A Maid's Survival Story in a Noble Family Mansion? Rich Landlords Are More Appealing.

"Sigh, it's just that the child was sold by you back then, and now he's wasted his life at this age. With my figure and face, if I hadn't been held back, I wouldn't be just a middle-aged widow like Master Wang. I could probably even be a scholar's wife."

After this long, self-directed speech, Chen Guixiang was secretly pleased with the "bait" she had thrown out, waiting to see if the Chen family, especially Chen Wanxing, would show any sadness or resentment.

She refused to believe that a girl who had been sold and was so old could hear her words without feeling regret or resentment. She was determined to make things even more unpleasant for the family, given even the slightest opening.

But there was no reaction in the main room as she had expected. Instead, there was only a cold, deathly silence, two piercing gazes filled with disgust and anger, and a sneer from Grandma Chen's chest, a sound mixed with endless mockery.

Chen's mother, Chen's second aunt, Chen Xiahe and other younger relatives did not actually recognize the old woman in front of them, who was dressed in shabby clothes but had sharp eyes.

But from Grandma Chen's face instantly turning icy and Chen's father's suddenly tense and extremely disgusted expression, they immediately understood that this was an enemy, and one with a very deep-seated old grudge.

"Heh, Chen Guixiang," Grandma Chen slowly sat up straight, her cloudy old eyes now sharp as knives, scrutinizing her from head to toe, her gaze like that of someone looking at something crawling out of a ditch.

"After all these years, you're still the same, you haven't improved at all. You can't stand seeing other people's homes have even a little warmth because you're unhappy with your own life, can you?"

Chen Guixiang's face stiffened.

Grandma Chen didn't give her a chance to interrupt. She spoke slowly, but every word was sharp and impactful: "You've been watching our family all these years. We heard that Wanxing has been found, that the child is sensible and filial, and that she's not distant from us at all. Our family is reunited and happy. You must feel like there are a thousand ants gnawing at your heart, right? You must be feeling terrible, right? You must be so jealous you're going crazy, right?"

So you eagerly came over, wanting to see for yourself if it was true. And when you saw it, oh dear, it really was! You've been holding this grievance in your chest for so long, you probably won't be able to sleep tonight unless you spit out some of your venom.

Why are you even making up this marriage proposal with the wealthy Wang family? Chen Guixiang, take a piss and look at yourself. With your tattered clothes and impoverished appearance, how do you expect to meet the wealthy man in town?

Your husband, who studied until his beard turned white and still couldn't even become a scholar, is utterly useless yet still thinks himself superior. Does he have the face to even step foot in the wealthy man's house?

These words, like the sharpest dagger, suddenly ripped open the wounds that Chen Guixiang was trying so hard to cover up.

What she feared most was that she had defied her family's objections and insisted on marrying that seemingly promising scholar, emptying her family's coffers to prepare a lavish dowry for herself, only to end up impoverished, with a useless husband and unworthy children and grandchildren.

Meanwhile, her widowed sister-in-law's family, whom she had bullied back then, survived. Their son became successful, their grandchildren surrounded them, and even their lost granddaughter returned safely. Their lives were getting better and better. This contrast was like a poisonous needle pricking her heart day and night.

"What...what nonsense are you spouting!"

Chen Guixiang screamed, her face turning a deep purplish-red. Her carefully crafted facade of "doing what's best for you" completely crumbled, leaving only the humiliation and rage of having her lungs pierced. "I was trying to be a matchmaker out of kindness..."

"Stop with your nice act. Don't fool yourself after being a ghost for so long."

Grandma Chen interrupted sharply, stood up while holding onto the edge of the table, and although she was small, her imposing manner made Chen Guixiang take a half step back.

"Chen Guixiang, we know all too well what kind of person you are. Back then, you wanted to take away our land, which was our only means of survival. You wished our whole family would starve and freeze to death. Now that you've turned your life into a mess, you want everyone else to rot in the mud with you, is that it?"

Now that you see our family is doing well, you deliberately make up a lie to disgust people, trying to drive Wanxing away from us, and even worse, to make her jump into a fire pit so you can feel better, right?

Grandma Chen took a step forward, her aged voice trembling with excitement, yet carrying a thunderous force:

"Let me tell you, Chen Guixiang, I can see right through your filthy thoughts. You're just a maggot who's rotting in the mud and trying to drag others down with you."

"The Wang family's wealthy master? Bah! Your old scholar probably doesn't even know whether the threshold of the Wang family's house is round or square."

"Get out!" Chen's father roared, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked. "We don't welcome you in our home. If you dare to come again, don't blame me for being impolite. We remember clearly how you treated us back then. Now that we're better off, we won't tolerate such a jinx as you coming to our door."

After hearing Grandma Chen's words, Chen's mother and the others completely understood. This was no distant relative coming to propose marriage; it was clearly a weasel offering New Year's greetings to a chicken, deliberately trying to disgust people and cause trouble.

"Who do we have here? It's you! You bullied my mother-in-law back then, and now that my daughter is back and our family is doing well, you're jealous and come here spewing nonsense."

"What Wang family, Li family? Coming from your mouth, which has harmed so many people, can you utter a single human word? Get out of here, don't dirty our land, it's bad luck!"

Even Aunt Chen spat out, "So this is what a heartless person you are. Look at your tattered clothes, no matter how neatly you comb your hair, it can't hide your poor and mean face."

"Trying to be a matchmaker for some rich man's family? Bah! I think you're just a toad yawning—what a big mouth you have! Get back to where you came from, don't embarrass yourselves here. Our Chen family doesn't know anyone like you."

Chen Xiahe also pulled Chen Wanxing to stand back, her face full of disdain.

Chen Guixiang was repeatedly and harshly scolded by Grandma Chen and her son, leaving her with nothing but her underwear. Then, she was further attacked by Chen's mother and second aunt, who beat her and scolded her.

In particular, Aunt Chen's words about being dressed in tattered clothes and being poor and mean-spirited hit her right where she was in a sorry state, which was more embarrassing than any grand principle.

Chen Guixiang's face flushed red and then turned pale, and her body trembled with extreme embarrassment and anger.

Her biggest scars and most unbearable reality were laid bare in front of her widowed sister-in-law and nephew, whom she had looked down upon back then, in the Chen family, which she thought must be living a miserable life but was actually warm and happy.

The feeling of failing to sow discord, having one's schemes fall through, and being humiliated instead, was worse than being killed.

"You...you just wait!"

She had exhausted all her last bit of bluffing power, and could only squeeze out a weak curse through gritted teeth. She grabbed her terrified grandson, staggered, and rushed out the door without looking back. Her back looked like a lost dog, and there was no trace of the pretentious familiarity she had shown when she first entered.

Watching her disappear completely, Grandma Chen seemed to have used up all her strength, and sat heavily back on the kang, panting, but there was a fierce look of satisfaction in her eyes.

Chen Wanxing's eyes darkened as she watched Chen Guixiang leave in a hurry. She stepped forward, gently soothed Grandma Chen, and said softly, "Grandma, Dad, you two shouldn't get angry and hurt yourselves over this pest. She came here to disgust us, and we can't let her have her way and suffer in silence. That would be a real loss and not worth it."