The rest of the people were greatly alarmed and hurried over to stop her.
"Xiunian, don't be impulsive. Even if you want to make a scene, don't take it to the Old Madam. She is old; what if she gets shocked and falls ill?"
"Yes, the Old Madam loves you the most."
The one speaking was her stepmother, who was also the most vigorous in trying to stop her, carrying a hint of vindictive satisfaction—this daughter left behind by the previous wife had never really won her heart.
Although both sides maintained a superficial peace.
She always felt a lingering resentment.
A motherless girl ought to be meek and gentle, trying to please her. But Guan Xiunian was different; her personality was incredibly tough, and she refused to suffer even the slightest grievance.
Yet everyone in the family spoiled and yielded to her, indulging her into developing an arrogant temper where she thought she was second only to heaven.
And the one who spoiled her the most was the Old Madam!
The old thing! The previous dynasty was long gone, yet she still treated a child born of a royal princess like a precious pearl. In the end, didn't the family have to rely on Jixing, the son she herself gave birth to?
Thinking of this, she tilted her chin up slightly.
Feeling a bit proud and superior.
The next second.
A massive force struck her waist. Unable to keep her balance, she fell flat on her face, crying out in alarm: "Ah..."
"My apologies, this servant didn't see clearly. I thought it was some blind servant blocking the way. Truly, I deserve a beating."
The slant-eyed old maid brought by Guan Xiunian hypocritically slapped her own face twice, though her eyes didn't even glance down at Mrs. Guan on the ground.
After saying that, she ran off chasing after her master.
In just this brief moment, Guan Xiunian had already stormed fiercely to the courtyard gate!
Mrs. Guan: ...???
After reacting, she was furious, but considering her status, she felt she couldn't chase after an old maid.
Thinking for a moment, she looked up aggrievedly at Master Guan, complaining with tearful eyes:
"Master, I am the matriarch of the Guan family after all, the mother of Eldest Miss. Her servant is so domineering, pushing me to the ground and running off like that. Who in this household will ever respect me in the future?"
"I... I don't want to live anymore."
Saying this, she ignored the comfort and appeasement of the others, collapsing on the ground, clutching her handkerchief, and crying hysterically.
Master Guan... Master Guan turned his face away.
Mainly, it was too harsh on the eyes. When she was young, acting spoiled and crying was pretty and considered flirtatious charm. But at an age where she was about to become a grandmother, acting like this was just grotesque.
"Hurry up and get up."
"This servant of Xiunian's was brought from her in-laws. Could we possibly overstep the Jin family to punish her?"
Mrs. Guan widened her eyes in disbelief.
A moment later came another stab.
"Besides, it is also Jixing's fault for acting improperly and causing a scandal of pregnancy before marriage. The family indeed wronged Xiunian." The more Master Guan spoke, the more self-righteous he became.
He was a man with soft ears and a soft temper.
Therefore, his wife and son were able to persuade him to delay the sale of the house.
With his daughter making such a forceful scene, he felt guilty, and then felt that his daughter's anger was justified—after all, he was the one who had incurred a massive debt and needed to sell the house to pay it off!
Thinking of this, he instructed the others:
"Alright, if Xiunian wants to go to the Old Madam, let her go. It's her filial piety as a granddaughter."
Using evasive words, he made absolutely no mention of Guan Jixing's matter.
He was clearly taking the easy way out and letting things rot.
Mrs. Guan gritted her teeth and silently climbed up from the ground. She didn't dare openly contradict the master of the house, but she sneered endlessly in her heart.
The Old Madam valued status and position the most.
The family had kept it a secret from her, not telling her that the buyers of the house were the Su family, who used to be eunuchs, for fear that she would be stubborn and refuse to sell. By now, Jixing should have already told her...
Imagining the scene of the Old Madam and Guan Xiunian clashing and turning into enemies, the corners of her mouth curled into a smile.
It would be best if the Old Madam was angered to death.
And Guan Xiunian was never allowed to return to the Guan family.
As for what to do if the house really couldn't be sold, she had been reminded by Wan'er, her future daughter-in-law.
Su Ning being in such a hurry to buy meant the old mansion was good and she was taking advantage. They should have negotiated the price more. Giving her a good attitude from the start just let her gain the upper hand over them!
It was better to leave her hanging for a bit.
Besides, Wan'er's belly really couldn't be hidden for much longer... and preparing for the wedding also took time.
...
The Guan Family, Fushou Courtyard.
The Old Madam, whose silver hair was styled into a traditional Manchu bun, sat with a straight back and a stern, rigid expression, listening to her granddaughter reprimand and shove her grandson in front of her.
"Eldest Sister, stop making a scene!"
Pushed against the wall, Guan Jixing saw that the Old Madam still hadn't spoken, and said with disgust:
"You are already married out. Why are you still meddling in your maiden family's affairs? Whether to sell the house, for how much, and when to sell it should all be matters discussed by the men of the Guan family."
"What does it have to do with you..."
Smack! A loud slap landed on his face.
"Your mother didn't teach you well. An eldest sister is like a mother. As your sister, I will properly teach you how to speak." Guan Xiunian shook her hand.
She had used so much force that it was a bit numb.
Seeing Guan Jixing covering his face, looking completely utterly shocked, she found it amusing. She had given this younger brother too many good looks in the past.
Her father and stepmother were elders and couldn't be hit.
But a younger brother.
Hmph, if she hit him, she hit him. It just so happened she hadn't found a place to vent her earlier anger.
"Alright, why are you making a fuss in my place."
Just as Guan Jixing gritted his teeth and raised his hand, Old Madam Guan suddenly spoke. Not only did she speak, but she also beckoned for Guan Xiunian to sit next to her.
Touching her granddaughter's still-flushed face, she said pitifully:
"Our Xiunian has been wronged."
Guan Jixing...
Who... who was wronged???
Over here, Guan Xiunian had held her ground while battling the whole family just now, but now her nose tingled at a single sentence, and she couldn't help but shed a few tears.
"With your words, I am not wronged."
"You, you are just too headstrong." Old Madam Guan sighed, stopping the words Guan Xiunian wanted to retort, patting her hand gently:
"Your father is muddle-headed, otherwise he wouldn't have made such a grave mistake. You are already a married aunt, and life in the Jin family is harmonious and prosperous. You shouldn't have been dragged into this in the first place."
"It is your soft heart that made you run around for us, I know."
Speaking of this, the Old Madam's voice turned cold:
"Some people won't appreciate your kindness and will blame you instead. Why must you be so headstrong? Just wash your hands of it."
"Eating chaff and swallowing vegetables is their fate."
Guan Xiunian lowered her head, moved by the Old Madam's words. Guan Jixing, however, grew anxious. He braced himself, dropped to his knees, and said urgently:
"Grandmother, Eldest Sister has worked hard and contributed greatly, I admit that. But that Su Ning's ancestors were eunuchs. Selling the family's old mansion to them will bring shame to our ancestors!"
"Who knows what her true intentions are in buying the old mansion?"
A malicious implication that Su Ning wanted to experience the thrill of a servant turning the tables and oppressing a master—
The Old Madam had valued rules her entire life and deeply despised such things.
Guan Xiunian understood this even better.
Hearing this, her heart sank heavily. She couldn't help but look at the Old Madam's face, but unfortunately, she couldn't read anything from it.
"That is indeed the case. So the house is not to be sold?"
The Old Madam leaned her upper body forward and asked.
"Sell, of course we still have to sell." Guan Jixing's momentum dropped, and he explained in a low voice: "Father's creditor has a big background. We can't evade it; we must pay the money back."
He spilled out the whole idea of leaving people hanging to take the opportunity to raise the price.
"So, you just think the price isn't high enough!"
Guan Xiunian finally understood everything. She pointed her finger at Guan Jixing, who was on the ground, and sneered at him as if he were a sworn enemy.
"Putting on such a convincing act! I actually thought our family had produced a truly noble scholar. Bah!"
"Word has been out for nearly half a year that the old mansion is for sale. Has anyone even asked for the price? They are all just waiting for our family to go under so they can swoop in and get a steal. We finally get a Miss Su interested..."
"...and instead, you all decide to put on airs and play hard to get?"
"Eldest Sister, you can't look at it like that. You can't put a price on something someone truly desires," Guan Jixing argued self-righteously.
"Besides, who doesn't know that Su Ning is loaded? Dropping a hundred thousand US dollars without blinking an eye. It's not like we were trying to bleed her dry; we just wanted to get a little extra so we could live comfortably down the road."
"What's wrong with that?"
"The fact that you aren't siding with your own family, Eldest Sister, but rather with a complete stranger like Su Ning—now that is what's truly suspicious."
Who knows, maybe she was even getting a kickback from the deal!
