The husband I snatched halfway through his life is strange.

Chapter 7: Resistant
The sky was overcast, as if it were about to rain.

The deep mountains are teeming with wild beasts, so Yu Tingwan only wandered around the foot of the mountain.

The ground was covered with a thick layer of snow. She had been busy for most of the day, collecting a lot of dry branches. Her hands were frozen purple. She stamped her feet, took out the water gourd hanging from her waist, and drank a few mouthfuls, her teeth chattering.

Don't let her thin frame fool you, she's surprisingly strong.

Where is the delicate Miss Yu who used to be, restless even when walking and complaining of being tired after just a short while?
Yu Tingwan used a rope to secure the withered branch tightly and dragged it back. She stopped to rest every now and then.

From afar, a commotion could be heard, along with veiled insults. Yu Tingwan remained indifferent, her attention undiminished.

I wonder how things are going with Matchmaker Liu.

Wang should have gone there to look for her.

Just then, a scream pierced the sky, making Yu Tingwan's eardrums ache.

"Get out! You bastard! Other people are filial to their mothers, but you're the one asking me for money!"

Old Mrs. Wei, with her white hair, leaning on a cane, her body hunched over, glared fiercely at you: "I have no money, I won't give you a single copper coin."

"Mother! This is money to save my life, I'm begging you!"

Wei Shouzhong's eyes reddened with anxiety: "I don't want much, I just want Ah Lang's pension."

Grandma Wei was so angry that she hit him with her cane.

"Even if you treat her, she might not survive, so why waste money! Your wife is being foolish, and you're going to be foolish too?"

"Can't you just assume he's already dead out there?"

Wei Shouzhong, ignoring the pain, exclaimed in disbelief, "He's my own son!"

"He was clearly under the age of conscription, but he was forced into it. Doesn't Mother have any shame?"

Wei Shoucai, who was waiting nearby, hurriedly stepped forward to pat his mother's back to help her catch her breath, and looked at Wei Shouzhong with surprise.

"Say less."

“Mother is doing this for your own good. If it were just a minor injury or illness, not only would I, as his uncle, be willing to pay for it. But he’s been targeted by the King of Hell.”

It was he who persuaded Old Lady Wei to collect the pension in the first place.

Isn't what Old Lady Wei has in her hand his? How could she let Wei Shouzhong take it away?
Wei Shouzhong stared straight at him: "How can you and your mother be so at ease in the dead of night?"

He didn't care about the past, he was just exhausted and pretended not to understand. But now that he has regained what he lost, it is clearly a blessing from heaven!
Old Mrs. Wei disliked her second daughter-in-law and even looked down on her children.

"What are you saying, second brother?"

She smiled shrewdly: "Anyway, your eldest brother has many sons, and it's a lot of work for him to raise them. You can adopt one later, and he can still take care of you in your old age and see you off when you die."

Wei Shoucai stated, "Your sister-in-law and I discussed this matter a long time ago, and neither of us has any objections."

Wei Shouzhong felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, his whole body chilled. He, who never resisted, suddenly sneered: "If you don't give it to me, take it yourself."

"If you dare to touch me, don't blame me for disowning you as my son!"

Wei Shouzhong paused slightly.

But his beloved is in grave danger.

Thinking back to that day when Ah Lang was covered in blood and his clothes could easily tear his flesh if he wasn't careful.

His body was covered in layers of new and old wounds, a horrifying sight. One can only imagine the suffering he endured over the years.

What was most frustrating was the wound from the sharp weapon, which pierced through the back from the front of the chest, leaving a bloody hole bigger than a fist. Just stopping the bleeding took up most of the herbs in Old Man Qian's house.

Hui Niang stayed by her side, crying day and night.

If he were to experience the pain of losing a child again, not only would Hui Niang go mad, but he himself would too.

Thinking of this, Wei Shouzhong's pent-up anger over the years finally erupted.

He didn't dare to delay, pushed aside Wei Shoucai, kicked open the door to Old Lady Wei's room, and barged in.

"Second brother! How dare you!"

Even though Old Lady Wei was fierce, she was old and couldn't possibly stop a strong farmer. Seeing Wei Shouzhong pull out her money pouch, she clutched her chest in panic, crying, "Are you trying to kill me?!"

Yu Tingwan lowered her eyes.

Ah, I really envy Wei Shen.

The wind was blowing hard, and the girl, with her slender back, struggled to walk forward.

In the vast expanse of heaven and earth, Yu Tingwan appeared exceptionally small. Her face was frozen pale, except for the beauty mark at the corner of her eye that shimmered with a gentle light. Her footprints were covered by the winding trail left by the withered branches dragging behind her.

I don't know how much time had passed, but her voice could still be faintly heard amidst the howling cold wind.

Unlike her usual indifference, she was fragile and aggrieved.

"But my father is the best."

The Hu family's gate was half-closed. In the courtyard sat an old woman in a dark blue cotton coat, clean and without patches. She wore a very thin silver hairpin and her white hair was neatly combed, making her look very dignified.

This is Li Lian, the wife of the village head.

Beside her were Wang Shi, who looked like a wilted eggplant, and Xiao Xu Shi.

The snow piled up on the branches fell down in a flurry. Yu Tingwan couldn't dodge in time and was hit squarely. Under everyone's watchful eyes, she wrapped her cotton coat tighter, sneezed, and her nose turned red from the cold as she shivered.

They look exceptionally pitiful.

After Yu Tingwan called for help, she dragged the large bundle of dry branches into the house. Footsteps came from behind her; she knew without guessing who it was.

She asked in a low voice, "Is something the matter, Mother-in-law?"

Seeing that she was shivering from the cold, Li Lian closed the door behind her, blocking Wang Shi's view and the howling wind from outside.

"I came to talk to you."

The village head reprimanded and warned Wang Shi not because of Yu Tingwan, but because of Hu Yaozu.

If a scholar comes out of the village, the village head will feel proud.

The matter has blown up, and with so many people around, Wang's attempt to sell her niece can no longer be kept secret. It's likely that it won't be long before it reaches Yu Tingwan's ears.

The village head had done a good deed, so he decided to go all the way and let her come to comfort Yu Tingwan.

Li Lian calmly observed the young girl in front of her.

With her beautiful appearance, it's no wonder that Madam Wang considered sending her to the Dong family.

Her smile deepened: "You're a considerate child, and you've suffered all these years. Your aunt isn't a bad person at heart. If you're upset about anything, just tell me. By seniority, she should call me 'aunt,' so she can definitely give me a good scolding."

"I'm afraid your uncle and his family won't be able to come back for the New Year. There's no man in the house to help. If you need any help, just let me know."

Yu Tingwan pretended not to know her purpose and looked at her with a flattered expression.

Li Lian patted her hand and casually asked, "Good child, how old are you now?"

"Seventeen."

"Then it's time to give it to someone else."

Li Lian shook her head: "Dazhu is an incompetent uncle, and your aunt is also confused."

Yu Tingwan seemed to be deep in thought.

Li Lian did offer her some pointers.

She's only staying at the Hu family's house temporarily; she doesn't have a home, and she'll get married sooner or later.

Rather than living in fear of being framed and manipulated by Wang, she decided to find it herself.

Yu Tingwan's gaze towards Li Lian became much more intense.

She was unusually direct: "Is my mother-in-law trying to set me up with someone?"

You wish!
With your background, how many respectable families would want you?

But Li Lian was proud, and she couldn't quite handle Yu Tingwan's gaze.

"That's...that works too."

"Why don't you tell me what conditions you're looking for, Aunt? That way I can keep an eye out for someone. How about finding a gentle and reasonable scholar like your cousin?"

What's so good about being a scholar? You can't lift anything with your hands or carry anything on your shoulders.

Having a wealth of knowledge and literature naturally exudes elegance. For scions of noble families, this is an added bonus, but for ordinary people, apart from passing the imperial examinations and achieving success, reciting a few sentimental poems won't protect them.

Father was different; he was tall and strong, and even local thugs dared not touch her or Mother.

Yu Tingwan solemnly said, "We need someone with a strong fist."

Li Lian: ? ? ?
You think you're so tough?

(End of this chapter)