Chapter 95 - 93: The 3rd Day Homecoming
For the sake of Third Brother Li’s reputation, the Li family had to hold their noses and accept the marriage. Third Brother Li was an honest man, but the Li family also had Li Xiu. When Li Xiu found out, he went after Ge Yulian’s two older brothers, and even his cousins. Not a single one escaped. Li Xiu dealt with every last one of them. The Ge Family knew Li Xiu was just venting on behalf of his third uncle, so they could only suffer in silence. After that, Li Xiu started targeting Ge Yulian directly, disciplining him for several years straight. Everyone knew he was trying to make the boy give up, but for some reason, Ge Yulian stubbornly set his sights on Li Gui and refused to back down.
Well, if he was that set on her, so be it; the engagement was already official. After being schooled by Li Xiu for several years, the boy was whipped into a man who was terrified of his wife. He’d brought it all on himself, of course. But just because he was afraid of his wife didn’t mean he could constantly threaten his own family, warning them that they had to treat his wife well after the wedding—or else. At first, no one took him seriously, but after he caused a scene a few times, no one dared to ignore him anymore. After all, his grandparents doted on him the most, and nobody could control the boy. So when the Ge women were attending the wedding banquet today, Ge Yulian had given them a warning: they absolutely had to take good care of his mother-in-law’s family, or he would get very, very angry.
It wasn’t the new bride’s family they were afraid of; it was the little terror in their own house. Of course, even without the little terror’s warning, they wouldn’t have dared to slight their guests. The Li family was known for being fiercely protective of their own, especially with someone like Li Xiu in the picture. He was ruthless, and his methods were vicious when it came to protecting his family. Thankfully, he was also a man of reason; otherwise, no one would dare associate with him. This new daughter-in-law the Ge Family had married was someone to be treated with the reverence of an ancestor.
Her husband was already this protective before she was even officially part of the family, and that was to say nothing of her formidable brother and sister-in-law. Last year, when the Li family’s eldest daughter got married, Zhou Lian, as the bride’s senior sister-in-law, made a powerful declaration: a Li family daughter is never a guest when she returns home. If she was bullied by her in-laws—so long as she hadn’t done something outrageous to cause it herself—her brothers and sisters-in-law would march right over to their house and settle the score. Just a moment ago, they’d heard that the new bride was carried out of her home on Li Xiu’s back, not her own brother Li Bao’s. That gesture underscored Zhou Lian’s message: with her family and her eldest brother and sister-in-law behind her, she had nothing to fear!
The wedding banquet proceeded in perfect harmony. Zhou Lian smiled meaningfully. As she was leaving, she went to the bridal chamber to say her goodbyes and, right in front of the Ge family women, said directly to Li Gui, "Sister, we’re heading back now. We’re all in the same village, so it’s close. If anything comes up, your big brother and I will know about it in no time, so don’t you worry. You’re a new bride. If there’s anything you don’t do quite right, I’m sure your mother-in-law will be understanding. But even if she isn’t, that’s fine. I’ll just come over and teach you myself, as your sister-in-law. I’m sure your new family won’t mind, will they?"
She then turned to where Li Gui’s mother-in-law was standing nearby. Changing tack, she addressed her directly. "Isn’t that right, Auntie? My little sister here was spoiled rotten by her big brother. If she does anything poorly, I’ll come over and personally teach her. We’re in the same village, after all. It’s very convenient, wouldn’t you say?"
Mrs. Ge looked at the beaming Zhou Lian and sighed internally. Outwardly, however, she hurried to say, "Oh, you mustn’t say such things! We’re all from the same village; we know what kind of people you are. My new daughter-in-law is a wonderful girl—why else would we have settled on the marriage so early on? Don’t you worry. Their new house isn’t far, just two or three alleys away. We’re family now, we should all visit each other often."
"Good. With your reassurance, Auntie, we on the bride’s side can finally be at ease," Zhou Lian said, a smile playing on her lips. "And as you say, it’s only a matter of two or three alleys. I’ll be sure to tell my Third Uncle and Aunt Li when I get back, so they can stop worrying too."
After seeing the Li family off, the Ge Family members—minus the newlyweds—gathered to discuss the events of the banquet. They came to a single conclusion: the new bride’s backing was far too powerful. She was not someone to be trifled with.
Mrs. Ge sighed. "How did we end up with a daughter-in-law like her?"
Grandma Ge shot her a look. "What’s the matter? I think Yulian’s wife is wonderful. She’s beautiful, sensible, and knows how to carry herself."
"Mother, I’m not saying she’s a bad person," Mrs. Ge lamented. "It’s just... her family is in the same village. If the young couple has a fight someday, you can’t forget that her big brother is Li Xiu! And I got a taste of Li Xiu’s wife today—so protective, and every word she said was perfectly calculated. They’re a matched set, that pair. It’s true what they say, a family is a family for a reason!" Then she sighed and recounted what Zhou Lian had said in the bridal chamber.
Grandma Ge just clapped her hands and laughed. She pointed at her daughters-in-law and granddaughters-in-law. "You all are still so bad at judging character. Li Xiu’s wife, ever since she married in, barely leaves her house except to go to work. It’s obvious she’s not the type to stir up trouble. As long as our family doesn’t give Yulian’s wife any reason to feel wronged, her family won’t make a fuss. You all know about the wedding gifts Li Xiu and his wife gave when the Li family’s eldest daughter got married last year. It will surely be the same for our new daughter-in-law. That proves she’s cherished by her family and highly regarded by her eldest brother and sister-in-law."
Seeing their blank expressions, she sighed again. "Don’t worry so much. The Li family are principled people; they won’t cause trouble without a good reason. As for Yulian, he’s the one who picked his wife. Besides, he’s been getting schooled by Li Xiu for years now. He knows how to act. Now stop worrying and go on home!"
Once only Grandpa Ge was left in the room with her, Grandma Ge finally said, "So shortsighted. They’ll never amount to much."
"Alright, alright, you don’t need to worry either," Grandpa Ge said dismissively. "We’re too old to meddle so much. The kids will have their own fortunes and their own paths to walk."
"You’re right. Our Yulian is a lucky boy. He’s married into a good family. Don’t just see Li Xiu as ruthless and vicious; that boy is fiercely loyal. You just watch. With a brother-in-law like that, our Yulian will be just fine."
「In the blink of an eye, it was time for Li Gui’s customary return visit home.」 Ge Yulian and his other brother-in-law, Zhang Chuanzhi, received the same reception: one imposing older brother-in-law and six or seven younger ones. Ge Yulian, however, was much more shrewd. He knew better than anyone just how terrifying this older brother-in-law—the same one currently smiling so gently at his own wife and daughter—could be in private. But he also knew that as long as he treated Li Gui well, Li Xiu would protect him as one of his own. He had gone through hell and high water to marry his wife; how could he possibly treat her poorly? Everyone else called him a fool for letting his brother-in-law torment him for years. ’They have no idea that this brother-in-law of mine is a force to be reckoned with, destined to soar to great heights one day.’
Inside, the Li family women crowded around Li Gui, peppering her with questions about life with her new in-laws. Li Gui just laughed heartily. Her big brother and sister-in-law had, just as promised, smoothed the path for her completely. If she couldn’t manage to have a good life now, what kind of an idiot would that make her? Better yet, her husband was a man personally schooled by her brother for years. With such a wide, open road laid before her, if she still managed to stumble, she’d probably frustrate her brother and sister-in-law to death.
Seeing Li Gui so happy and confident, everyone felt relieved. In the end, you had to walk your own path in life; no one could carry you forever. Aunt Li knew this better than anyone. She remembered when her husband had drunkenly promised their daughter away. She had accepted the engagement for the sake of his reputation, but she had been suffocating with resentment. ’Thank goodness for my nephew,’ she thought. He was the one who had whipped her son-in-law into his present shape. That boy used to be an absolute terror. The way he was now was just perfect.