Chapter 311: Chapter 319: Clueless
Su Hengyi was overprotective of his younger sister and also quite annoyed by Han Yu’s possessive attitude. Even though Lady Yue had married, she was still his sister. If he couldn’t even have a heartfelt conversation with his sister without Han Yu getting jealous, then it was time to teach him a lesson and prevent him from meddling too much—this was simply absurd!
Han Yu knew he had shown his agitation too obviously, which had provoked his eldest brother-in-law into a fury. He inwardly lamented—it was crucial not to offend the eldest brother-in-law. Otherwise, if the latter decided to cause trouble between him and his daughter-in-law, Han Yu would have much to endure. His eldest brother-in-law was much more formidable than his second uncle, who was only strict on the surface and wouldn’t actually do anything. However, the eldest brother-in-law could be quite “sly” at times. If he genuinely decided to deal with Han Yu, being at a disadvantage, there was no way Han Yu could come out on top.
“Big brother has misunderstood. I must have accumulated good fortune in my previous life to have married such a wonderful daughter-in-law. I can’t pamper her enough, let alone be dissatisfied with her. It’s my fault for not protecting her well enough in the past and letting her suffer grievances. I will definitely treat her well in the future, cherish her like a rare treasure. Please don’t be angry, big brother. It’s just that I’m not good at expressing myself,” Han Yu immediately made his stance clear. He had never been so humble, not even in front of his superiors—typically he would act as he saw fit, maybe just with a better expression. But after all, the man before him was his elder brother-in-law.
However, Su Hengyi had no intention of letting it go, his gaze fixed on Han Yu: “I think you’re not bad at speaking; you just can’t stand to see the affection between siblings! I’ve watched over my sister since she was little—we even slept together when she was young, I doted on her and cherished her. We’ve been like this for over a decade, so why can’t you bear it, brother-in-law? Speaking of which, I somewhat regret having married her off. It feels like she’s been snatched away by a wolf.”
Hearing Su Hengyi’s words, the corners of Han Yu’s eyebrows and mouth involuntarily twitched. He couldn’t accept the eldest brother-in-law’s blunt and face-slapping truth. Fortunately, Han Yu had a strong inner fortitude and could still smile and deal with his eldest brother-in-law.
Su Wenyue was embarrassed by her brother’s words. What was he saying? Then she glanced at Han Yu, who was clearly holding back his frustration but still had to humble himself before his brother-in-law, looking like he was serving an ancestor. This sight was indeed rare, and she couldn’t help but snicker, not very kindly. Han Yu noticed it instantly. Though he only glanced at her, it gave a chilling feeling. Su Wenyue’s smile froze on her face—Han Yu was well-known for settling scores later.
Han Yu was indeed clenching his teeth inwardly. This ungrateful person should see that he was only trying to please her elder brother for her sake! First, she undermines his own ‘rules’ and now she dares to make fun of him? She definitely deserved a lesson.
Su Wenyue felt a sense of crisis for no apparent reason. Seeing that her elder brother showed no signs of stopping his treatment of Han Yu, Su Wenyue worried that if she enjoyed the show now, she would suffer Han Yu’s revenge later. So she said, “Elder brother, don’t bother with him. Han Yu is just narrow-minded. Why stoop to his level? Let’s have a nice chat, just us siblings.”
What Su Wenyue said was indeed intended to help Han Yu, to get her elder brother to stop making things difficult for him. But the way she said it was terribly unartful. Not only did it fail to soothe Han Yu’s indignation, but it also made him take note of her words. Now Han Yu realized what his wife truly thought of him.
If Su Wenyue knew what Han Yu was thinking, she would definitely cry foul. She understood her brother well—if she spoke well of Han Yu, her elder brother would definitely not let Han Yu off easily. Therefore, she could only insult Han Yu. Su Wenyue thought Han Yu would understand her intentions, but the man she accused of being narrow-minded was now holding a grudge. Han Yu didn’t care how others saw him, but he cared deeply about his wife’s opinions.
Seeing his sister stepping in, Su Hengyi no longer found it appropriate to make Han Yu uncomfortable and turn things awkward for his sister, so he changed the topic to some household affairs.
“Big brother, there’s just over ten days left until New Year. Can our family manage to move into the prefecture in time? I’m afraid there’s a lot to take care of. Do you need my help?” Su Wenyue was concerned about the An Family becoming overburdened, especially since her mother was getting older. Even with the help of her sister-in-law, with both her grandmother and eldest aunt staying at their home this year, there was much more to be managed.
Han Yu disagreed with Su Wenyue on this matter. Concerned that his slender wife would exhaust herself with household chores, let alone the multitude of affairs in the Su Family, he felt it wasn’t lack of compassion but fear of wearing her out that kept him from offering assistance. Nevertheless, he held back from speaking out, realizing it wasn’t his place to step in between his wife and her mother’s family matters, and to avoid upsetting his wife.
Fortunately, Su Hengyi was aware of Su Wenyue’s condition and wouldn’t ask her to help: “You should just focus on taking care of your health and not cause us trouble. Otherwise, your brother-in-law would start worrying.”
After speaking, Su Hengyi glanced at Han Yu with a look that was both mocking and understanding, as if he had seen through Han Yu’s thoughts. After all, Han Yu didn’t try to hide his emotions in front of Su Hengyi and Su Wenyue and even seemed to reveal them deliberately.
“Thank you for your consideration, big brother. My wife weakened her body during childbirth, and the doctor instructed that she needs to rest and can’t overwork herself. Yet she never listens and keeps herself busy all day long, which makes people worry. However, while my wife should avoid exhaustive tasks, I’m absolutely capable of helping out. If there’s anything that needs to be done, just let me know, big brother. I, Han Yu, will not hesitate,” Han Yu said.
Su Wenyue was initially annoyed that Han Yu didn’t want her to go to her mother’s family to help. But after hearing his following comments, she felt content. Turning to Su Hengyi, she said, “That’s right, big brother. If there’s anything Han Yu can help with, just give him the order. He might not say much, but his ability to get things done is quite reliable, and you can be sure he’ll handle any task you assign perfectly.”
Observing the couple’s reaction, Su Hengyi chuckled and replied, “Don’t worry. Why would I be formal with my own sister and brother-in-law? For now, there’s no need for any help. It’s not just Mother who’s busy at home; we’ve also asked the eldest aunt to help out. Who is the eldest aunt? She managed the vast Marquis Bei’an Mansion without issue so with her assistance, Mother will have a lot less to worry about.”
“The eldest aunt is managing things?” Su Wenyue exclaimed, eyes wide in disbelief. Although her mother and eldest aunt had always been on good terms and never had an open conflict, Su Wenyue knew her mother felt injustice over the division of the family property and had some reservations about the main house. The separation was a result of standing family rules from their ancestors. Her mother had a stubborn and strong-willed nature, so there were few dealings with the Marquis Bei’an Mansion over the years. If not for the Imperial Court’s procedures, it was doubtful they would have wanted any dealings with the main house. Now that her eldest aunt was involved in helping, Su Wenyue couldn’t help but be taken aback.
How could Su Hengyi not understand his sister’s thoughts? “Mother is older now and has learned to let go of many things. The family division wasn’t the main house’s fault, it was a rule established by our ancestors.”