Chapter 305: Slander and Smear
Chapter 305: Chapter 305: Slander and Smear
"That’s not it at all!" Zhao Nuanyue said with a laugh. "Even when I was going to the hospital frequently, I’d still come back to make lunch and dinner for you. I can’t let you and Little Red Carp go without."
Hearing their sister’s words, Zhao Nuanyang and Little Red Carp both smiled.
"Sis is the best," Little Red Carp said in her bright voice. "Sis, my brother doesn’t have work today, and I don’t have school. Why don’t we go out and play? I want to go climb at Brick City!"
"Ah?" Zhao Nuanyue was in a bind. She had promised to make lunch for Hua Yusen, so she couldn’t take Little Red Carp out to play. She could only ask sheepishly, "How about next week? You know that now that Hua has woken up, I have to cook for him and keep him company."
"Oh, okay," Little Red Carp said, a little disappointed. "Then next week, you can’t flake on me."
"Okay, I promise I’ll take you next week," Zhao Nuanyue assured her. "After we eat, let’s go fishing. Nuanyang, you can help too. We’ll make a big batch of fish balls for lunch, and when we get back from the hospital, we can take some to Madam Sun."
"Sure," Zhao Nuanyang said with a smile. "I haven’t been to Immortal Grass Hall in a few days. I kind of miss my senior brother, Madam Sun, and Master."
Little Red Carp cheered up too, saying, "I miss Grandma Sun, Grandpa Sun, and the big brothers!"
After their meal, the three siblings started fishing.
Zhao Nuanyue had Little Red Carp catch two large black carp and several big grass carp.
Zhao Nuanyue simmered a black carp soup to help Hua Yusen recover. They ate a good amount themselves and used the grass carp to make lots of fish balls. They kept some at home, hanging them down the well in the courtyard. Even in the sweltering heat, they would keep for two or three days—a natural, eco-friendly refrigerator.
"Nuanyang, are you and Little Red Carp coming to the hospital with me?" Zhao Nuanyue asked. "If not, you can take her over to Madam Sun’s and give her the things."
Zhao Nuanyang thought for a moment and said, "Sis, you go ahead and take the meal to Hua Yusen. I’ll take Little Red Carp to Immortal Grass Hall first. After we give the things to Master and Madam Sun, we’ll go to the hospital to visit Hua Yusen."
Previously, Zhao Nuanyang had called Hua Yusen "Hua," but now he was using his full name. Hua Yusen’s long coma had worried his sister, and Zhao Nuanyang was angry about it.
Zhao Nuanyue understood her brother’s petty grievance but didn’t point it out.
Little Red Carp wanted to see Madam Sun, so she was happy to go with her brother.
Who would have thought that just as they got to the gate, they would run into Wang Lianhua again, carrying a basket.
This time they were face-to-face, and Zhao Nuanyue couldn’t avoid her even if she wanted to.
"Oh, Nuanyue! So you really do live here." The moment Wang Lianhua saw Zhao Nuanyue this time, she plastered a wide smile on her face. "I came by before but didn’t see you. It was a wasted trip. Look, I brought you some delicious white sugar cakes!"
Zhao Nuanyue took two steps back, then forced a faint smile. "Thank you, but we don’t need any."
Zhao Nuanyang, pushing his bicycle, said expressionlessly, "Move aside. We’re in a hurry!"
"Move," Little Red Carp piped up. From the old woman’s words and her siblings’ reactions, she understood that this must be that bad grandma, Wang Lianhua.
Hearing the child’s clear voice, Wang Lianhua looked at Zhao Nuanyue, her brow furrowed. "Nuanyue... is this... is this your child? Good heavens, you’re already married? You gave birth to this child? She’s so big already! My goodness!"
"Hmph!" Little Red Carp was not happy. "I wasn’t born from my sister! I’m her little sister!"
Wang Lianhua listened, an expression of disbelief on her face. She shook her head repeatedly and said, "Ai, how pitiful. When you’re not under the watch of your parents and elders, it’s so easy to be taken advantage of and deceived. Look at you, how old are you, and you already have a child this big. Ai, what about the father? Did the child’s father refuse to acknowledge her? Nuanyue, don’t be afraid. Your dad’s been promoted now. He can back you up and call the shots for you."
Wang Lianhua’s words were obviously a deliberate attempt to sling mud at Zhao Nuanyue and accuse her of getting pregnant out of wedlock.
Perhaps Wang Lianhua already knew Little Red Carp was adopted and was saying this on purpose. It was also possible she didn’t know Little Red Carp’s identity, but that didn’t matter. This was a perfect excuse to slander Zhao Nuanyue directly.
"Don’t talk nonsense!" Zhao Nuanyang flared up. "My sister has done nothing wrong! Little Red Carp is our adopted sister."
"Oh, come on. Her little face looks so much like yours, almost identical to how you looked as a child," Wang Lianhua said, unconvinced. "We’re all family here. You don’t have to hide it from me."
Her face still wore an expression that said, "You don’t have to lie to me."
"Heh!" Zhao Nuanyue looked at Wang Lianhua with a humorless smile. "I left Lihua Bay less than three years ago. How could I possibly have a child who’s almost five? When you’re going to slander me, you should at least find a better excuse."
Wang Lianhua looked from Zhao Nuanyue to Little Red Carp. The girl really didn’t look like a three-year-old.
’Then again,’ she thought, ’maybe the little girl eats too well and is just bigger than other kids?’
"I’m only saying this for your own good, Nuanyue. You’re still young. How will you get married with a child in tow?" Wang Lianhua said with a frown. She glanced around and, seeing no other men besides Zhao Nuanyang, guessed that Zhao Nuanyue wasn’t married.
"That’s none of your concern," Zhao Nuanyue said irritably. "We have things to do, so we’re leaving."
Hearing his sister say this, Zhao Nuanyang got on his bike with Little Red Carp and rode off, completely ignoring Wang Lianhua.
"Why don’t you children ever listen to your elders!" Wang Lianhua looked very disappointed. "We’ve already realized our mistakes from back then, and we’ve apologized to you. Now your mom has given you a little brother, such an adorable little brother, don’t you want to meet him? Besides, even if you hate us, you shouldn’t hate your own mother. Her heart is truly with you. She was about to mail you tickets and money the other day, but I stopped her. I heard you’d come to Jincheng City, but your mom doesn’t know. You’ve been in Jincheng City for so long without visiting her. She’ll be so sad when she finds out."
Zhao Nuanyue knew, of course, that Xia Yingyu would be disappointed to learn they had returned to Jincheng City and hadn’t visited her. At the same time, however, Zhao Nuanyue also believed her mother would understand her difficulties. Her mother was willing to forgive Zhao Jinghai, Wang Lianhua, and Zhao Huilan, but she and Nuanyang would not.
As for Little Red Carp, she had absolutely nothing to do with Zhao Jinghai’s family!
"Heh, that’s not something you need to worry about," Zhao Nuanyue said, growing impatient. "I have things to do and no time to stand here chatting with you."
With that, Zhao Nuanyue walked toward the car at the intersection.
Wang Lianhua followed close behind, saying with a cheerful laugh, "Nuanyue, we’re all family, let’s not act like strangers. Don’t hold a grudge against us anymore. After all, your mother still lives with us, and you have a half-brother. Even if you don’t like us, you can’t just ignore your mother and brother!"