By the time Old Madam Han finished listening to what kind of nonsense Meng Yunhan had told her children, she was so angry that she was shaking with fury. She didn't doubt a word that Han Ruochen said to her because she knew what kind of person Meng Yunhan was, and she was very much capable of doing such a thing.
On the other side, Second Uncle Han also felt bitter. It couldn't be said that he was exceptionally kind to Meng Yunhan, but he had treated her fairly, and even when she tried to make a move on him when they were young, he had been careful not to disclose it to his elder brother after the two of them married. He naturally could have objected to this wedding, but he didn't want to hurt a young woman just because of something she did in her youth.
All these years, he even hid this information in his heart to make sure that his brother wouldn't find out the truth. And yet Meng Yunhan had the audacity to say that he was eyeing the property of his elder brother? All these years he had never paid any attention to his elder brother, nor had he tried to get involved with his eldest brother's family for he didn't want to create any strife between the two and yet Meng Yunhan—how could she say such words?
"Pah!" Second Aunt Han was so angry that she spat on the ground. "Very good! That Meng Yunhan is really good. No wonder so many women of the village look at me like I am a villain. So this is what she has been saying behind our backs."
"Alright, calm down." Second Uncle Han was also angry, but he knew that there were certain things that he couldn't say in front of Han Ruochen. After all, Meng Yunhan was her mother.
Han Ruochen sensed what her uncle was thinking and smiled softly. She said to him, "Uncle, don't think too much. My mother—she is completely bewitched by Han Ziyan. Do you know? She knew that Han Ziyan and Yang Jianming were dating one another behind my back, but didn't stop them, nor did she stop Ziyan. In fact, she wanted me to hand my job to Ziyan such that she could marry into the Yang family with great fanfare and Yang Jianming tried to ruin my reputation as well."
Han Ruochen had long understood that if she wanted to survive, she would have to make Meng Yunhan's misdeeds known to her family, who would care and support her, as well as publicise it to the entire village. Only then would she be able to suppress her mother for the time being. Though her mother and Han Ziyan would not give up on their intention to gulp down the Han family, at least they would be much more careful with their intentions out in the open.
Thus, she told everything to her grandmother, whose eyes widened more and more and by the time she was done listening to Han Ruochen, her face was flushed red with anger. She smacked her thigh and muttered angrily, "How many times! Just how many times did I tell Yichen to divorce that woman? But did he listen to a thing I told him? No. Just look at this now, harming her own daughter for the sake of an adopted one. Even a dog would not be as foolish as your mother."
"Ruochen, come and sit down. While your uncle takes these mantis shrimp to the market. I assure you that your uncle will not cheat you." In the past, Grandma Han was also annoyed with her grandchildren, but now that she knew the teachings her good daughter-in-law had given to her, she could hardly put the blame on Han Ruochen or her siblings.
Han Ruochen heaved a sigh of relief; she was glad that her grandmother was willing to give her a place in her house. As for the rest, she would think about it later on.
"Yes, don't worry, Ruochen; uncle will make sure that you get a good deal out of this." Second Uncle Han patted his chest and then left the house with the mantis shrimp in the water box with ice.
Once he was gone, Old Madam Han turned to look at Han Ruochen and asked, "Girl, tell me why you are looking for seafood on the beach? You have such a good job at the commune; why do something like this?"
"Grandma, I want to take Beijiang to the city." Han Ruochen didn't hide her purpose and told the truth to her grandmother. "I heard at school that there are some children who come out as slow, but they are really smart. It's because they are autistic and are a bit different from the other children. I am thinking of taking Beijiang to the clinic and having him tested; if it turns out that he is really autistic, then I will send him to a special school rather than the common one."
"Oh my", Grandma Han's eyes turned bright when she heard Han Ruochen's words. She turned her head and looked at Han Beijiang, who was reading a book that looked way more difficult than the ones her two elder cousins read, and smiled dotingly. "I knew that the child was special. Just because he can't speak, your mother kept calling him a fool and said that there was no point in wasting money on him. If she had listened to me, then Beijiang would have gotten better by now."
Han Ruochen agreed with her grandmother but didn't say anything. It was fine if her grandmother said those words, but she could not.
"Han Ruochen! You wretched girl, come out. Do you think that you can hide from me? Come out now or else see how I will straighten you up."
Grandma Han was still speaking when Meng Yunhan's shrew like voice permeated through the courtyard walls, startling the children.