But that Lady Xie really had some nerve, to no longer have any relation with Mo Sanniang and yet still have the audacity to use someone else’s key to sneak in and take things. Did she really think of herself as such a sought-after treasure that everyone, at any time, had to please and flatter her?
"Her face is almost as thick as the city wall!" Not being able to punish the thief was truly unsatisfying. Lin Yuan pouted unhappily, "Change the locks!"
Judging from Lady Xie’s actions today, even if they went to her to demand the key, this woman, who coveted small advantages, definitely wouldn’t hand it over. Instead of going to her and ending up furious, it would be better to just change the locks of the shop and avoid any future problems!
Mo Sanniang nodded, "I had that intention just now as well. If I had remembered to take back the key from her earlier, I would have changed the lock long ago. Ah, it’s all my fault, otherwise, what happened today wouldn’t have occurred."
Meng Liangdong gripped her hand tightly and consoled her, "This isn’t your fault, the blame lies with Lady Xie. Who would have thought that she would really take advantage of your absence to come to the shop and take things? What’s more unexpected is that she even took the silver."
Meng Liangdong shook his head repeatedly; people like her truly refreshed everyone’s latest view of shamelessness.
Mo Sanniang also held Meng Liangdong’s hand back, genuinely worried that he would misunderstand that she still harbored feelings for Xie Zhiyuan. But now it seemed there was nothing to worry about; Meng Liangdong still trusted her.
Feeling Mo Sanniang’s gaze, Meng Liangdong looked up, hesitating whether to speak or not. Lin Yuan noticed his hesitation and casually prodded him.
Meng Liangdong carefully looked at Mo Sanniang, "Well, after I returned from your place, I... I heard some things. About Xie Zhiyuan."
"His affairs have nothing to do with me, and I’m not interested in hearing any news about him."
However, Lin Yuan giggled and asked, "Mr. Meng, tell us whether it’s good news or bad first. If it’s good news, forget about it; hearing it would just be frustrating. But if it’s bad news, hehe, then tell us so we can relieve some stress."
Mo Sanniang couldn’t help but laugh and poked her on the forehead hard, "You just can’t bear to see others doing well, can you?"
It wasn’t that; this distinction belonged solely to Xie Zhiyuan. If it were someone else, she would still hope for everyone to have comfortable and happy days.
Meng Liangdong swallowed and said, "If that’s the case, then you should hear it."
It seemed like it wasn’t good news! Lin Yuan’s eyes sparkled in anticipation of whatever vexing issue Xie Zhiyuan had encountered now.
"I heard it from the aunts on the street. They say that Xie Zhiyuan wasn’t able to bring Lady Xie home for the New Year, and Ma Xiaoqian didn’t even allow him to send gifts to his mother-in-law, leaving Lady Xie’s New Year not just bleak but also filled with hardship."
Lin Yuan interrupted, scoffing disdainfully, "No wonder she had the nerve to come to the shop and steal things."
"Yuanyuan!" Mo Sanniang shook her head at her, signaling Meng Liangdong to continue.
"The bleak New Year’s wasn’t just for Lady Xie; Xie Zhiyuan had it no better. On New Year’s Eve, he got caught by Ma Xiaoqian while sneaking a visit to his own mother, and that fierce woman actually made him kneel in the snow for half the night. On New Year’s Eve of all nights, when it was snowing! Alas, that Zhiyuan is indeed unlucky, for there’s supposed to be gold under a man’s knees!"
While Meng Liangdong was still expressing how a good man shouldn’t easily kneel, Lin Yuan glared at him disapprovingly. This idiot was actually feeling sorry for Zhiyuan. If it weren’t for Zhiyuan’s misfortune, would you be able to share both days and nights with Mo Sanniang?
"And there’s more, on the first day of the Lunar New Year after paying respects, Ma Xiaoqian took Xie Zhiyuan back to the Ma family Manor, to her maternal home. Look, it’s almost half a month now and they still haven’t come back! The aunts said that Lady Xie revealed Ma Xiaoqian has long had the idea of Zhiyuan marrying into the Ma family. It’s just that Zhiyuan, being a scholar, was too proud to agree to that before they got married. But to think that after marriage, he still couldn’t escape the fate of being a son-in-law that moved in with his wife’s family!"
No wonder Ma Xiaoqian was so determined to marry Meng Liangdong. But Xie Zhiyuan becoming a live-in son-in-law can’t all be blamed on Ma Xiaoqian; if Lady Xie and her daughter hadn’t set their sights on the Ma family as the newly rising wealthy family, they definitely wouldn’t have agreed to let Ma Xiaoqian marry in.
Ma Xiaoqian, being the only daughter at home with a fiery temper, had already caused her own man to disown his mother when she lived at the Xie family. Now that Zhiyuan has gone to the Ma family, he would certainly be even less tolerated in his willfulness. This Lady Xie, how foolishly she raised such a son!