Who gave Xie Liangchen the audacity to take away valuables from the Xie Family?
Upon hearing this, Mrs. Qiao couldn't hold back and blurted out, "Your second uncle and I treat you as our own, how dare you speak such words to divide the family?"
Xie Rulan's joy dissipated mostly, showing a look of disbelief.
Xie Liangchen didn't want to waste words with Mrs. Qiao: "Second Aunt cannot make decisions, it's better to have someone invite Second Uncle back!"
"You..." Mrs. Qiao clenched her handkerchief, despite Xie Liangchen still recovering from her injuries, appearing helpless, it was unimaginable that she was scheming like this.
Xie Rulan reacted and quickly walked forward, trying to grab Xie Liangchen's hand: "Elder sister, are you speaking nonsense... ah..."
Before Xie Rulan could continue, her wrist was grasped by Xie Liangchen, whose two fingers seemed to embed into the flesh, making one of Rulan's arms feel powerless.
Xie Liangchen was knowledgeable in medicine and understood the anatomy, even if not as skilled as Song Xian, she was more than capable of handling Xie Rulan.
Beside them, Chen Zigeng watched with eyes wide open, only thinking how formidable his sister was.
Tear-filled eyes, Xie Rulan turned to run towards Mrs. Qiao, feeling wronged: "Mother, elder sister hurt my hand..."
As Xie Rulan spoke, she rolled up her sleeves to show Mrs. Qiao, but her wrist bore no traces, leaving Rulan perplexed, not understanding what was happening, as it seemed she had falsely accused her sister.
Mrs. Qiao's fury surged, disregarding the presence of Su Family members, her voice shrill: "Your second uncle and I treated you well, how dare you do this?"
Supported by her mother's backing, Xie Rulan's tears fell faster.
Old Mrs. Chen finally couldn't endure, glaring at Xie Rulan: "In broad daylight, mourning in distress, show me where you're injured!" Saying this, she rolled up her sleeves to proceed.
Xie Rulan quickly dodged away.
"And you," Old Mrs. Chen pointed at Mrs. Qiao, "pretending, how have you been kind to Miss Chen? Have you searched for her all these years? Yet it was the Su Family who saved her."
Old Mrs. Chen had ample tea today, and missing a tooth made it easy for her spittle to fly onto Mrs. Qiao's face, disgust filling her heart; she couldn't endure anything else, dodging while attempting to wipe her face with a handkerchief, knowing the chaos Old Mrs. Chen would create.
Old Mrs. Chen wasn't satisfied with words alone, wanting to take off her shoe, using the sole to spank Mrs. Qiao thoroughly to get real satisfaction.
Thinking this, she reached for a shoe but hesitated upon realizing she was wearing new ones, grabbing a vase from the table instead, striding toward Mrs. Qiao and company.
"Don't leave," Old Mrs. Chen said, "let's have a proper talk."
Seeing that wasn't intended for pleasant talk, Mrs. Qiao, frightened, tugged Xie Rulan, heading outside.
Old Mrs. Chen stretched her long legs to chase after, but behind her came Xie Liangchen's voice: "Grandmother, your granddaughter has matters where she seeks your judgment."
Old Mrs. Chen finally halted, turning back: "Miss Chen, don't be afraid, with grandmother here, they won't dare bully you."
Xie Liangchen nodded with a smile, recalling how she realized her grandmother's goodness only after her grandmother's illness and passing in her previous life; her eyes sharper in this life.
Xie Liangchen looked at the two Su Family housekeeper mothers about to leave: "I ask the two mothers to stay, as the matter I want to discuss relates to the Su Family."
Old Mrs. Chen returned to the bedside; Chen Zigeng cleverly stepped forward to close the door.
Inside the room remained only three family members and two Su Family housekeepers.
Supporting herself to sit up, Xie Liangchen focused her gaze on Nanny Lv: "In my semi-conscious state, I heard the two mothers mentioning my marriage arrangement with the Su Family."
Nanny Lv's face shifted, involuntarily glancing at Mrs. Bai beside her, blaming Mrs. Bai's loose tongue, unexpectedly overheard by Miss Xie.
Nanny Lv quickly apologized to Xie Liangchen: "I've offended Miss Xie, please forgive me, we will surely take punishment from Madam when we go back."
Xie Liangchen didn't reply to Nanny Lv's words but said: "What the mothers said is correct, I also feel this marriage is inappropriate."
Nanny Lv was stunned.
Xie Liangchen looked toward Old Mrs. Chen: "Grandmother, I currently wish to accomplish two things, one is to leave the Xie Family, and the other is to break off the marriage with the Su Family."
Old Mrs. Chen placed the vase down, seeing clearly that the Su Family wasn't sincere about the marriage, thus their servants dared gossip privately: "Break off the marriage, when Old Master Su was wounded by bandits during his travels, your father carried him five miles to find a doctor, thus Old Master Su set the engagement. Now with changed circumstances and with them not being earnest, naturally we won't marry, to avoid future grievances."
Xie Liangchen nodded, recalling in her previous life she was forced to serve as a widow at the Su Family, with Madam Su blaming Su Huaiqing's death on her, deeming her unlucky to harm husbands; kept praying for the Su Family in a nunnery.
Until an incident with the Su Family convoy, she seized the chance to make her presence known.
Old Master Su's kindness, she'd repay in future, Su Huaiqing's as well; she wouldn't owe anyone favor. As for the others, Xie Liangchen grinned — as long as no one provokes her, she won't provoke them either, hoping Su Family members avoid incurring her ire, lest they face the same outcomes as in her previous life.
Just like now, Madam Su wanting to scheme against her, she'd ride with the tide, fulfilling Madam Su's wishes, with the cost of leaving the Xie Family.
Xie Liangchen shifted her thoughts back, continued questioning Nanny Lv: "Do you know who in the Su Family could make decisions now?"
The matter Madam Su pondered day and night seemed to be resolving today, Nanny Lv dared not delay: "The matter is significant, there are elder relatives from the Su Family nearby, Miss Xie would allow me to inquire."
Elder relatives nearby from the Su Family? Xie Liangchen smiled inwardly, wasn't Madam Su directed her here? Madam Su hadn't felt reassured since she was sent back to the Xie Family, hence came to gather news, afraid of deep ties with the Xie Family, Madam Su hadn't shown up but steered servants secretly.
Xie Liangchen said: "Trouble the mother for a quick round trip, I want to resolve it early to avoid complications."
Nanny Lv bowed and quickly exited the room.
Xie Rulan, hiding nearby listening, saw Nanny Lv rushed past.
Xie Rulan asked: "Mother, what else did my elder sister say?"
Nanny Lv thought before replying: "Miss Xie insists on returning to the Chen Family."
At this, Nanny Lv sighed deeply: "Heard the Chen Family lives in the village, concerning Miss Xie's status... sigh... given there's still a marriage arrangement between the two families, should this happen, I truly don't know how to explain it to our Madam."
Xie Rulan's eyes flashed, hearing the underlying meaning in Nanny Lv's words.
So, as long as elder sister returns to the Chen Family, she couldn't possibly marry into the Su Family, meaning she'd be the one marrying into the Su Family?
Xie Rulan clutched Nanny Lv's sleeve: "If elder sister insists on this?"
Nanny Lv pressed her lips: "Then perhaps there'll be change..." at this moment glancing at Xie Rulan, inadvertently revealing she'd said more than intended.
"Second Miss, I don't know," Nanny Lv said, "there are elder relatives in the Su Family nearby, I must go consult the elder."
"The situation is urgent, Mother please hurry," Xie Rulan quickly stepped aside; she too would go to tell her mother, just let elder sister leave.
Only lose some valuables, incomparable to the Su Family marriage.