Chapter 18: 018 Gentle Rebuttal: Iâm Unworthy, But Youâre Even More (Update 2) Chapter 18: 018 Gentle Rebuttal: Iâm Unworthy, But Youâre Even More (Update 2) Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Tang Family Old Residence
The rain in Pingjiang City had stopped for a while, and the sun peeked through. The ground showed little sign of rain. By the time Tang Wan and Jiang Jinsang got home, Zhang Liyun and Tang Mo had already arrived and were sitting in the front hall talking with the old man.
âXiaowu, youâre here. Howâs your health?â The old man quickly stood up.
âNothing much.â
âYour things are all moved in; theyâre in the East Courtyard. Donât stay here, go and get some rest. Wanwan, take him to his room and let him have a good rest. Come back later.â
âThen Iâll go rest first.â Jiang Jinsang wasnât foolish; the old man was obviously intentionally sending him away.
Tang Wan led him into her own courtyard. The round stone-carved arch gate was adorned with greenery, and in the middle of the courtyard was a large jar with some lotus plants, though they had withered in the onset of autumn.
Three rooms faced north and south, with two bedrooms both facing south, offering excellent lighting.
Which meantâ¦
Their bedrooms were right next to each other.
âI live next door. If you need anything, you can find me anytime. The South House is the study and where I work. If you feel bored, feel free to sit thereâ¦â
Jiang Jinsang looked around the little courtyard. It wasnât large, but every corner was meticulously crafted.
He had just moved his things over, so he needed time to organize. Tang Wan led him to his room and briefly introduced the space before heading directly to the front hall.
â¦
Zhang Liyun and her daughter came mainly because of the incident yesterday with Tang Moâs classmate stealing something.
ââ¦Itâs all this girlâs fault. Sheâs young and canât judge people well, making some bad friends,â Zhang Liyun criticized her daughter without a hint of hesitation.
âIâve already stopped her allowance for a while to teach her a lesson.â
âIn todayâs society, peopleâs hearts have changed. If you dare bring those unruly people home again, youâll see what happens.â
â¦
Tang Mo bit her lip, looking down. She had just started college, a time when making friends involved spending money. The financial punishment felt harsh.
âAunt Liu, itâs okay. Momo didnât do it on purpose. Itâs all in the past now,â Tang Wan said with a light smile. It was easy to say pretty words.
âItâs good youâre not holding it against her,â Zhang Liyun smiled benevolently.
The old man sat by the side, not saying a word.
In truth, Zhang Liyun was clever. Sooner or later, he would confront and blame Tang Mo for this, and waiting for him to speak would only embarrass Tang Mo more. So, instead, she took the initiative.
âYou silly girl, still standing there? Apologize to your sister,â Zhang Liyun nudged her daughter forward.
âSis, Iâm sorry.â Tang Mo was reluctant, but after her mother explained the situationâs pros and cons, she had no choice but to bow her head temporarily.
As they talked, Tang Wanâs phone rang. Squinting at the caller, she smiled and stood up to go outside. âDadââ
Zhang Liyunâs heart skipped a beat upon hearing the address, her expression complex.
âMadam, have some tea.â Aunt Chen came with tea, smiling at the mother and daughter duo, feeling a bit helpless herself.
Actually, the husband had his reasons for remarrying.
Raising a child alone was hard work for him. Back then, the young miss was small, and he was busy with work. As she grew up, it wasnât appropriate for him as a father to overstep.
During that time, the elderly lady was still around, but her health wasnât good. The old couple had their hands full; even if the young miss was brought to live in the old house, neglect occurred sometimes.
Such a large family needed someone to manage it.
He believed remarrying was for better care of the young miss and to attend to the family, much like couples who stayed together for their children or even got divorced and remarried for the kidsâ sake.
Some things parents think are good, and who can say how many mistakes heâs made?
Besides, this mother and daughter were not like they are now when they first entered the Tang Family. When they had nothing, they knew how to be grateful for what they got. Over time, seeing many good things, dissatisfaction naturally grewâ¦
Peopleâs hearts are the hardest to discern; naturally, who could have foreseen the familyâs relationships becoming so tense later?
â¦
Zhang Liyun was the first to punish Tang Mo. The Jiang Family was still present, and though the old man said a few words, he clearly remembered everything.
ââ¦Iâll cook tonight. Just right, Lord Wu is also here; weâll have dinner together and make it lively,â Zhang Liyun immediately went to the kitchen to make a good impression.
Tang Wan wanted to return to the East Courtyard to see how Jiang Jinsang was settling in. As she approached her courtyard, she heard someone calling her from behind.
âSisââ
She hadnât turned around yet when Tang Mo ran up to her.
âSomething wrong?â
âI just wanted to apologize again,â Tang Mo, under her motherâs orders, was here to forge a better relationship with Tang Wan.
âItâs all over.â Her expression showed her unwillingness. Forced small talk wasnât much use.
The two stood outside the courtyard, exchanging a few random words. Tang Mo glanced inside a couple of times, âLord Wu⦠How long will he be staying here?â
âWhy do you ask?â Tang Moâs intentions were clear to Tang Wan the first time she met Jiang Jinsang.
But when Jiang Jinsang rebuffed her, if it were Tang Wan, she would avoid him forever. Yet, Tang Mo still held such thoughtsâit was plain reckless.
âOh, nothing, just asking.â Tang Mo laughed lightly, âSis, you wouldnât seriously want to marry into the Jiang Family, right?â
âI thought the rumors about Lord Wuâs poor health were exaggerated; turns out theyâre true.â
âSis, marriage is a lifelong affair. You really need to think it over. Lord Wuâs temper doesnât seem great, and he seems to look down on our family. With our current situation, weâre certainly not suited for the Jiang Family.â
Tang Wan just laughed and retorted, âDonât worry. Since he looks down on our family, Iâm unworthy. Youâre even less so.â
Tang Moâs face turned pale.
âIf thereâs nothing else, Iâll head back now.â
Tang Wan turned back to the courtyard, where Jiang Jinsang was leaning in front of the North House, basking in the sun. No one knows how much he heard.
He squinted in the light; Tang Moâs words were truly petty and vile.
Our families matching or not, I havenât said a word, so who are you to judge?
And sayingâ¦
Iâm unworthy?
The Jiang Family stood by the wall, sensing a chill despite the sunlight, probably because it had rained. Though they felt the warmth, a coldness seeped into their bones.
*
As the sky gradually darkened, night fell, enveloping the old house in a lively, kitchen smoke-filled atmosphere.
Zhang Liyun was busy preparing, eager to showcase her abilities in front of Jiang Jinsang. Even if they couldnât become in-laws, improving their impression was necessary.
Unexpectedly, a sudden shriek was heardâit was her daughterâs!
Her heart skipped a beat, wondering what had happened now!
When she rushed to the East Courtyard, her legs went weak with fearâ¦