Chapter 18: Going All Out in the Wen Family

Chapter 18: Letting Loose at the Wen Family

Li Qiaozhen hadn't expected Yan Fengan to suddenly side with Wen Xi, and she gave an awkward laugh. "Xiucai Yan, you've only known him for a short time, so you don't understand what he's really like. This kid's always been sneaky and good at pulling the wool over people's eyes. If I as his mother didn't keep him in check, he'd be bossing us around in no time."

Yan Fengan's expression turned cold and stern. "I've got my own eyes to see what kind of person Xiao Xi is. Before, when he was a boy in your household, it wasn't my place as an outsider to butt in on how you elders talked to him. But now that he's part of my family, there's no way I'm gonna stand by and watch him get bullied without doing something. Speaking of which, your family's got some weird customs—not only do you treat your young son like a slave, but you've also raised your eldest son with no sense of decency. Yesterday he stopped me and said a bunch of flirty nonsense, and I held back from making an issue of it. Today, when Xi Geer brought me back for a visit, instead of keeping his distance like an unmarried guy should, he dressed up so flashy. What would people say if word got out? You're Xi Geer's birth family, and there's stuff I shouldn't say too harshly, but I'm a scholar after all. If you've got no sense of decency, I still have my own reputation to worry about."

She hadn't expected a bookworm to have such a sharp tongue. Li Qiaozhen's face flushed red and white with anger, her lips trembling for a good while before she managed to choke out: "How dare a son-in-law talk to his in-laws like this!"

That was clearly her grasping at straws since she had no leg to stand on.

Wen Shishan's face had also turned purple with rage. "Downright disrespectful!" he roared.

Yan Fengan sneered. "Thanks to you all, I'm afraid I'll have to keep being insolent. If I don't make things clear, you'll keep thinking I'm some pushover you can walk all over. Being a little cunning isn't a bad thing, but don't take other people for fools." He looked at the bewildered Wen Liu and said, "Before, when I ran into trouble, you panicked and hid, demanding to break off the engagement, even using force to make Xiao Xi marry in your place. Now that I'm better, you come crawling back. Do you think I can't see through your little game?"

Having waited all day only to get this, Wen Liu was frantic and livid. He stepped forward and grabbed Yan Fengan's sleeve, trying to defend himself: "An Lang, let me explain—it's not what you think, it really isn't... It was my parents, it's all their fault..."

Yan Fengan brushed his hand off. "A father who doesn't teach his kid is at fault. Instead of teaching you to be an honest, hardworking person, your parents only taught you to sell your looks, climb the social ladder, and take advantage of others—they raised you into this sorry mess, so of course it's their fault. And you don't need to rush to swear your loyalty to me. Water under the bridge. From now on, I only acknowledge Wen Xi as my husband. There's no longer any feelings between you and me."

Wen Liu broke down. "How can you say that about me!"

The whole family's face had been ripped off and stomped into the dirt. Wen Shishan's chest ached with fury—if it had been anyone else, he'd have slapped them silly by now.

The Wen Xi he used to take his anger out on was now tucked behind Yan Fengan, so he could only bellow at Li Qiaozhen: "Are you stupid, woman? Get this disgraceful thing locked up in his room!"

Li Qiaozhen's face darkened as she stepped forward and pulled Wen Liu away. Wen Liu was shaking all over, all his hopes and schemes reduced to nothing. Being humiliated like this by Yan Fengan filled him with a murderous rage—he wanted to yank the jade hairpin out of his hair and stab Yan Fengan to death with it.

Luckily, he hadn't completely lost his mind, and could only curse them both silently in his head.

Yan Fengan hadn't come all this way just to trade barbs. He pulled a piece of paper out of his robes and set it on the stone table. "Now that the small talk's over, let's get down to business. This is the IOU Wen Liu wrote when he borrowed money from me. It's been a while now—don't you think it's time your family paid it back?"

Having been humiliated by Yan Fengan, Wen Shishan had only been angry before, but seeing this IOU, he was genuinely panicked now.

"What IOU? I don't know anything about this! Are you here to swindle us?"

Yan Fengan gave a cold smile. "You can see for yourself whether it's a swindle or not."

Wen Shishan's hands were shaking as he picked up the note. Sure enough, the signature at the bottom was Wen Liu's name, complete with a thumbprint. He looked at Wen Liu in disbelief, his eyes burning. "When did you borrow money from him? Why didn't I know about this?"

Wen Liu had already forgotten about the whole thing, but seeing the note brought it all back to him.

Back in March, a fellow student from town had invited him to a spring gathering in the county seat. The gathering was hosted by the young master of the Liu family, and lots of scholars and rich kids would be attending.

At that time, although Wen Liu and Yan Fengan weren't officially engaged yet, they'd already taken a liking to each other. Wen Liu knew exactly what those rich boys were like, and he had no intention of trying to climb the ladder elsewhere.

Still, an event like this was a rare chance for a country boy like him. Even if not to find a good match, it'd be worth it to broaden his horizons and network a bit.

His father was too shortsighted. Even after Wen Liu had explained the benefits, the old man was still stingy enough to only fork over one tael of silver for his outfit.

Whether one tael was a lot or a little depended on who you were comparing it to. For country folk, that was indeed a decent chunk of change. But compared to the young Liu gentleman and his crowd, it probably wouldn't even buy a rag from their house.

Wen Liu wanted to dress up nicely, make a grand entrance, and dazzle everyone to show off how refined he was. How could such a measly sum buy him what he wanted?

In desperation, he had no choice but to go to Yan Fengan, pour out his troubles, and beg for help.

After hearing him out, Yan Fengan went home and somehow managed to bring him ten taels of silver the next day.

That ten taels finally solved Wen Liu's immediate problem. Seeing how generous Yan Fengan was, Wen Liu was even more set on marrying him. To win even more favor, he voluntarily wrote an IOU, saying he'd repay the money as soon as he had some to spare.

That sounded nice, but Wen Liu never actually intended to pay it back. Ten taels was a huge sum for a boy with no skills—he was totally dependent on his parents, so where would he ever find that much money to pay back?

Given his relationship with Yan Fengan, even if he wrote an IOU, the guy would never come knocking to collect. He had already set his heart on Yan Fengan, thinking he'd marry him eventually anyway—with a relationship like theirs, what's yours is mine. So Wen Liu never gave the note a second thought.

Who would've thought that this thing he'd long forgotten would be waved around so openly in front of his parents?

Wen Liu's hands were shaking as he demanded, "You said I didn't have to repay it!"

The sheer nerve of that tone made Yan Fengan's blood boil.

Indeed, people never cherish what isn't their own family's. His dad and brothers worked hard to support the whole household, his mom and sisters-in-law pinched pennies to fund his education, and yet the person who had taken over his body had thrown silver around like it was nothing, living it up while dragging others into spending their family's money.

If he'd earned that money himself to spend on some boy outside, Yan Fengan would never have brought up this note today. But that money had been wheedled out of his parents—so why shouldn't he demand it back?

"What do you mean, no need to pay it back? The note says it all clearly. Are you trying to weasel out of it?"

Li Qiaozhen was frantic, refusing to give up. "Did you really borrow his money?"

Wen Liu hadn't expected Yan Fengan to be so heartless. Furious and desperate, he shouted, "So what if I did? You're supposed to be a scholar, yet you reek of money, talking about nothing but cash. You give something and then want it back—what kind of man are you? You say my family has no morals, but is your Yan family any better? So what if you're a xiucai? What gives you the right to come to our house and bully people?"

His chest heaved violently. If Li Qiaozhen hadn't been holding him back, his trembling finger would have been jabbing right in Yan Fengan's face.

Wen Shishan stood off to the side with a dark face, processing the matter of the ten taels while chiming in: "You took our young son back to serve you, and that's not enough? Now you come to bully our eldest son too? You wasted so much of his time, took advantage of him so thoroughly, and you still have the nerve to demand money? You've got some nerve, you bastard!"

Since they were in their own courtyard where no one could hear, Wen Shishan let loose with every curse he could think of.

Li Qiaozhen also started making a scene and shooing them out: "Our house is too small to hold a great Buddha like you. The two of you get the hell out of here!"

Facing their shouts and accusations, Yan Fengan simply stood up and calmly straightened his robes. "That's why I say your family's beam is crooked from the top down—the eldest son behaves improperly, and the father's thoughts are just as filthy. In all my dealings with Wen Liu, I always maintained proper boundaries and never overstepped. I, Yan Fengan, walk upright and sit straight. My character and conduct cannot be tarnished by a few words from you."

Wen Liu knew well the principle that people never cherish what they already have, so during his relationship with Yan Fengan, he had maintained his reserve and never crossed any lines. The person who had taken over Yan Fengan's body had entertained some ideas, but since the other party wasn't willing, and given the constraints of the times, nothing had been forced.

Though the two had been betrothed, their relationship had remained perfectly chaste.

Fortunately for that—otherwise, Yan Fengan would have been utterly disgusted.

Hearing such high-sounding words was laughable. Wen Liu sneered, "You're just putting on a respectable front. What character could you possibly have? It was a mutual arrangement, not some business deal with me! In all the world, I've never seen a man as stingy as you. You gave me the money to save face and look generous, and now you want it back—don't you find yourself ridiculous?"

Wen Xi, who had been quietly listening to the two sides argue, went from fear to shock to numbness. Hearing Wen Liu's excuses, he found them even more shameless.

He couldn't bear to let Yan Fengan face the three of them alone. Hiding behind him, clutching at his robes, he looked at the people who had once filled him with endless terror and said, "A debt must be repaid. What's so funny about that?"