Chapter 9: The Malicious Elder Sister

"Wei Er! Insolence!" Han Chen had no choice but to speak up. Han Wei stood there, his face filled with humiliation, his lips twitching, yet he still suppressed his anger. He already felt that this was an undeserved disaster, and unexpectedly, the young lady of the Yang family was so brazen and unreasonable, treating him as if he were not even her brother. He had no intention of relying on her as an older sister.

"You really know how to play dumb. That position of Feng Yuanli, wasn't it you who ordered it to be revoked?" Feng Rong said sharply, striking the armrest of the sofa.

"Are you still glaring at me? Do you dare to glare at me again? If you do, I'll gouge your eyes out." Feng Rong shouted and hit while scolding.

***

Han Wei heard that this fierce woman had not yet left, and with tears glistening in her eyes, she choked back her sobs and said: "I am merely a trinket bought by the Yang family, having laid an egg; how could I possibly compare to the Yang family's young lady at the dining table"

"Do not go to the military today; your elder sister will come over in the afternoon. Stay at home and wait for her," the elder brother instructed

The elder sister is right. Han Chen smiled and said: "This is just like the flood washing away the Dragon King's temple; my younger brother did not mean any harm."

"Uncle, why are you still feeding it? If Dad finds out, he will scold you again. Yesterday, Dad scolded Old Hu for letting a stray cat into the house," Xiao Liang reminded. "Dad said that the Yang family's rules prohibit keeping cats."

He is so unreasonable, how big is his idea? Seeing Feng Rong's relentless demeanor, Han Wei finally could no longer endure it, breaking free from her grasp and suddenly standing up. Feng Rong, caught off guard, stumbled and fell to the ground. In her astonishment, she sat down on the ground and began to cry and make a scene: "This is outrageous! He dares to hit me, he hit me, this is lawless!"

Elder sister Fengrong cast him a sidelong glance and said with a hint of sarcasm, "Who is this?"

Hey! You shouldn't teach Yuning anymore; my brother-in-law has it tough enough. Han Chen found it quite frightening to hear this.

"Brother, can you take a few hits for me? Are you alright?" Han Wei asked hesitantly, filled with guilt. Seeing that Han Chen was on the verge of tears, he smiled and replied, "What do you think?"

"Oh, are you really angry?" Hancheng pulled him over and said with a smile, "Let me see, did your sister hurt you?"

You can treat what I said as mere wind passing by your ears, right? A few days without the family rules and you feel uncomfortable, don't you? The elder brother's reprimand left Han Wei in a state of both laughter and tears, like a cat. Why is the elder brother so furious

It is once again the midsummer of the year

With a change of topic, Feng Rong thought of Han Wei's marriage and began to arrange a proposal for him. Han Wei felt truly annoyed and wished that this meddlesome woman would leave quickly.

Recently, Xiao Liang has been sitting on the terrace, staring blankly at the flowers and plants in the garden, occasionally displaying a shy smile on his face. Only Han Wei knows that Xiao Liang is beginning to mature; he has developed feelings for the talented school beauty, Xiao Tingting, in his class.

Feng Rong seized the rattan and struck Han Wei a few times. After all, she was a woman, and no matter how hard she tried, her strength was limited. Han Wei bit his lip and endured it. Little did he know that the more Feng Rong scolded, the more vigorous she became. The rattan came down heavily, and Han Chen quickly pushed Han Wei down onto the sofa, exclaiming, "Sister!" When Feng Rong's whip was exhausted, she saw Han Chen shielding Han Wei with his body and, in a fit of rage, swung the rattan to hit Han Chen a few times, scolding, "You are also helping him to anger me, aren't you!" The more Feng Rong scolded, the more vigorous she became. The rattan came down heavily, and Han Chen quickly pushed Han Wei down onto the sofa, exclaiming, "Sister!" When Feng Rong's whip was exhausted, she saw Han Chen shielding Han Wei with his body and, in a fit of rage, swung the rattan to hit Han Chen a few times, scolding, "You are also helping him to anger me, aren't you!"

Han Chen frowned upon hearing this. He thought of his brother-in-law, who was both fat and foolish, resembling a big bear with a tough exterior and thick skin, likely willing to take a beating as well. Thus, he chose not to respond.

I feed it a little at m.hetushu.com, for heaven has a benevolent nature and surely cannot bear to let it go hungry while it is pregnant

Feng Rong glared and scolded, "Don't call him 'little brother' all the time; he is merely a trinket bought by the old master back in the day, a product of a little concubine! A child born from a minor wife is hardly better than our family's servants! You really treat him like a young master, don't you?" As she spoke, Feng Rong vented her anger by fiercely pinching and twisting Han Wei's thin body, cursing as she did so. Han Wei did not evade, but his eyes shot back with a proud and angry glare at his elder sister Feng Rong.

Feng Rong was so furious that her face turned red, pounding her leg and crying out in anger: "Listen, listen! Long Guaner, is this really your intention? Are you treating my sister as if she were water thrown out the door, having nothing to do with the Yang family? Huh?"

Huber looked at Yang Hancheng with difficulty. Hancheng nodded, and after a while, the rope, stool, and rattan were all brought over

Han Wei remained silent, biting his lip and holding back tears. Han Chen patted his shoulder and said, "You are still a man; why are you getting worked up over such trivial gossip from a woman? We are all siblings; what does it matter if she says a few harsh words? Just because she claims you are not the young master of the Yang family, does that make it true? You carry our father's blood; who has not treated you like a young master since childhood?"

Unknowingly, both the uncle and nephew have grown a year older; Han Wei has just celebrated his twentieth birthday, and in terms of nominal age, he has already reached the age of a young man.

What nonsense are you talking about! The elder brother arrived at the terrace at some point, and neither Han Wei nor Xiao Liang noticed it at all

Brother, there are still many matters in the camp that are delayed. Wei'er will not be staying at home tonight and will return in a couple of days" Hanwei said, requesting leave

As soon as his father left, Xiao Liang looked at his figure with resentment and said, "What era is this? The feudal mindset is still so severe. China should have long broken these shackles. Regardless of one's status, every person should possess dignity and freedom. It is only in our backward country that such feudalism persists, where family rules are enforced at the slightest provocation, and punishment is meted out without hesitation"

When Han Wei was in a deep sleep, a loud "bang!" in the room startled him awake. He hurriedly got out of bed to investigate the sound and discovered a mouse trap set by someone, with a small mouse caught by its thigh and tail, struggling for its life. Han Wei opened his mouth to call out to Xiao Heizi to quickly remove this disgusting thing, secretly blaming his elder brother for being foolish—letting the cat go without keeping it, and instead having to catch mice himself. He wondered what was wrong with his brother. But then he thought, if "Little Pitiful" were to come back with a kill, it might actually be a delicacy. He turned back to bed to sleep, and just as he was dozing off, Hu Bo woke him up, saying that the young lady had arrived. Han Wei tidied himself up, changed into a finely checked shirt, put on a light yellow wool vest, and lazily made his way to the stairs, only to hear his elder sister's extremely exaggerated, sharp voice clamoring: "Do you still consider me your sister or not?"

Han Wei's drowsiness was instantly dispelled; he understood that his elder sister's anger might be directed at him.

If he doesn't hit Han Wei a few times, the elder sister won't be able to vent her anger; yet, he truly hesitates to hit Han Wei, after all, the younger brother hasn't done anything seriously wrong. Han Chen is caught in a dilemma

You are truly a fool! Han Wei angrily tapped Xiao Liang's head

Feng Rong raised her eyes to glance at him and insisted, "Are you apologizing? Kneel down!"

Han Wei looked at his elder brother, nodding in a seemingly understanding yet ambiguous manner

Han Chen was busy with the discussion about the topic of the book and the picture, after all, the marriage of the younger brother needs to be postponed. Han Wei's betrothed, the young lady from the Sun family, has only been deceased for less than three years, and it is necessary to provide an explanation to the Sun family.

The elder brother earnestly instructed him, reminding him that he is now an adult, no longer the mischievous little brother of the past, and that he must understand the importance of self-discipline and self-improvement

Before he could finish speaking, the elder brother had already shot him a fierce glare, signaling him to be silent

Han Wei suppressed his anger. He had always disapproved of the brothers from his sister Yu Ning's family who profited at the expense of the common people. Now, his own sister was engaging in such despicable acts, and to such a low extent. Is there still any goodness left in this world? However, out of respect for his brother-in-law and sister-in-law, he reluctantly served tea to his elder sister, bowing slightly as he said: "Elder sister, please do not be angry. Have a sip of water first. Wei'er apologizes to you."

Han Wei was pushed down the stairs by Han Chen, while Sister Feng Rong acted as if nothing had happened, happily chatting and laughing with Yu Ning. Han Wei speculated that his elder brother must have promised Sister Feng some benefits; otherwise, she wouldn't have transformed so dramatically, looking as beautiful as if she had just drunk honey.

Little brother! Yu Ning wanted to stop him, but it was too late. Feng Rong suddenly sprang up from the ground, shouting loudly: "Old Hu, Old Hu"

Little brother! Yu Ning tugged at Han Wei's sleeve, signaling him to say a few less words

The old butler, Hu Bo, responded and asked: "What instructions does the young lady have?"

Han Chen nodded and patted his younger brother on the shoulder

After a moment of silence, Han Chen finally said ambiguously: "Little brother, remember this: many matters do not have a clear right or wrong; it is merely about which method is more appropriate, or in other words, which method makes everyone involved feel more comfortable."

"Our young master is coming down?" Sister Fengrong said with a sarcastic tone, pointing to the chair beside her and telling Hanwei, "Come sit over here."

"What about the family law? Go and summon the family law; if this beast is not beaten to death today, I will not return!" Upon seeing elder sister Fengrong wanting to summon the family law, Hancheng realized that the situation had escalated. Although he felt resentment towards his younger brother for being willful and reckless, he was also helpless against this sister who had been domineering in the family since childhood

Feng Rong insisted, "This man must be kept a close watch on. Just like this, he keeps stealing glances at the women passing by on the street with that shifty-eyed look of his." Seeing Han Wei's disdainful sneer beside her, Feng Rong reached out and pinched Han Wei's thigh hard, causing him to exclaim "Ouch!" and nearly jump up.

In the evening, everything became calm. Han Wei entered his elder brother's study. The elder brother glanced at him and then lowered his head to revise a document, asking him, "Is there something?"

It is of no consequence; you are still young. Being inexperienced is simply characteristic of your age. Many things, once spoken, may not be fully understood until you reach my age.

Han Wei suddenly realized that the mastermind behind this sordid deal was actually his own brother-in-law, which was quite disgusting to think about

Sister, why are you holding a grudge against Wei'er over a child? The ground is cold, get up quickly

"Brother, you don't need to pay her any mind, let her make a fuss!" Han Wei could no longer endure it, "If we don't pay her any attention, she won't have anything to fuss about!"

Han Wei was taken aback, and his anger surged. The eldest sister was nearly twenty years his senior; under normal circumstances, kneeling before her would not be an issue. However, to kneel before her because of the military supply office case was something Han Wei could not accept. Yet, the intense gaze of his elder brother hinted at the need for peace, prompting Han Wei to suppress his anger. He bit his lip, took a deep breath, and knelt down, presenting the teacup to the eldest sister, Feng Rong. The eldest sister arrogantly accepted the teacup but did not drink from it, instead placing it heavily on the nearby tea table without even glancing at Han Wei. Calling Han Chen by his childhood name, she said, "Long Guaner, I believe you, as the head of the household, should manage things properly. Allowing these people beneath you to act recklessly without any sense of order is unacceptable!"

"Brother, it’s just a cat; you are making a mountain out of a molehill," Han Wei muttered, as the "poor thing" was frightened and scurried away under the eaves of the nearby house

Old Chu had bruises all over his arms. Two months ago, when it was hot, he kept wearing a long gown in the foreign firm, afraid to show his arms to others. Feng Rong became more and more pleased as he spoke.

Han Wei reluctantly agreed, feeling a thousand unwillingnesses in his heart

Oh dear sister, the younger brother is also unaware of the situation in between. It is all my fault for not explaining it clearly to him; if there is someone to blame, it should be me. Yu Ning comforted her sister gently, saying: "Please do not worry. Once this storm passes, let Han Chen find some other opportunities for brother-in-law; we are all family."

"Isn't the old man indebted to the Sun family? Moreover, the young lady from the Sun family is quite nice, what a pity." Han Chen's words trailed off, and Feng Rong interjected sharply, "Who knows who is cursing whom? How come all the short-lived ones have gathered together?" As she spoke, her peripheral vision swept over Han Wei.

Han Chen placed the chopsticks heavily onto the plate, revealing his anger, and Feng Rong ceased speaking.

As Han Wei entered the living room, he saw the gaudy woman, shimmering all over in gold, furiously gesticulating and roaring at his elder brother. The Yang family was considered prestigious, yet they had such a vulgar person among them, which Han Wei had never been able to comprehend. He walked over and respectfully bowed, greeting her with, "Elder sister has arrived"

Han Chen did not evade, firmly pinning Han Wei beneath him and saying, "Sister, if you can vent your frustration by hitting me a few times, that would be good. With our parents gone, it's just the two of us siblings left; what is there that cannot be said?"

Han Chen looked at Han Wei hesitantly and quickly said, "No, let Xiao Liang sit over there instead, and let my younger brother sit with me. I'm afraid you might accidentally choke him to death."

Han Chen was at a loss whether to laugh or cry, squatting on the ground and advising, "Sister, it is not good for the servants to see this. Please get up!"

Brother, I did nothing wrong, why does she have the right to do this

Han Chen noticed that his elder sister was making a bit too much of a fuss, and he was also concerned that his younger brother Han Wei might suffer as a result. He quickly tried to persuade her gently, saying, "Sister! Just let it out and be done with it. My younger brother doesn't understand, so please don't take it too seriously with him."

Han Wei does not particularly like this domineering elder sister on ordinary days. Every time the elder sister returns to her parental home, she always picks on the servants, complaining about them as if she were picking bones from an egg, flaunting her own power. Fortunately, she lives outside the city and does not visit often; otherwise, it would truly be a headache.

Han Wei lowered his head and replied, "Yes! Big Brother! Han Wei remembers."

Just like this little thing, it has been undisciplined since a young age

Xiao Liang nervously said: "Dad said that he hasn't been able to sleep at night these past few days because of the cat's cries. Today, Hu Bo is digging three feet into the ground to catch this cat."

Come here! Why is this cat still here? Is it just living off handouts?

When the chaotic battle came to an end, Yang Hancheng, being an old hand in the game, knew exactly how to handle his sister, charming her with a few playful words. Han Wei was pushed out and confined in a room for reflection. Although it was termed reflection, he understood that his elder brother wanted him to stay away to prevent further conflict.

"Hubie, don't bother with her; her surname is Chu. Where would you go to seek the family rules of the Chu family?" Han Wei showed no signs of retreat.

You and * the book * shouldn't say such things. When the old man was around, did you ever dare to confront him like that?" Yang Hancheng mocked, "When Wei'er was little, he played a prank by urinating in your Western hat. You made such a fuss about it, but it was just the old man giving you a glare, and you didn't even dare to say a word. And that time you went back to your family home, Wei'er tied firecrackers to the horse's tail, and both the cart and the horse ended up in the ditch. Didn't the old man scold you for not keeping an eye on the horse and scaring Wei'er?" Hancheng reminisced about their childhood, and as he brought up those memories, Fengrong also joined in, recalling many past events, which made the whole family much happier.

"Brother, don't worry about me!" Han Wei cried out in struggle, "Elder brother, you don't need to get beaten by her for my sake."

Han Wei clapped his hands in applause: "Well said! Very good! It seems that the school's speeches were not in vain. Hurry up, while your father hasn't gone far, catch up and talk to him. Even if it's just a word or two, your uncle will be impressed with you." Han Wei snorted in derision: "I think you're just here to enjoy the sound of your own voice."

Han Wei stole a glance at his elder brother and, in a vague manner, said: "How did Feng Yuanli get involved with my brother-in-law? That unscrupulous businessman Feng Yuanli is using old, rotten cotton to pass off as quality goods for military blankets; this is asking for trouble!"

Han Chen put down his pen and looked at him with a hint of reproach, saying: "Did I say you were wrong? If you were at fault, I would have dealt with you long ago." After a pause, he sighed and added: "As siblings, there is no need to dwell on right or wrong."

Feng Rong curled her lips: "How did the old man choose such a short-lived person to be Wei Er's wife? She hasn't even entered the door yet and is already in the ground, and there are so many poor customs to observe for three years."

The sound of "meow meow" echoed twice, and the stray cat outside the window, affectionately referred to as "poor little thing," came to snatch away the fish jerky placed on the windowsill. Its grayish-white fur made it hard to discern its original color. It often appeared on the terrace and outside Han Wei's window, and its large belly suggested it might be pregnant. Han Wei and Xiao Liang would often sneak some food for it from the kitchen.

Han Wei is sleeping in the room

At the appointed time for dinner, Hancheng personally went to Hanwei's room to call him down to eat with his elder sister

Feng Rong, seeing that the matter had come to light, triumphantly exclaimed: "Look, look, he has finally admitted it, hasn't he?"

The rules of the Yang family have fallen into disarray, and no one is managing it? Feng Rong sat on the ground, pounding her chest and crying out to the heavens, saying: "Oh, my father who passed away long ago, please open your eyes and take a look at this. What kind of rules are these? My daughter has been beaten to this extent by a little wolf cub, and no one is taking care of it." As she cried, Feng Rong continued to strike Han Chen.

After dinner, Yu Ning accompanied Feng Rong for a casual chat and mentioned the strange behavior of Han Chen catching wild cats these past few days. Upon hearing this, Feng Rong's expression changed dramatically; she clasped her hands together and repeatedly chanted "Amitabha Buddha." However, no matter how much Yu Ning inquired, Feng Rong hesitated and refused to speak.

"Long Guaner, let me tell you, if you still recognize me as your sister, you will take care of this little wolf cub today. Otherwise, I will never set foot in your door again; I have no brother like you!"

Han Wei thought for a moment and said, "No, when did my brother-in-law deliver supplies to the army?"

While crying and hitting Han Chen, Han Chen wore a helpless smile as he tried to comfort this sister who was always resolute at home, while also giving Han Wei a knowing glance.

The elder brother began to scold him incessantly again. Han Wei, filled with resentment, scratched the railing of the terrace with his hand behind his back, while maintaining a facade of submissiveness and compliance on his face

What nonsense! The family rules of the Hetushu family make no sense at all. Just because your grandfather was afraid of cats when he was young, the Yang family has forbidden keeping cats for generations. Was it during Wu Zetian's time? I guess your grandfather must belong to the Rat zodiac. Han Wei teased, while Xiao Liang asked seriously, "Isn't grandfather supposed to be from the Ox zodiac?"

"Bind this little wolf cub for me." With a command from Feng Rong, Hu Bo was momentarily taken aback as he looked at Han Chen. Han Chen sighed and smiled at Han Wei, saying, "Go on, make a fuss, use your tongue; now you know how formidable your elder sister is, right?" As he spoke, Han Chen pulled his younger brother Han Wei over and pushed him next to his elder sister Feng Rong, saying, "If you don't let your elder sister vent her anger, this time she won't let it go."

"Sister, get up," Han Chen and Yu Ning both went to help Elder Sister Feng Rong, but Feng Rong insisted on lying on the ground, crying and throwing a tantrum, refusing to get up

Yuying handed the teacup to Hanwei and said: "Younger brother, go and apologize to your elder sister, admit your mistake. Go on!"

Feng Rong cried out in grievance: "Our parents left us early, and it's just the two of us siblings left. Are you still my brother?"

"Do not keep calling him 'little brother'; who knows how this ungrateful wretch will treat you in the future?" Feng Rong maliciously mocked Han Chen, then turned to poke Han Wei's head with her finger, twisting his fair face as she scolded, "Look at his arrogant demeanor, just like his mother, that good-for-nothing who couldn't be raised. No wonder the old man back then..."

Elder sister!" Han Chen sternly interrupted the elder sister's words, then softened his tone and said: "If you are upset with the younger brother, just hit him a couple of times to vent your anger. Why bring up so many old grievances?"

Han Wei hesitated for a long time, unsure of how to begin. Han Chen thought that he was still upset about what happened during the day, so he comforted him, saying: "Now you know how formidable your elder sister is? I have clashed with her countless times when I was young, and I never came out on top. Have you learned your lesson this time?"

A feeling of disgust suddenly surged in his mind; Han Wei immediately knew that his elder sister was causing trouble in front of his elder brother again.

I see you might as well not get confused; if you are just playing around, then that's fine, but if you want to marry her, you should save yourself the trouble. Every time Han Wei saw Xiao Liang daydreaming and pining, he would tease him: "The matter of your marriage with my little uncle is just talk and doesn't count, so don't think about that Xiao Tingting."

Han Wei, feeling helpless, sat down beside his elder sister with restraint. Feng Rong, pleased with herself, took Han Wei's hand, unfastened his cuff, and although Han Wei intended to pull away, she held on tightly. As Feng Rong rolled up Han Wei's sleeve, the bruises on the inner side of his upper arm, pinched to a dark purple, were revealed. Feng Rong, as if admiring her own handiwork, gently touched it, causing Han Wei to twitch in response. With a smile, Feng Rong said to Yu Ning: "My pinching technique was developed on Old Chu; it focuses on the inner sides of the arms and thighs, where the flesh is tender. You have to pinch and twist it for maximum pain!" Feng Rong, as if admiring her own handiwork, gently touched it, causing Han Wei to twitch in response. With a smile, Feng Rong said to Yu Ning: "My pinching technique was developed on Old Chu; it focuses on the inner sides of the arms and thighs, where the flesh is tender. You have to pinch and twist it for maximum pain!"

"You withdrew the job of sending supplies to the army for my brother-in-law?" Yu Ning asked, winking at Han Wei.

"Am I supposed to eat him?" Feng Rong glared and said, "Come here!"

Han Wei and Xiao Liang went to see a performance of the play "Red Tears" starring Xiao Tingting. Xiao Tingting played the role of a concubine who was tortured to death after marrying into a warlord's family. Her appearance was dignified and graceful, and she was very immersed in her role, but she was certainly not beautiful enough to make one lose sleep over her. However, since this was Xiao Liang's first love, Han Wei did not want to mock him too much. Under normal circumstances, he would have thoroughly critiqued this girl from head to toe. But since this was Xiao Liang's first love, Han Wei refrained from being too harsh.