Chapter 142: Rebelling Against Heaven

Chapter 142: Chapter 142: Rebelling Against Heaven

Yang felt like the sky was falling!

Ji Liansong, seething with anger, stormed into the main room. Afraid he would do something reckless, Yang quickly followed.

Ji Xuelan put Sanyang back on the kang bed and told Daya to watch her little sisters. Then she and Ji Mingfang followed right behind them into the main hall.

Aunt Kang, tired from her tirade, was resting in the east room. Hearing the commotion, she lifted the curtain and came out. The moment she saw it was the eldest son’s family, she immediately saw red.

"What? Finally come to your senses? Going back now? You get married off and can’t even live properly, just stirring up trouble all day! I get no benefit from you, only endless problems. Who knows how the others are laughing at us..."

Ji Qingshan emerged, draping a padded jacket over his shoulders, but didn’t stop Aunt Kang’s tirade.

These last two commotions the Sun family caused both happened right at the front gate. Now, everyone in the village, whether they were supposed to know or not, knew everything. Who knew what gossip was being spread behind their backs.

Ji Qingshan was also angry with his eldest granddaughter.

Aunt Kang’s scolding was as endless as ever, but Ji Liansong found it more grating and unbearable than ever before.

His chest heaved, and his panting grew louder and more ragged.

When he spoke, it wasn’t to immediately demand answers about Ji Mingfang.

"Father, Mother, Xuelan isn’t going back to the Sun family. From now on, she’s staying here with us."

The tension gripping Yang’s heart suddenly eased.

’As long as her husband doesn’t bring up what happened back then, anything is fine.’

Aunt Kang was cut off mid-tirade. And the one who interrupted her was none other than her eldest son, the one who had always been the most obedient.

What she found most unbearable were his words.

"Eldest, what did you just say? Say that again."

Hearing the commotion, the family of the third son also entered the main hall, clearly there to watch the drama unfold.

Mrs. Zhu cried out in mock surprise, "Eldest Brother, you didn’t get drunk at the Sun family’s house, did you? To think you’d dare talk back to Mother!"

Ji Lianhuai had accompanied them earlier when they took Ji Xuelan back to the Sun family, so Mrs. Zhu knew perfectly well they hadn’t been asked to stay for a meal. This was a deliberate dig at Ji Liansong’s expense as the father-in-law.

Ji Liansong ignored her barb, simply repeating himself in a low voice.

Aunt Kang’s ears perked up. This time, she heard him clearly.

And because she heard him clearly, she instantly flew into a rage.

"Have you lost your mind?! We marry off one piece of worthless baggage, and you bring three more back with her! Do you think the Ji family is made of money or something? I’m telling you, Eldest, you send them away right now! Not one of them is to stay! Send them all away!"

With her hands on her hips, Aunt Kang jabbed a finger at Ji Liansong, spraying spittle all over his face.

Ji Liansong clenched his fists, but he didn’t lower his head as he always had before.

He looked straight at Aunt Kang and asked, "Mother, Xuelan is your granddaughter. Aren’t you worried she’ll be beaten to death?"

Aunt Kang snapped, "So what if she gets beaten a few times? It’s her own fault for not bearing a son. From the day she married out, she became their daughter-in-law. How they choose to discipline her is none of our business! Are you saying she hasn’t brought enough shame on the Ji family already?"

Ji Mingfang couldn’t take it anymore and started forward to argue, but Yang held him back tightly.

With tears in her eyes, Ji Xuelan also shook her head at him.

’She’d long since given up any hope for this family, for her so-called grandparents.’

’But now, she wanted to see if their father could stand up for his children, just this once.’

Ji Liansong wasn’t good with words. He couldn’t refute anything Aunt Kang said.

He knew it was useless to say anything more. Aunt Kang only listened to her own reasoning; she couldn’t care less whether a granddaughter who had married out lived or died.

Ji Liansong accepted this reality and gave up on trying to persuade her or win her over.

"Father, Mother, I’m not here to discuss this with you, I’m telling you. If you’re afraid of being burdened... then just separate our branch from the family."

His tone and attitude were resolute in a way they had never been before.

And he had mentioned splitting the family—casually, decisively.

Now, it wasn’t just Aunt Kang who was shocked—even Ji Qingshan was stunned.

Even the members of the third branch, who loved nothing more than a good bit of drama, were left gawking.

"You’re rebelling!"

After a moment of shock, Aunt Kang lunged at Ji Liansong, clawing wildly at his face.

Just as always, Ji Liansong didn’t flinch or try to dodge.

And yet, something was different this time.

’Was it that his back wasn’t bowed? That his face held no trace of a plea? Or that he didn’t immediately admit he was wrong and try to placate her?’

Aunt Kang couldn’t put her finger on it. Unable to get a read on him, she began to feel a little flustered.

Seeing their father’s face covered in bloody scratches, Ji Xuelan and Ji Mingfang both rushed forward to stop her.

Unable to get at him, Aunt Kang plopped herself down on the floor, slapped her thigh hard, and let out an earth-shattering wail.

"Oh, Heavens above, open your eyes and see! Everyone says you raise sons to care for you in old age, but I might as well have given birth to a slab of meat! Eldest, do you even see me as your mother anymore? You’ll choose your daughter over your own parents? Aren’t you afraid the heavens will strike you down with lightning? The unfilial are struck by lightning! Heavens, what sins did I commit to deserve this..."

Ji Liansong didn’t move to help her up. He waited until she had cursed her fill and paused to catch her breath before he spoke.

"...In any case, as long as I’m alive, Xuelan will not go back there to be bullied. If you won’t agree to let her stay, then so be it... You will always be my father and mother. Even if we separate the households, I will continue to be a filial son."

He didn’t say that if they agreed to let Xuelan stay, he wouldn’t bring up splitting the family.

He had already seen how little his branch of the family weighed in their eyes and didn’t want to waste his breath on a pointless effort.

Her eldest son’s promise to remain just as filial after the separation did not comfort Aunt Kang in the slightest.

She hadn’t put on this whole wailing performance just to get this result.

But her eldest son had changed. He wasn’t falling for her act anymore.

Aunt Kang could only shoot a meaningful glance at her husband, the head of the household, hoping he would step in and bring their eldest son’s family to heel.

Ji Qingshan coughed for a moment, set down his pipe, and asked in a grave tone, "Eldest, are you really going to split the family, to separate from your own mother and father, all for a daughter who’s already married out? A daughter is like spilled water, you know."

Ji Liansong shook his head.

Seeing this, Ji Qingshan’s expression relaxed.

’Looks like the eldest was just speaking in the heat of the moment,’ he thought. ’How could he really want to split the family?’

But unexpectedly, after shaking his head, Ji Liansong added, "Xuelan is not spilled water. She will always be my daughter."

Being contradicted like that, Ji Qingshan’s tone grew heavy.

"Have you really thought this through? You know, your fourth brother just entered the county school. Becoming a Scholar is just around the corner. Once he becomes an official, he’ll be able to help out all of you, especially Ming Fang... You’re all brothers from the same mother, not separate families. Once he’s successful, do you think he’d forget about you?"

On the surface, his words were persuasive, but they carried a veiled threat intended to make his eldest son see reason.

If they didn’t split the family, when Ji Liantang became successful, he would naturally promote their branch.

If they did split the family, then the eldest branch could forget about ever getting any benefits.

Yang understood the threat as well. She timidly shuffled forward to tug on Ji Liansong’s sleeve, wanting him to stop talking about splitting the family and to avoid offending his parents and fourth brother.

But the moment her hand touched his sleeve, Ji Liansong violently shook it off.

Yang slammed hard into the wall, the impact leaving her completely dazed.

’Even her husband resented her now...’

Tears streamed down Yang’s face.

Mrs. Zhu jumped in surprise and whispered to Ji Lianhuai, "What’s gotten into Eldest Brother? When have you ever seen him treat Eldest Sister-in-law like that... It’s terrifying!"

Ji Liansong’s actions startled Ji Qingshan and Aunt Kang as well. They, too, felt that their eldest son was not himself today.

Ji Liansong’s chest was heaving violently again, as if he were desperately holding something back.

He gritted his teeth, his voice strained. "I’ve said what I needed to say. From now on, Xuelan has nothing to do with the Sun family. She and the three children are not going anywhere. I can support them myself. I don’t need anyone’s charity."

Aunt Kang shot up as if on a spring.

"You’ll support them? And how will you do that! With your farming? Or will you rely on that crippled son of yours? You talk so big, daring to say you don’t need anyone. In the end, won’t you just have to rely on Fourth Brother..."

Ever since he’d walked through the door, Ji Liansong had been holding back.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t accept the shock of the truth, but rather that he hadn’t figured out how to face his own parents once that truth was laid bare.

That was why he kept telling himself to stay calm, to hold back.

But now, he could no longer stay calm. He could no longer hold back.

The two words "crippled son" pierced his nerves, tore through his heart, and shattered his last shred of self-deception.

"Haven’t you said enough!"