Chapter 3: The Foolish Wife Is So Fierce

Su Jingxuan looked at Luo Yunhe with anxious concern. Hearing Su Ruyi’s words, his expression turned incredibly dark. "No matter what faults she may have, she is my wife, your sister-in-law. Show her some respect!"

With a swift motion, he pushed Su Ruyi aside.

"Ah! Mother, Big Brother pushed me..." Su Ruyi had never expected that her usually spineless brother would dare to lay a hand on her today. She stared at him in disbelief.

Hearing this, Mother Su turned around to see her daughter fallen on the ground. Glaring at Su Jingxuan with icy, hateful eyes, she released Luo Yunhe and lunged toward him. "You ungrateful wretch, you dare bully your own sister? See if I don't tear your face apart—"

"Ah! You old hag, see if I don't beat you until you're bruised and battered!" Luo Yunhe quickly reached out, grabbed Mother Su’s hair, and yanked her back with a forceful tug. "Trying to bully my husband? Not on my watch!"

She also landed several sharp kicks on her.

Neighbors all around craned their necks to watch the farce, whispering among themselves. None of them had expected that the "silly" wife bought by the Su family would be so fierce, nor had they anticipated that Mother Su would suffer such a humiliating defeat at the hands of this new daughter-in-law.

*Crash!*

The front gate was shoved open violently from the outside. A middle-aged man in his forties stood in the doorway, staring daggers at them.

"Are you all trying to stage a rebellion?" Su Jiang’s face was livid.

"Father, tell Big Brother to stop! Mother was bullied by the new wife he bought, and now she’s coming for me too... Wuu wuu wuu..."

"Old man, this unfilial son has grown bold enough to hit me! Look at this, and look at this wicked girl—she’s completely rebellious! Our family has bought a savage wife... Wuu wuu wuu..." Mother Su wailed, her previous fierce demeanor vanishing without a trace.

The moment the door opened, Luo Yunhe had let go and straightened her clothes. She looked up to meet Su Jiang’s gaze, her eyes clear and showing not a hint of fear.

Su Jingxuan said nothing, though a distinct, five-fingered handprint marred his handsome face. He immediately stepped in front of his wife, his protective stance clear.

"Are you alright?"

"Husband, I’m fine. But you have a slap mark on your face," Luo Yunhe said, looking at the vivid red mark with a pained expression.

Su Jingxuan shook his head and turned to Su Jiang. "Father, this matter is not my wife’s fault. Even though I paid for her, she is a member of our family. I will not allow anyone to bully her. Mother, your provocation today was unreasonable, and I have nothing more to say. If you, Father, and my sister cannot tolerate her, then split the household and send me away!" Su Jingxuan declared without hesitation.

His firm attitude caught Luo Yunhe off guard. She tugged at his sleeve, signaling him to stop. Su Jingxuan gave her a reassuring look but remained silent.

The surrounding neighbors were shocked. To suggest splitting the family while both parents were still alive was considered a grave act of unfilial behavior, yet Su Jingxuan had dared to propose it. Such a scandal would be gossiped about for a long time.

"You... what did you say?" Mother Su stared at her son in total shock.

Su Jiang’s expression grew even uglier. "Unfilial son! Do you have the guts to say that again?"

"Father, Mother, my education was provided by my mentor; you didn't pay a single cent. Now, I teach at the academy, earning eight hundred wen a month. When I have time, I go into the mountains to hunt. Even though I have only one arm, I can live very well. Over the years, I have contributed plenty of money to this household. I simply bought a wife, and Mother spends every day cursing and shouting—what kind of behavior is that? At the end of the day, I am the eldest son of this family. Do I have no say at all? She may be silly, but since she has arrived at our home, she is my wife. I will never allow anyone to bully her. If you truly cannot tolerate her, then split the household!" His resolve was absolute.

"Don't even think about it!" Mother Su hissed. She was determined never to let this son leave the household.

"Father, Mother, we cannot split! Big Brother, saying such things is truly unfilial. If word gets out, what will outsiders think of us?" Su Ruyi cried out in anger.

"Old man, what is the point of me living? I raised a son only for him to turn his back on me. He treats me this way for the sake of a wife... I don't want to live anymore..." Mother Su collapsed to the ground, wailing and slapping the dirt in a display of unseemly, shrewish behavior.

The neighbors whispered among themselves, most of them blaming Su Jingxuan.

"Eldest, are you sure you want this silly girl for a wife?" Su Jiang asked, his voice full of rage. This son was a breadwinner; losing him would be a great loss.

Luo Yunhe stepped forward immediately. "Who says I’m silly? I’m not silly at all, you’re the silly ones! My husband is the best. If any of you dare to insult him again, see if I don't beat you!" she said fiercely.

Su Jiang glanced at Luo Yunhe with a dark look. She was thin and small, with a face the size of a palm, skin as fair as jade, and eyes that were clear and bright. When she spoke, she seemed perfectly earnest. If not for the hint of childish innocence in her tone, no one would have guessed she was "silly." This was the first time he had truly observed the girl in the days since she arrived.

"Have you ever seen a fool admit they are a fool?" Su Ruyi muttered. Though her voice was soft, everyone present heard her clearly.

"Pah! You’re the fool! Say that again, and I’ll knock your teeth out!" Luo Yunhe waved her small fists. Had Su Jingxuan not been holding her back tightly, she would have already charged at her.

"Enough. Let today’s matter end here. If anyone brings this up again, don't blame me for being unkind. Eldest, since you insist on keeping a fool, I have nothing to say. However, if she causes trouble in this house again, don't blame me for what I do!"

Watching Luo Yunhe continue to wave her little hands as if wanting to hit Su Ruyi, Su Jingxuan found her incredibly adorable. Luo Yunhe’s task was complete, her points had been credited, and she felt immensely happy.

"Old man..." Mother Su was clearly dissatisfied with this resolution.

"Shut up! You are a mother; keep your mouth clean!"

Fearing that the next fire would burn her, Su Ruyi quickly shut her mouth and dared not say another word.

"Go cook!" Su Jiang barked at Mother Su.

Luo Yunhe gripped Su Jingxuan’s sleeve tightly, blinking her large, watery eyes at him with a pitiful look. "Husband, my head hurts... Could you help me into the room?"

The fierce, childish shrew was gone, replaced by a fragile little girl.

Upon hearing this, Su Jingxuan nodded immediately. "Where does it hurt? Come, let’s go inside..."

Mother Su watched the two of them enter the room, then looked toward the kitchen. Her expression was more ghastly than a corpse's.