Chapter 261: If You Want to Cause Trouble, Do It Elsewhere
“Husband, if it’s so dangerous, can’t you just stay? Look, our whole family is together, and we can already support ourselves. What’s so bad about that? Next year, we can even build our own house and leave this cave behind.”
“Huilan, I’ve waited too long for this opportunity, and I’ve already invested too much. Today, I received a letter from an old friend via carrier pigeon. He is waiting for me in Pingyang City. I’ve been worried about this for months, and I never expected to receive his message today. Don’t worry—no matter what lies ahead, the Yu family cannot spend the rest of our lives in this desolate land.”
Seeing his wife in tears, Yu Zhengqing felt the resentment he had harbored toward Chang Huilan for conspiring against him with his mother slowly dissipate.
Even if he had been blind before, he could now see Chang Huilan’s determination to endure hardship by his side. If it had been Lady Lan in her place, she would never have been able to do the same.
His decision made, Yu Zhengqing didn’t even wait for Yu Xiaoxuan and Yu Xiaoran to return. He simply took some dry rations and a water flask, then departed from Stone Mountain under the dimming twilight.
Chang Huilan, unable to stop him, could only weep silently and force herself to remain strong.
Meanwhile, Yu Yingying looked at her own mother, seeing her as utterly useless.
“Stop crying. Father isn’t an ordinary man—his skills and his old friend’s protection will keep him safe. Besides, his friend will definitely help him contact my eldest sister. Once she sends word, our whole family can finally leave this wretched place! Fortune favors the bold—how is it that I, your daughter, have to explain this to you? What’s there to worry about? Everything Father is doing is for our family’s sake!”
“Shut up!”
For the first time ever, the usually gentle Chang Huilan lost her temper. Her face darkened, and she roared at her daughter.
Yu Yingying, completely caught off guard, nearly jumped in shock.
When she met her mother’s furious, tear-filled eyes, she finally realized that the anger in that outburst had been directed entirely at her.
“Mother… you—you yelled at me?”
Staring at her daughter’s face, filled with disbelief and shock, Chang Huilan seethed with frustration.
“Yes! I yelled at you! You heartless, ungrateful wretch! That’s your father! Just so you can live comfortably, you want him to risk his life? Has your conscience been eaten by dogs?! How did I, Chang Huilan, give birth to such a shameless, ungrateful daughter?
Don’t think that just because you’ve lost a leg, I have to coddle you! Have you forgotten that your life was given to you by me and your father? From now on, stop sitting around like a useless cripple.
You won’t be waited on hand and foot anymore. I’ll have your brothers make you a crutch so you can start taking care of yourself. You will also contribute to the household chores!
I’ll say this once—if you want to keep acting like a burden, you might as well starve yourself to death now and spare the rest of us the trouble!”
Having said her piece, Chang Huilan sat down heavily by the fire.
This was where they usually ate. Without another word, she scooped herself a bowl of antelope and radish soup, grabbed a corn flatbread, and started eating. She didn’t spare a single glance at her still-stunned daughter.
A long silence followed.
Then suddenly—
“AHHHH!”
Yu Yingying shrieked, breaking the quiet night with her screams.
Chang Huilan turned to see her daughter clawing at her own hair, slapping the bedding in a fit of rage, yanking at her scalp as she spiraled into madness.
Already irritated and exhausted, Chang Huilan snapped.
With a furious snarl, she grabbed the ceramic bowl she had been eating from and hurled it to the ground. The half-full bowl of soup splattered everywhere, and the ceramic shattered into pieces.
SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!
Yu Yingying’s hair was suddenly yanked, forcing her head up. Before she could react, Chang Huilan’s palm came crashing down on her face.
The first slap stunned her.
The second left her gaping.
By the third, her cheek was already swollen and numb.
Yu Yingying couldn’t comprehend what had just happened.
Her mother—who had always coddled and protected her—had actually hit her. Not once, but several times!
As if possessed, Chang Huilan kept striking, her hands fueled by months of pent-up frustration. She had never used this much force before—not even while doing hard labor in exile.
Finally, exhausted, she stopped.
“You lunatic! I told you I wouldn’t spoil you anymore! Try throwing another tantrum, and I’ll beat you senseless! Nobody in this world owes you anything! Least of all your father and me! We’ve done nothing but care for you, and yet you blame us for your suffering? You’ve been coddled for too long—that’s why you can’t see your place in this family!
Let me tell you something—your leg is crippled because of your own recklessness! If you hadn’t been swinging around on tree branches like a fool, you wouldn’t have fallen! No one owes you anything! You keep whining about Yu Luo, but have you ever thought about all the things you did to her?
Even if Ye Jiamei could heal your leg, why should she? After everything you did to her, what right do you have to expect her help? Get it through your head—you’re a cripple now. If your father never comes back, you’ll be nothing but dead weight in this family.
Do you think anyone will keep looking after you forever? You should be grateful we’ve kept you alive this long! If your father doesn’t return… I’ll marry you off! This land is full of men desperate for wives to bear their heirs. If you’re so eager to ruin someone’s life, go ruin theirs! Don’t you dare throw another fit in front of me again!”
