to rush, so he borrowed a bike from nearby to rescue Suizi.
Desperate, Fan Huang didn’t want to wait and couldn’t find another bike to borrow in the vicinity, so he set his sights on a neighbor’s mule.
The neighbor refused to lend it, so he stole it.
He had imagined himself as a gallant knight, rushing in on his steed to save his daughter.
But the reality was, a man who didn’t know how to ride a mule, almost got kicked to death by it.
Thankfully, Suizi and the others came back just in time. If they came back a little later, who knows what could have happened?
"Dad, it’s commendable that you wanted to help, but next time, please be more careful." Suizi felt bad for her dad, and a little bit for the mule too.
The mule must have been scared too....
"Uncle, your father seems to be..."
"Jingting will handle those details," Fan Huang replied indifferently, maintaining the usual cold demeanor he showed outsiders.
"Suizi must be tired from all the hustle. Rest well after reaching Beijing. I have work tomorrow. Once the car is fixed, I’ll drive it back home."
Fan Huang got into the car offered by the Fan Brothers.
Yu Jingting naturally got into the driver’s seat, while Suizi and the kids took the back seat.
The Fan brothers wanted to ask more, but the car drove away.
Leaving them in a cloud of exhaust fumes.
"It seems our uncle really doesn’t care about our grandfather’s wellbeing. He doesn’t even bother visiting. It’s clear that Suizi’s importance in his heart is preeminent. We’ve found a strong backer, haven’t we?" said Fan Jiang, very pleased, only to see his brother looking worried.
"What’s the matter?"
"Uncle left his broken car with us. How are we going to get home now? Ride a mule?"