Chapter 12: Does it make a sound? Just tell me, can one hand clap?

The grandmother and granddaughter were drawn by a man’s voice. They stopped and looked in the direction of the sound, only to see a man in green robes being thrown out of a brothel and landing flat on his face at the entrance.

Sheng Wanqiu was stunned. Going to a brothel first thing in the morning?

How desperate could this guy be? She quickly took a few steps forward; she had to see who this bizarre character was. He was truly something else!

"You, get Miss Mudan to come out! I want to see Miss Mudan!" The man in green stood up, brushed the dust off his clothes, and shouted at the brothel door.

"A penniless wretch like you wants to see Miss Mudan? You’re dreaming!"

"If you dare to shout at our door again, don't blame our clubs for being blind!"

"Brothers, grab your gear!"

At the command of the lead servant, a dozen thugs armed with clubs swarmed out of the brothel. These were the bouncers kept by the establishment; whenever someone dared to cause trouble, it was time for them to show their might.

"Just you wait! Hmph!" Fearing a beating, the man in green immediately flicked his sleeves and left.

Sheng Wanqiu rolled her eyes. A coward. She thought he was a tough guy, but that was it?

However, why did this coward look so familiar?

He looked like her little aunt’s husband.

Wow! Now things were getting serious.

Sure enough, when she turned her head, she saw that Grandma Sheng’s face was as dark as ink. This confirmed that the coward was indeed her little uncle, Yang Wei.

"Grandma, is that Little Uncle?" Sheng Wanqiu’s eyes flickered. The way her grandmother looked right now, she seemed ready to kill.

"Follow him!" Grandma Sheng gritted her teeth, nodded, and followed him with quick strides.

Seeing this, Sheng Wanqiu immediately followed as well. She had to make sure to intervene later; she couldn't let her grandmother get so angry that she beat Yang Wei to death.

Grandma Sheng was truly furious enough to kill. She never expected that while visiting her youngest daughter, she would see her son-in-law visiting a brothel in broad daylight.

This was an utter disgrace. What did this damned Yang Wei take her daughter for?

He claimed to be a scholar, but he had clearly read his books into a dog's stomach.

He bragged about being a *xiucai* every day, but how many years had it been? He was still just a *xiucai* with no ambition. And now, he was frequenting brothels. She wondered if her daughter knew; if she did, she would surely be heartbroken to death.

The two followed Yang Wei all the way to a small courtyard, where they saw him pounding on the door.

"Wife, open the door! I’m back!"

"Hurry up, I’m exhausted! Open the door!"

Yang Wei knocked first, and when he felt there was no movement inside, he impatiently began to kick the door.

As soon as the door opened a crack, he started cursing at the person who opened it.

"Are you deaf? I shouted so loudly, and you didn't hear me?"

"I think you might as well not have ears!" With that, Yang Wei reached out to grab the ear of the person who opened the door.

"Husband, I was washing clothes in the backyard. I really didn't hear you. It wasn't until Mother called me that I knew you were back. I came to open the door for you immediately."

"Please don't be angry. It’s my fault; I should have opened the door sooner."

The person speaking was Sheng Xiahua, the one who opened the door—Sheng Wanqiu’s little aunt and Grandma Sheng’s youngest daughter.

"You dead woman, you dare to argue? Are you implying that my mother heard me and didn't open the door, so you had to do it? You dare to sow discord between me and my mother? See if I don't beat you to death!"

After saying this, Yang Wei raised his palm to strike Sheng Xiahua’s face.

"Yang Wei, try hitting her! If you dare to land that blow today, don't expect to keep your hand!"

Grandma Sheng’s eyes were bloodshot. Seeing her youngest daughter about to be hit, she rushed forward, grabbed Yang Wei by the hair, and yanked him back with all her might.

"Mother, why are you here?"

"Mother-in-law, why are you here!"

Both of them saw Grandma Sheng, though one spoke with surprise and the other with terror.

"If I hadn't come, I wouldn't have seen this good show! What kind of life are you living, you silly girl! Pack your things and come home with Mother. Mother can still afford to raise you!"

Grandma Sheng looked at her youngest daughter, who was even thinner than the last time she saw her, with a heart full of pain. Tears welled up in her eyes. If this was what they saw, who knew how much bullying her daughter had endured behind closed doors?

"In-law, what are you doing? Let go of him!" Yang Wei’s mother emerged from the courtyard at this moment. Seeing her son’s hair still clutched in Grandma Sheng’s hand, she rushed over to rescue him.

"Xiahua, look at you! Seeing your own man being grabbed by the hair, you don't even step in to stop it. You just stand there like a fool—you're useless!"

"All you do is eat. Our Yang family had the worst luck of eight lifetimes marrying you in!"

"A hen that can't lay eggs. Just looking at you makes me angry. Get out of the way!" After saying this, Mother Yang shoved Sheng Xiahua.

Sheng Xiahua lost her footing and tripped over the high threshold. If Grandma Sheng hadn't caught her, she would have certainly fallen.

"You talk about laying eggs, but the egg you laid is a moron. He’s been a *xiucai* for so many years—that’s the real bastard!"

"What kind of good thing could a man be if he’s kicked out of a brothel first thing in the morning? My little aunt marrying into your family is the worst luck of eight lifetimes!"

"Like father, like son—a bunch of scoundrels! Ptooey!"

Sheng Wanqiu’s little mouth was like a machine gun, firing away at the Yang mother and son. Anyway, if there was going to be a loss of face, it wouldn't just be her losing it, so it didn't matter!

"Wanqiu, is what you said true? He went to a brothel!" Sheng Xiahua’s tears fell instantly. She looked at Sheng Wanqiu with a pitiful expression, hoping to hear a denial.

It had to be said, this little aunt was actually quite pretty; she looked like a woman as gentle as water. It was a real pity.

"Little Aunt, don't deceive yourself. I saw it, Grandma saw it, and many people on the street saw it!"

"If you don't believe me, just go out to the street and ask around. He was even looking for some 'Miss Mudan.' Tsk tsk, he has no shame left!"

Sheng Wanqiu felt that sometimes, white lies weren't necessary, because a lie is a lie in the end.

Keeping the truth from the victim isn't kindness; it's being an accomplice!

"Yang Wei, how could you do this to me! Wuwuwu!" Sheng Xiahua began to cry, her whole body trembling.

"What are you crying for? What’s there to cry about? Isn't it normal for a man to have some fun outside? Making such a fuss!"

"It takes two to clap. If you could keep your man in check, would Anping have needed to go to a brothel?"

"Alright, alright, stop the sniveling! You’ve brought poverty to this house with your bad luck!" Mother Yang’s words were sharper than a knife, stabbing straight into Sheng Xiahua’s heart.

Then, Sheng Wanqiu watched as her grandmother slapped Mother Yang across the face.

"Does it clap? Tell me, can one palm clap?"