Zhou Siyu stood up, wanting to call Zhou Lanfang back, but it was at this moment that Shen Mianmian spoke up.
"Siyu, it’s the New Year, there really shouldn’t be tears here! It’s bad luck."
The room was dimly lit, and no one had been paying close attention to Zhou Siyu. After Shen Mianmian’s reminder, however, everyone turned to look at her.
Seeing her eyes genuinely red as if she would burst into tears any moment, the Zhang family’s daughter-in-law’s expression immediately changed.
"Siyu, nobody’s said anything about you—why are you getting upset?"
Villagers are superstitious, believing that someone crying in their home is an ill omen, especially during the New Year.
To put it bluntly, it’s as if there’s a funeral at home, and outsiders have come to mourn.
For Siyu to be crying at her house during the New Year, what was going on?
She had only got red eyes, she hadn’t yet cried.
Just as she was about to explain herself, Zhou Lanfang, who had heard that Siyu was upset to the verge of tears, exploded in anger. Before Siyu could even open her mouth, she glared at Shen Mianmian and cursed, "You dare make Siyu cry, you little wretch, you’re asking for it, aren’t you?"
With the dim evening light making it difficult to see clearly, her words immediately confirmed Siyu’s tears, causing the Zhang family’s daughter-in-law’s face to look even uglier.
Regardless of whether Siyu would be a university student in the future or not, she walked to the television, angrily switched it off with a ’snap’, and said with an unhappy face.
"It’s very late, everyone go back to sleep! We can watch it tomorrow."
"But it was just getting exciting."
"It’s not even ten o’clock yet."
"Oh well, let’s watch it tomorrow."
Everyone was unhappy with the sudden turning off of the TV, but seeing the Zhang family’s daughter-in-law’s ugly expression and Zhou Siyu’s red eyes, they all understood.
Zhou Siyu really should’ve known better given her age. Why start crying at someone else’s house just before the New Year’s celebration?
"Let’s go! Let’s go!"
The room quickly emptied as a crowd of adults and children dispersed, and Shen Mianmian, taking advantage of the commotion and the dim light, slipped quietly out.
Given Zhou Lanfang’s temperament, she was surely going to pick a fight with her, but once she was home, in front of Shen Jianhua, Lanfang wouldn’t dare lay a hand on her, no matter how angry she was.
Zhou Siyu, who had only reddened eyes and hadn’t planned on crying, wasn’t given a chance to explain. She and Zhou Lanfang left the Zhang family’s house, only to hear others gossiping quietly as they went.
"People were just praising Siyu for being smart, and just after a few compliments, look what happened."
"She’s fifteen or sixteen already, yet she cries at the drop of a hat, without considering the situation. No wonder the Zhang family’s upset. I’d be annoyed too."
Hearing these words, Siyu could no longer hold back. This time, she truly cried. She felt wronged, for the first time in her life feeling both unjustly accused and utterly aggrieved.
"Auntie, I didn’t cry earlier."
"Yes, yes, I know you didn’t cry," Zhou Lanfang said, tenderly patting Siyu’s hair, "It’s all that little bastard’s fault for spouting nonsense."
She intended to settle the score with Shen Mianmian and avenge Siyu, but by the time they returned home, Mianmian had already washed up and gone to bed. Yet Lanfang was still fuming, and she stormed into the room to pull off Mianmian’s blanket.
Fortunately, Mianmian was prepared and had only removed one layer of clothing. "Mom, what are you doing?" Thıs text ıs hosted at 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡•𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚•𝙣𝙚𝙩
"You know perfectly well what you’ve done," Lanfang’s eyes nearly bulged out with fury. "Who told you to make up lies about Siyu?"
"It’s late at night! Why aren’t you sleeping but instead causing a racket in your child’s room?" Shen Jianhua, roused by the noise, came into the room. Seeing his wife flipping his daughter’s blanket, his temper flared. He quickly covered Mianmian with the blanket again.