Chapter 70

Listen! (The pursuers are getting closer, everyone, where are the recommendation votes?)

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The rain was continuous, and the stove fire was red. (《》)

"At the time, if you had listened to me and taken Eighth Sister by force," Chen Ke sneered at the sudden burst of manliness from Second Brother: "Why bother to act the hero now?"

"Easy for you to say, how could I have made a move back then?" Second Brother said gloomily: "At that time, it seemed like I would be ruining her happiness."

"What’s there to fear from the consequences? Just deal with them gradually! How many times have I told you this? You always treat it as idle talk, and now look what’s happened!" Chen Ke scolded him for his lack of initiative.

"Ah..." In fact, Chen Ke’s words were not entirely reasonable. Given the situation back then, Second Brother indeed had no reason to intervene. Perhaps only someone as impulsive as him would have done such a rash thing. But now, when it was mentioned, Second Brother naturally regretted his past rationality.

"Never mind, there’s no medicine for regret; we must look forward." Chen Ke, after all, still cared for his brother, patted his shoulder and said: "How did it come to this?"

"Who could have known?" Second Brother slowly shook his head: "Uncle Su is also puzzled. He said that when he saw Eighth Sister during the New Year, she was fine. No one knows what happened in these few months."

"Only Eighth Sister can answer this question." The medicine was ready, and Chen Ke carefully removed the dregs, pouring the dark, shiny liquid into a white porcelain bottle. He then closed the lid and nodded at Second Brother with his chin: "Take it over."

"I..." Second Brother hesitated. The earlier shout of "Eighth Sister" was definitely heard by the Su family; he was too embarrassed to show his face again.

"Nonsense!" Chen Ke’s face turned stern: "You took her by force and then abandoned her!"

"How could I?" Second Brother shook his head like a rattle drum, his face turning red: "I will take care of her no matter what."

"Really?" A sly smile appeared on Chen Ke’s face as he grabbed Second Brother’s neck and pulled him close: "How far will you go?"

"This..." Second Brother struggled, his face contorted: "As long as she needs me, it will be forever. Latest chapter of The Holy Hall"

"See, see, there you go again!" Chen Ke was immediately furious, wanting to stuff Second Brother’s head into the stove: "You emotional man! You deserve to be a backup for life!" He scowled and said: "What do you mean by 'as long as she needs me'? Are you hoping to go to the Cheng family and take her by force again? Can’t you be more manly and say, 'I will keep her'?"

"I am a hundred percent willing!" Second Brother said: "But given their current situation, is it appropriate for me to appear?"

"Truly a pig-brained man," Chen Ke said helplessly: "You’ve already carried her and shouted for her; even if she were a fool, she would understand. What’s there to hold back?"

"How can you say such harsh things..." Second Brother smiled bitterly: "What do you mean by 'backup'?"

"You are the backup, but now that the main tire has gone flat, it’s the perfect opportunity for the backup to step up!" Chen Ke, more excited than Second Brother, said: "Go ahead boldly and take advantage of the situation. Show your gentleness and consideration, and let them switch to you as the backup!"

"Alright," Second Brother, swayed by the persuasion, clenched his fists tightly: "I don’t want to be a backup! I will keep her!"

"Right, right, that’s the spirit!" Chen Ke finally felt happy: "Move forward boldly, don’t look back. Focus on winning her heart, and leave the cleanup to me!"

"Don’t say it so harshly." Second Brother picked up the porcelain bottle and nodded heavily at Chen Ke: "Third Brother, rest assured, I won’t miss this time!"

"Good, that’s more like it!" Chen Ke said with satisfaction. Second Brother turned to leave, but just before reaching the door, he heard Chen Ke say: "Wait."

Second Brother turned to look at his younger brother: "What is it?"

"Do you care that Eighth Sister has been married before?" Chen Ke looked at him with a strange expression. Although remarriage was common in the Song Dynasty, someone as excellent as Second Brother in every aspect would naturally hope that his future wife would also be a first-time bride. Latest chapter of The Holy Hall

"Of course not," Second Brother said firmly without hesitation: "Who made me late in her life..."

"That’s a truly noble sentiment, I’ll have to borrow it in the future!" Chen Ke laughed strangely: "But you won’t lose out. When you win her heart, there will be a pleasant surprise!"

"I look forward to it." Second Brother, eager to deliver the medicine, thought Chen Ke was talking about a wedding gift and didn’t pay much attention, so he hurried out.

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The night passed quietly.

The next morning, the Chen family courtyard was quiet. The Qingming holiday was not a modern invention; the Song Dynasty government and schools also had a three-day break for the Qingming Festival.

During the holiday, one naturally slept in. Chen Ke was extremely tired. After boiling the medicine and taking a bath, he didn’t even eat dinner and fell into a deep sleep. He seemed to have been visited by someone during the night, but he didn’t react at all.

At some point, he was woken by muffled angry shouts. Rubbing his sleepy eyes, he put on his clothes and shoes and went out.

Following the sound to the moon gate, he saw Song Duanping and a few others. They were hiding behind a screen wall, not daring to show their heads, only listening to the commotion in the courtyard.

Seeing Chen Ke, everyone made a gesture to be quiet, then made room for him to listen at the wall.

"Who and who?" Chen Ke asked softly.

"Uncle Su and Cheng Zhicai..." Song Duanping whispered.

"Father-in-law, you want me to take Eighth Sister back, right." Hearing this voice, Chen Ke immediately pictured the handsome young man. They had only been classmates for a year. Cheng Zhicai was very dissatisfied with the old teacher Wang’s advocacy of ancient literature and refusal to teach contemporary literature. After barely staying for three hundred days, he left the school, citing his impending marriage as the reason.

"You can forget it!" Su Xun’s angry voice rang out: "I haven’t even settled accounts with you yet, Cheng Zhicai! You actually came to my door yourself!" He grew more and more furious: "I entrusted my precious daughter to you, and you’ve tortured her to the brink of death. How could I have been so blind to choose such a heartless son-in-law! I’ll beat you, you beast!"

"Father-in-law, calm down! Oh, it hurts..." Cheng Zhicai’s panicked voice was heard: "What are you doing, just standing there? Quickly hold him back!"

"I’ll beat you! I’ll beat you!" It seemed a fight had already broken out in the courtyard. There were Su Xun’s angry roars, Cheng Zhicai’s cries of pain, the sound of things breaking, and several unfamiliar voices: "Stop, don’t hit my young master!" "Old man, he’s talking to you, stop or you’ll get it!"

"Stop it!" The voices of the Su brothers, filled with anger, were also heard.

Chen Ke and the others couldn’t hide any longer and rushed into the courtyard. They saw the atrium littered with broken flower pots. Su Xun, looking like a mad tiger, was being held down by several servants. The Su brothers were trying to pull the servants off their father.

The only one standing was Cheng Zhicai. His crown was askew, his hair disheveled, and his light blue robe with dark flowers was dirty. He was using a purple handkerchief to press a wound on his cheek, his eyes dark and unfathomable.

"Cheng Zhicai, are you even human!" Chen Ke and the others ran out, and Little Sister, furious, came out of the house. Her face was pale, her eyes cold, and Chen Ke had never seen her so angry: "Even if there’s no marital affection, you and my sister are cousins. Now she’s on her last breath, and you come to the door without a word of concern, wanting to take her back. Can’t you see that she will die if she goes back? Or do you want to kill her intentionally?!"

"Aunt..." Cheng Zhicai was speechless, his face even darker. He turned to Cheng’s wife and said: "I’m doing this for your own good. They don’t understand, and neither do you, Aunt?"

"Zhicai, you should go back first..." Cheng’s wife had been in the house until the commotion forced her to come out. Her voice was low: "I understand your intentions. But Eighth Sister is very ill. Go back and talk to your mother, and let Eighth Sister stay at her mother’s house for a while. She will return when she’s better."

"Aunt, she can also recuperate at home. I have the best relationship with Eighth Sister, and I will ensure she is not jolted on the way." Cheng Zhicai said anxiously: "You know my mother’s temper. It’s best to go back quickly to avoid any worse outcome."

"What worse outcome?" At this moment, the servants holding Su Xun were thrown into the flower bed by Fifth Brother. Su Laoquan jumped up from the ground, furious: "Your family is a powerful one, but you’ve picked the wrong target to bully!" He yanked off his headband, letting his hair fall loose, and said resolutely: "Go back and tell your mother, the 'Jiangqing,' that even if we can’t divorce, Eighth Sister will stay at the Su family forever!"

With that, he threw the headband to the ground and said decisively: "From now on, the Su and Cheng families will cut ties and never see each other again!"

"Since that’s the case, I’ll take my leave." Cheng Zhicai looked at the headband on the ground, which symbolized the severing of ties. He sighed lightly: "I will try to persuade my mother, but Uncle must also be prepared for the worst..."

"Get out!" Su Xun raised his hand and pointed at the door.

His gaze swept over the people in the courtyard, and Cheng Zhicai sighed again, turning to leave. His servants quickly got up and followed.

In the courtyard, Cheng’s wife’s face turned deathly pale, and she swayed. Little Sister quickly supported her: "Mother, are you alright...?"

"I’m fine." Cheng’s wife shook her head and forced a smile.

Everyone knew that Su Xun’s words were too harsh, completely ignoring her feelings—she was a daughter of the Cheng family!

"Ah..." Su Xun sighed deeply, put his hands behind his back, and went into the house.

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Loudly asking for votes, to maintain the first place! Everyone, every day counts...

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