Allure of a Country Maiden
Chapter 125 - 123: Misconduct

Chapter 125: Chapter 123: Misconduct

The trio had not gotten far from the old house when Xiao’er felt someone bumping into her from behind. She turned around to see, quickly pulling Mrs. Liu out of the way.

Shen Chengzong quickly charged forward, nevertheless colliding with Mrs. Liu. He then forcefully pulled on Shen Chengyao’s arm, nearly causing the cradled Xi’er in his arms to fall to the ground.

"Ah!" Mrs. Liu let out a soft cry!

"Second Brother, what are you doing!" Shen Chengyao quickly tightened his hold on Xi’er who almost fell from his arms!

Xiao’er saw that Shen Chengzong’s eyes were burning with rage! He definitely did it on purpose!

He intentionally ran into Mrs. Liu, taking advantage of her!

"Mom, are you ok?" Xiao’er asked, supporting Mrs. Liu.

Shen Chengyao also looked over, "Are you ok? Did it hurt when he bumped into you?"

Mrs. Liu’s eyes welled up with aggrieved tears. She shook her head. How could she bring herself to say that she was groped on her buttocks by the brother of her husband!

"Third Brother, Fourth Brother is your sibling and so am I! Why do you only help Fourth Brother and not me?!" Seeing the focus of everyone on Mrs. Liu, an enraged Shen Chengzong started, "You clearly know that your second elder brother has recently met with great calamity, lost all his wealth! Despite struggling, you don’t help me!"

"Look at your several nieces and nephews, the clothes on their bodies are all years old and have countless holes. There is not a single good part, nor is there a single quilt. They shiver from cold every night they sleep!"

Since they were on the village road, some villagers hearing the commotion came out to have a look and some passing by stopped to watch the drama.

"Your nieces and nephews have to face starvation every day. They eat once and don’t know when they’ll have their next meal! There’s so much work in your household, with a large number of long-term and short-term workers hired, yet you don’t think about me, your second elder brother, and give me work to do. Third Brother, I beg you to help me!" As Shen Chengzong saw more people gathering, he started to elicit sympathy.

He managed to say all this in one breath!

The spectators began to point and whisper, especially some who weren’t fortunate enough to get doll parts to work on.

"To think that Shen Chengyao was such a person, watching his brother’s household starve and not lifting a finger! If his household was poor, it would be understandable, but his family is already wealthy enough to have surplus. Yet he’s so stingy!" A villager shook his head.

"Exactly, the long-term workers in his home are given one tael of silver a month, including food and lodging. Such a high wage, benefiting outsiders but not us villagers. And now, not even his own brother! He extends his arm out but not back in." Aunt Wang grumbled irritably.

Xiao’er heard this and sneered inside, it was because he hadn’t hired you right? Whose household would employ their own brother for long-term work!

"If I were as wealthy, I would have had my brother living extravagantly!" Villager B shamelessly exclaimed.

"Today, I’ve witnessed what a true ingrate is!"

...

"Second Brother, just a few days ago I heard you say you wanted to conduct business in the south!" Shen Chengyao was starting to get annoyed.

His second brother was definitely trying to sabotage his reputation on purpose!

Throughout history, people have always sympathized with the weak. Shen Chengyao, now wealthy, high and mighty, was considered the oppressor whereas Shen Chengzong just released from prison and fined of his silver, whose household was now as desolate as it could be, was seen as the one worthy of sympathy!

Shen Chengyao, the one who has all the resources, was at fault for not helping his disadvantaged brother at all.

No one would think that Shen Chengyao was not obligated to do so!

It’s a good thing when brothers help each other out, but it’s not a necessity. Helping is a favor, not helping is reasonable, and it’s definitely not a duty!

However, some people don’t see it that way. They think that once you have money, not helping the relatives who are still struggling in poverty is your fault!

But since Shen Chengyao is a good man and often willing to help others, there are voices opposing this view in the crowd!

"Who said Brother Chengyao doesn’t help his siblings? When his youngest brother lost his job at the blacksmith’s, he opened a new blacksmith’s and let him run it! You won’t find such a brother even with a lantern!" Dashi could not help but speak.

"Exactly. To name a distant incident, Shen Chengzong wanted to sell someone’s daughter to Hu Mansion to be a maid last year. Everybody knows what the maids at Hu Mansion can be subjected to, I won’t go into details! As for a recent incident, wasn’t Shen Chengyao’s family arrested? Shen Chengzong did nothing, he didn’t even dare to visit! Yet Chengyao still brought him food and blankets! If I had a brother like that, I wouldn’t acknowledge him even before helping out," chimed in Mrs. Youfu.

"What nonsense are you talking! I never did such a thing!" Shen Chengzong glared furiously at Mrs. Youfu who was making these accusations!

"Shameless! You still deny it!" Mrs. Youfu was not afraid of him.

"Indeed, if I were the older brother, and I saw that my little brother’s shop needs extra hands, I wouldn’t hesitate to help out straight away. I would never even speak about wages! Even if my brother wanted to pay me, I would be too embarrassed to take it! I’d just have a meal at his place!" Villager C added.

"Oh, your words are nicer than a song. You can hardly help yourself, what can you offer your brother? He is much wealthier than you!" Villager B mocked.

"I may not have any money! But didn’t I help out at my brother’s farm during each harvest season? Yet you, boasting about letting your brother live a luxurious life, when you built your new house the year before last, didn’t you have a lot of extra tiles? When your brother’s house collapsed on New Year’s, didn’t I see you giving him any of those tiles? It was Brother Chengyao who gave them some tiles and helped them repair the house!"

"What does my family business have to do with you! It’s none of your business!"

"I seem to remember, they cut off their ties with Chengyao’s family, didn’t they? What kind of older brother is that!"

Although Shen Chengyao was angry at Shen Chengzong’s behavior, he couldn’t ignore his nieces and nephews. He was thinking about how to help his second brother’s family.

When Xiao’er saw Shen Chengyao’s expression, she thought for a moment, pulled Shen Chengyao down to her level, picked up Xi’er, and whispered into Shen Chengyao’s ear about Shen Chengzong’s recent disrespect towards Mrs. Liu! Some people should not be indulged, and as a husband, he should protect his wife!

Upon hearing this, Shen Chengyao’s kind thoughts were immediately replaced by anger that raged like a beast, uncontrollable no matter what. He landed a punch directly on Shen Chengzong’s head!

No wonder! He thought to himself how it was possible that even with Xiao’er pulling Mrs. Liu away, his second brother still managed to bump into her! It turns out he had such a shameful scheme!

He dared to do such a shameless thing, betray his trust, then brazenly demanded that he help him. What a ridiculous fantasy!

This is intolerable!

The spectators were startled, and some of the more timid women even screamed out loud! How did things suddenly escalate to a fight?

"That’s right, we’ve already cut off ties, don’t bother me again in the future. And if you dare disrespect her, my child’s mother, again, don’t blame me for not being polite!"

Shen Chengyao, being held back by Mrs. Liu and Dashi, could only warn Shen Chengzong harshly!

"What the hell’s wrong with you, Chengyao!" Shen Chengzong wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.

"You know what you did, don’t you? If you dare come any closer, I’ll break your legs!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Chengzong looked away and muttered, "Madman!" before walking back to the old house.

He only noticed Mrs. Liu’s graceful figure and enchanting charms moments ago and acted impulsively. Now, he dared not face Chengyao’s fiery rage and ran away!

The spectators were puzzled, and various guesses began to circulate in their minds.

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