The Fortunate Lady and Her Mountain Man

Chapter 181: Chapter 181: Going All Out

Ji Xiu’e wanted Ji Huan to make her stance clear, and Ji Huan did just that:

"You want me to fulfill my filial duties? Fine. But not until every last one of you—the actual sons and daughters—is dead. Otherwise, forget it."

But this was not the answer Ji Xiu’e had been looking for.

The others present also found it rather odd.

They imagined their own grandchildren saying something like that in the future. Even if there was some logic to it, the words were still chilling.

Eldest Daughter-in-law Shi, who had been covertly sizing up the room’s furnishings, assumed the role of a mediator.

"Wuan, dear, that’s no way to be! Your elders are your elders, no matter their faults. Even if you’ve separated from the family, you still have to perform your filial duties. It’s about your own conscience, as a junior, and it has nothing to do with your uncles and aunts. They’ll do their part, and you do yours..."

Eldest Daughter-in-law Shi was Shi Yong’s sister-in-law, and she was notorious in the village as a formidable wife.

In other families, it was the mother-in-law who tormented the daughter-in-law. It was rare to see someone like her, who turned the tables and tormented her own mother-in-law half to death.

Ji Huan just kept smiling. Eldest Daughter-in-law Shi knew the smile was directed at her but couldn’t figure out why, which made her rather displeased.

"My words may not be pleasant, but you can’t just mock a person like that."

Ji Huan stifled her smile and said, a hint of apology in her voice, "I didn’t mean to mock you, Auntie. It’s just... I’ve heard so many stories about your ’heroic deeds.’ Hearing you lecture me on filial piety feels a little... strange."

Ji Huan stopped laughing, but now the others in the room started to snicker.

Eldest Daughter-in-law Shi’s face flushed red and pale. After a long, strained silence, she finally managed to squeeze out, "My situation was different from yours!"

Ji Huan just hummed noncommittally, feigning understanding.

"To separate from your mother-in-law and brother-in-law not long after getting married... unless there was some earth-shattering reason, no normal person would do something so drastic. However..."

Her tone shifted. "Didn’t you just say, Auntie, that no matter their faults, elders are still elders, and filial piety doesn’t require a reason? In that case, Auntie, when do you plan on bringing Aunt Shi back home to care for her properly? I’m waiting for you to set an example for me."

’Practice what you preach, or shut your mouth!’

’These people always put themselves in the shoes of the elder, ignoring all context, completely forgetting whether they themselves ever showed an ounce of filial piety when they were the juniors.’

’She couldn’t even be bothered to curse someone like that.’

Eldest Daughter-in-law Shi was so thoroughly stumped she couldn’t say another word.

Aunt Wang, sitting beside her, couldn’t bear to watch any longer. She just shook her head and sighed.

"Wuan, you shouldn’t speak so harshly. With your reputation... it’ll be hard for you to marry. When you’re old, won’t you have to rely on Mingmao and the others? And taking in that ’little monster’ as a brother—that whole affair is just improper. You can’t possibly leave your property to him. What if you can’t count on him? If you ask me, it’s better to let your own family benefit than some outsider."

Ji Huan’s greatest trigger was anyone bad-mouthing Dabao. Her face instantly turned cold.

"That’s a ridiculous thing to say, Auntie. I’ve established my own female-headed household. Whether I marry or not, no matter how destitute I become, I will never have to rely on Ji Mingmao and his family. The only person who is my family is the one on my household registry. Everyone else is an outsider. This is all sealed and approved by the government office. Anyone who objects can go argue their case there. As for you, Auntie, by the time I’m old, who knows which mountaintop you’ll be admiring the view from? You should stop meddling in matters so far in someone else’s future."

It wasn’t just Aunt Wang who was left speechless. The others were also surprised. Ji Huan was usually so quiet and gentle, with what seemed to be a mild temperament. They never imagined she possessed such a sharp tongue.

When she didn’t speak, she seemed harmless. But once she did, a few light words, without a single curse, were enough to strip a person of all their dignity.

Who would dare say another word?

With no one to back her up, Ji Xiu’e had to press on alone.

"You don’t have to beat around the bush with me. Mrs. Shi had a point. We, the children, will do our part as children, and you, the granddaughter, will do your part as a granddaughter. There’s no conflict..."

Fearing Ji Huan would twist her words again, she decided to be blunt.

"Look, your courtyard is so large and you have so many rooms—you can’t possibly use them all, can you? If you bring your grandparents over, they could even watch the gate and guard the yard for you... If you’re really unwilling, well, there’s nothing to be done. After all, you’ve grown your wings now."

Ji Huan, whose "wings had grown strong," suddenly let out a heartfelt sigh and adopted a look of weakness.

"Aunt, you may not know this, but everyone else here should remember. When the family split, Grandma announced in front of the entire village that from that day forward, our lives, old age, sickness, and death would be separate matters. That exact sentence was written into the separation agreement. So, strictly speaking, it wasn’t that I separated from the Ji Family; it was the Ji Family that actively disowned me."

As Ji Huan "recounted" her sorrowful tale, she inwardly enjoyed watching Ji Xiu’e’s expression grow more and more sour.

"Does a disowned granddaughter still have an obligation to support her grandparents? I believe the law is quite clear on that, isn’t it? I’m just a young woman; I wouldn’t dare break the law. And even if I did, Grandpa is a man who values his pride. He’s not the type to shamelessly cling to someone just because they’re doing well. Why don’t you go back and ask him, Aunt? If he comes and asks me himself, then of course I’ll have nothing more to say."

’If Ji Qingshan dared to show his face here, it would be the very definition of shameless.’

’If the two Ji elders dared demand her support, she’d slap the separation agreement right in their faces and make them read it aloud to the entire village.’

’Let’s see who’s more willing to throw face to the wind!’

A series of expressions flickered across Ji Xiu’e’s face. The two deep lines bracketing her mouth seemed to deepen, accentuating her cold, harsh demeanor.

When she rose to her feet without a word, the others followed suit.

"Leaving so soon, Aunt? Won’t you stay a little longer?"

Ji Huan asked with a beaming smile. Though her words were polite, she had already walked to the main room’s doorway, clearly ready to see them out.

Everyone: "..."

The others filed out of the house first. As Ji Xiu’e passed by Ji Huan, she suddenly stopped.

"Wuan, we’re family. How can you hold a grudge for a lifetime? Besides, about that business with you... you can’t really blame your grandparents. They were just listening to someone else’s bad advice..."

’So, there’s a hidden meaning in her words.’

Ji Huan looked up at Ji Xiu’e, but her aunt acted as if she’d said nothing remarkable and strode out of the main room.

If someone had been instigating things behind the scenes when they tried to sell her, Ji Huan’s mind immediately jumped to Mrs. Zhu.

After all, from start to finish, she had been the most enthusiastic and active member of the Ji Family in that whole affair.

’Is Ji Xiu’e trying to imply that Mrs. Zhu was behind everything, and Ji Qingshan and Aunt Kang were just led astray?’

’Hah. Even if Mrs. Zhu were that clever, it would only have worked if Ji Qingshan and Aunt Kang were willing to listen to her.’

Lost in thought, Ji Huan didn’t notice Ma Liugun sneaking over to the kitchen door.

She still hadn’t given up. The bedroom was one thing, but to be forbidden from the kitchen too? And that excuse about a dog—who would believe that!

The more she was told not to look, the more she wanted to see.

Just as she reached out to push the door, it was suddenly pulled open from within.

She looked down and came face-to-face with a small, delicate, snow-white face. He had a pair of large, dark, shining eyes, and his thick, dense eyelashes looked like two tiny brushes.

For a moment, Ma Liugun couldn’t connect this handsome little boy with the "little monster" from before. She just stared, mesmerized.

She didn’t even notice that the little face before her was tense, his small brow furrowed in a frown.

He moved his hand behind his back, as if making a signal.

In the next instant, a black shadow shot out from behind the woodpile.

The shadow moved with ferocious speed, leaping through the air and tackling Ma Liugun to the ground.

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