Volume 1, Chapter 8 – Because I Am Your Eldest Sister-in-Law

The courtyard fell dead silent. The villagers were stunned—in their memories, Huang Kairong had always been an introverted, meek man, timid around others and henpecked at home. When had he ever stood up to anyone with such confidence, let alone his own nephews?

Huang Qi was equally amazed. In all his years, he had never seen his father so self-assured.

Huang Long and Huang Bo, still young and inexperienced, were completely dumbstruck by their uncle’s outburst. For a moment, they had no idea how to react.

Huang Kairong’s younger brother, Huang Kaiyou and his wife, seeing their sons publicly humiliated by their “good-for-nothing” elder brother, turned visibly furious.

“Elder Brother, you can’t say that. We’re family—what’s yours is ours, isn’t it?”

Huang Kaiyou “kindly” reminded him.

“Exactly, Elder Brother. Are you really going to deny your own kin?”

Zhou Fang, his wife, piled on the pressure.

“Haven’t you heard the saying—‘Even brothers must settle accounts clearly’? What’s yours is yours, and what’s mine is mine. Since when is my home yours?”

Huang Kairong drew the line without hesitation. He had long resented his unfilial younger brother, but before, with his son still unmarried, he hadn’t had the confidence to confront him.

“That’s not necessarily true. If Huang Qi never finds a wife, he’ll have to rely on our grandsons to support him in his old age. So this courtyard will be ours sooner or later.”

Zhou Fang shamelessly revealed her ambitions. After all, in her eyes, her elder brother-in-law was just a worthless man—why should she hold back?

“Rely on your grandsons? Just like how you threw Father out when he couldn’t work anymore? No thanks!”

Huang Kairong sneered. Before his brother and sister-in-law could retort, he raised his voice and announced:

“Neighbors, let me introduce you—this is my daughter-in-law!”

After shouting this, he stepped aside respectfully to gesture toward Huang Qi.

“What? Really?”

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“How could a wealthy young lady like her fall for Huang Qi? Maybe she’s hideous—she’s been wearing a veil the whole time.”

“No way. Just judging by her figure, she could find someone better than Huang Qi even blindfolded.”

The courtyard erupted in chaos. Most of the villagers were skeptical—after all, this was simply too unbelievable.

“She has a toothache and can’t speak. Her face is swollen, so she can’t show it. Please understand.”

Huang Kairong quickly explained.

“Oh, that makes sense. No wonder she’s been wearing a veil.”

The villagers nodded in understanding.

“Elder Brother, I’m happy Huang Qi found a wife, but did you really have to hire some girl to put on a show just to save face?”

Huang Kaiyou, now recovering his composure, feigned concern while throwing doubt.

“‘Happy’? Could’ve fooled me.”

Huang Qi couldn’t help but scoff inwardly.

“Put on a show? Look at her clothes—do you think I could afford to hire someone like that? Why don’t you try hiring one yourself?”

Huang Kairong shot back.

Huang Kaiyou opened his mouth but couldn’t muster a response. It was true—in these times, any woman with even a hint of beauty wouldn’t lack money. Finding an actress was harder than climbing to heaven.

“Impossible! There’s no way she’d fall for Huang Qi. Women understand women best.”

“Exactly. What does Huang Qi even have to offer? Looks? Family background? There’s no reason for her to choose him!”

Xie Mei and Qu Zhen, the two wives, nearly shrieked in hysteria.

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“You think all women are as shallow as you? Judging by looks or social status? I really feel bad for Huang Long and Huang Bo.”

“Right. My elder brother’s character is ten thousand times better than Huang Long and Huang Bo’s—everyone knows that. My sister-in-law here has much better taste than you two.”

He Chao and Liu Keqian seized the chance to strike back.

When Huang Qi heard them call him “sister-in-law”, the sheer embarrassment made his face burn as if on fire.

The two women flushed red with humiliation and could only shoot pleading glances at their husbands.

But Huang Long and Huang Bo were like strangled ducks—no sound came out.

“Where’s my granddaughter-in-law? Where is she?”

At that moment, the birthday elder, Huang Xinghu, stumbled out of his room, calling out eagerly.

“Father-in-law, your granddaughter-in-law is right here!”

Li Fen called to him.

Huang Xinghu hurried forward, his cloudy eyes fixed intently on Huang Qi.

Huang Qi couldn’t speak, but he bowed respectfully.

The wrinkles on Huang Xinghu’s face smoothed out as if he had instantly grown ten years younger. He kept repeating:

“Good! Good! My eldest grandson has excellent taste—far better than those two. Now our Huang family has hope!”

Huang Kaiyou and his wife were green with envy. When their own sons had found wives, the old man hadn’t been half as excited.

“Huang Kaiyou’s family just got publicly slapped in the face—their cheeks must be burning.”

“Serves them right. They’ve been strutting around like peacocks just because their sons found wives. Mocking others is one thing, but even their elder brother wasn’t spared.”

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“Now the tables have turned. Their two daughters-in-law combined aren’t worth half of this one. If I were them, I wouldn’t be able to eat a bite later.”

“Huang Kairong must’ve done something incredible in a past life. Just look at that girl’s clothes—she’s either rich or noble. Their family’s fortunes are about to change.”

The villagers, having witnessed this drama, buzzed with excitement.

Huang Kaiyou and his wife couldn’t bear the humiliation, but they couldn’t just leave—that would only confirm their reputation as unfilial children.

Huang Kairong and Li Fen, on the other hand, were grinning so hard their faces hurt. Their gazes toward Huang Qi were practically glowing.

At this moment, Huang Qi felt immense satisfaction—but it wasn’t enough. He picked up his brush, wrote a note, and leisurely handed it to his two cousins.

The villagers craned their necks to see. The note read:

“You two—go work!”

The crowd was stunned. Never in their wildest dreams had they expected a girl who hadn’t even officially entered the Huang family to be so domineering.

“You think I’ll obey just because you say so? Who do you think you are?”

Huang Bo sneered.

Huang Qi swiftly wrote another line:

“Because I am your eldest sister-in-law. The eldest sister-in-law is like a mother.”

“Well said! Our Huang family may not be nobility, but we have rules and principles. As your eldest sister-in-law, she has every right to order you around.”

Huang Kairong loudly backed her up, his face full of approval.

“You’re not even officially married yet. Don’t overestimate your importance.”

Huang Bo retorted foolishly.

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Huang Long, standing beside him, hesitated but wisely kept his mouth shut. This girl—from her bearing to her attire—was clearly no ordinary person. It was best not to provoke her.

Huang Qi wrote again:

“Oh? So if I’m not officially married, I don’t count? Then does Qu Zhen count as your wife?”

“You—!”

Huang Bo was checkmated. He gaped like an idiot, at a complete loss.

Huang Qi pressed on, writing:

“Tell me! Does she count?”

He nearly shoved the note into Huang Bo’s face.

Huang Bo’s eyes darted around. He glanced at his lover, his face twisting in conflict.

“Huang Bo! If you’re a real man, don’t listen to her!”

Qu Zhen, humiliated, snapped at him.

Huang Qi turned his attention to her, writing:

“So you’re saying you don’t count as Huang Bo’s wife?”

Qu Zhen’s breathing grew ragged. She wanted to scream “Yes!”—but even in these times, finding a man like Huang Bo was already a stroke of luck for her. She didn’t dare answer carelessly.

“Huang Bo! You spineless coward! Say something!”

Qu Zhen, now furious, turned on her lover and cursed.