She Holds the World After Being Reborn
Chapter 33 No other merits, just fond of holding grudges

Chapter 33: Chapter 33 No other merits, just fond of holding grudges

The moment Second Aunt saw Yan Lingzhen, venom spewed from her eyes, but with everyone present, she had to grit her teeth and swallow the bile rising in her throat.

"Don’t stand outside in the cold, come in. The old lady must be getting anxious," she said, leading the way into the inner room with an air as if she were the mistress of the house.

Even the ever-patient Aunt Song couldn’t help but shake her head and sigh.

Sun’s figure stood erect; she slid her string of Buddhist beads onto her wrist, wrapping it three times, then stretched her neck side to side, speaking in a calm, collected tone, "Let’s go in."

Behind her followed a procession of the Yan Family’s children, entering the house en masse.

Their manner was not one of going to speak but rather of going to fight.

Once everyone was inside, Yan Wanqing saw the old lady who, years ago, used to chase her with a feather duster to whip her. She had aged considerably, her face deeply lined, her eyes still as sharp and unkind as ever.

After performing their kneeling salutations, the elders took their seats while the younger generation stood to the side.

Yan Wanqing, due to her special status as a Commandery Princess, also took a seat.

Her body couldn’t stand for long periods.

"Xiaoliu, come here," she said, the first thing she did upon sitting down was to speak to Yan Lingzhen.

Yan Lingzhen, leaning on her crutches, puzzled but obediently walked over.

Yan Wanqing forcefully gathered her into her arms, inciting several exclamations from Second Aunt, "This really won’t do. Wanqing, you are a Commandery Princess now, and your health is frail; you shouldn’t be holding Xiaoliu like that."

Yan Wanqing’s lips curled into a smile. She held Xiaoliu tightly in her embrace, protective like a mother bear with her cub, "Xiaoliu is injured; I cannot bear to see her stand and suffer. Besides, we haven’t seen each other for many years, and she is so petite, it’s no effort to hold her. Second Aunt needn’t worry so; I’m not made of paper."

These words, gentle as a spring breeze, felt uncomfortable in the heart.

Second Aunt’s face turned sheepish, "But still..."

"Big sister, I should get down," the small, milky voice of Yan Lingzhen rang out, her eyes welling up with tears, "Xiaoliu likes standing. Big sister, don’t hold me anymore."

With those words, not only Yan Wanqing, but even the expressionless Sun seemed to grimace in confusion.

They had always known that Yan Lingzhen’s days with the old lady might be harsh, but they never imagined it was to this extent.

To think that while they were carefree in the Duke’s residence, Xiaoliu was enduring hardships on the estate.

And they had been wary of the complications with the old lady, afraid to visit Xiaoliu, leaving the Yan Family members with a heavy heart.

Yan Wanqing’s arms securely encircled the little one in her hold, she looked defiantly at the already unhappy old lady, preempting her, "She has an injury on her leg, she cannot be standing either. Nursemaid, please prepare some more chairs; let everyone sit down. We of the Yan Family don’t have so many rules."

"Rubbish!" thundered the old lady, slamming her dragon-headed cane against the floor with a violent thump.

This was her first word after everyone entered the room.

Yan Wanqing sensed her younger siblings startle, with the youngest, Yan Zizhuo, diving into Yan Hongzhao’s arms, nearly bursting into tears.

"Without rules, we cannot form a circle. When elders speak, the younger generation should not be seated as equals. Yan Wanqing, just because you are a Commandery Princess, doesn’t mean you’re no longer part of the Yan Family. In this house, you must follow the rules! If you don’t want to sit, then stand and listen!" admonished the old lady coldly, her demeanor venomous as a hissing snake.

"Is the old lady instructing the Commandery Princess on what to do?" Yan Wanqing was far from daunted.

Since Sun remained silent, it fell to her to confront the pampered and privileged old lady.

After all, the old lady wasn’t actually her father’s biological mother, but a stepmother he got from his father’s later marriage, her origins from a small estate on Tiger Hill bringing a sharpness common to those from humble backgrounds.

Though she wasn’t from a prominent family, her household held more rules than most wealthy clans.

As a child, Yan Wanqing would be slapped in the face for saying a word too many.

She remembered all these things.

She had no other virtues but a fondness for holding grudges.

The kind that lasted for many years.

"I am your grandmother, am I not allowed to instruct you anymore? Filial piety comes first, what are you being so arrogant about!" Another dull thud of a cane hitting the floor resounded.

Yan Wanqing chuckled lightly, "Grandmother likes rules, so let’s talk about them today. When the aunt entered before the host family and took her seat first, was that also a rule taught by Grandmother? One must not be double-standard at an old age, isn’t that right, Aunt?" She looked at the woman beside the old lady who enjoyed the drama and added emphasis, "After all, as elders, you should set an example for the younger generation."

The Aunt, criticized, was not pleased, "You child, why are you being so stubborn? The Aunt only came in first to pour tea for the old lady, it wasn’t as serious as you say."

"Moreover, the old lady is your grandmother. Despite her age, you shouldn’t bully her like this. If word of this gets out, who knows what outsiders will say about the education in the Marquis of Zhen Guo’s household," the Aunt then turned to Mrs. Sun, "Sister-in-law, you have to manage them well. It’s good for the young to have some spirit, but being too hot-headed is a bad thing."

Mrs. Sun bowed her head to examine her string of pearls and did not join the conversation.

The atmosphere immediately grew tense.

At this moment, Yan Lingzhen suddenly began to cry, "Wuuu, it’s all my fault, my fault for hurting my leg, for not being able to stand. Otherwise, big sister and grandmother would not have become unhappy over my issue. Aunt is right, I’m just a curse, I shouldn’t have come back..."

At these words, everyone’s expression changed again.

"Did she really call you a curse?" Yan Wanqing bent down to ask Yan Lingzhen, who, with hands covering her face, sobbed softly, looking pitiful.

The Aunt had said too many mean things on ordinary days, she couldn’t remember what insults she had thrown.

Usually, this Xiaoliu couldn’t even expel a fart with a few spanks, but today, upon returning to the Yan Family, she had become so talkative, a complete departure from her usual self.

This caught her completely off guard.

The old lady by her side also shot her a blaming glance, as if to say she had mishandled the situation.

"Alright, you get so aggrieved by a few words from your elders. When your big sister was a child and didn’t obey, I too had to discipline her, otherwise how could she have transformed into the outstanding person she is today?" the Old Lady spoke out.

Yan Wanqing’s eyes filled with hostility at this remark. She had intended to warn each other so that later, as long as the Old Lady lived in the Yan Family and they didn’t cross paths, they could avoid conflict.

But seeing her attitude, it seemed she wanted to reorganize the Yan Family.

Harassing her younger sister Yan Lingzhen, that was an account Yan Wanqing had yet to settle!

"The hairpin on Aunt’s head looks somewhat familiar." Yan Wanqing suddenly stared at the Aunt and spoke, "You haven’t appropriated the hairpin I, the Commandery Princess, personally carved for Xiaoliu for yourself, have you?"

She had no desire to indulge these malicious women; her time should not be wasted here.

From now on, anyone who displeased her would not expect to have good days.

The Aunt instinctively touched the hairpin on the top of her head.

"This was given to me by Xiaoliu, how could an elder take something from their junior?"

Yan Wanqing, however, looked down at Yan Lingzhen, "Is that so?"

Yan Lingzhen’s eyes brimmed with tears, like a little white rabbit bullied but not daring to speak the truth, "...Yes, it’s true."

Hearing this, Yan Wanqing took a deep breath and fiercely picked up a cup from the side and smashed it on the floor.

Immediately, Yan Hongzhao, the Fifth Brother, stepped forward and took Xiaoliu into his arms.

"Yan Wanqing! What madness is this, daring to show off in front of me! Kneel down—!"

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.