Farm Girl's Manor
Chapter 759: Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder, Taking a Beating (4)_1

Chapter 759: Chapter 759: Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder, Taking a Beating (4)_1

As he walked, Mo Yan inquired and found out why Tie Tou was at home and why Wu’s had furiously beaten her son. All of this was related to a woman.

The Wu family had built a big house, and from time to time the aroma of meat wafted out. They no longer wore tattered clothes. To the discerning eye, it was clear that the Wu family’s days were getting better and better. Many families in the village admired this and hoped their eligible daughters could marry into the Wu family to enjoy good fortune and help support their own families in the process; eligible sons wanted to marry Dani, hoping for a beneficial Yue Family and a better life in the future.

Even the original inhabitants of Liu Yang Village, who didn’t have their own eligible children, were contemplating which relatives or friends had daughters or sons of the right age, thinking a marital alliance with the Wu family would be advantageous.

Even the nearby villages had heard of the Wu family’s situation and made special trips to Liu Yang Village to inquire about them. They knew that Tie Tou was just a bit simple-minded, with no major issues, and he had even secured a good job at the rice shop. They couldn’t be more satisfied.

As for Dani, who was capable and gentle, there was no need to say more. Suitors almost wore down the Wu family’s threshold. But whether it was Tie Tou or Dani, Wu’s did not agree easily. It wasn’t because she was not anxious, but because those families had one problem or another.

A mother always hopes that her children will live a smooth life, especially daughters, who need even more vigilance in choosing a spouse, lest they be steeped in bitterness their entire life.

Having suffered such hardships herself, Wu’s naturally did not want her four children to follow her old path. Especially for Tie Tou and Dani, who had suffered with her since they were young, she felt extra guilt, which compelled her to find them good matches with all her heart.

Yet Wu’s, who had always been so considerate of her children’s futures, had actually started beating Tie Tou with a club as thick as her arm. Tie Tou, simple and filial as he was, didn’t know to beg for mercy or evade; he just knelt on the ground, allowing Wu’s to beat him in anger.

By the time Mo Yan arrived at the Wu house, she saw Wu’s looking like she was tired from hitting, sitting weakly in a chair with tears brimming in her eyes, her expression a mix of anger and pain.

In the corner, Shitou was holding San Ni and sobbing loudly, obviously scared out of his wits; San Ni was also terribly frightened, her voice trembling as she tried to comfort her younger brother, her face showing unspeakable fear.

Tie Tou was kneeling with his back to the door, and Mo Yan couldn’t see his expression. As she entered the main hall of the Wu house, she first tried to persuade Wu’s, "Aunt Wu, let’s talk this out. What problem between mother and son can’t be solved? Look how scared San Ni and Shitou are!"

Wu’s mind was entirely focused on getting her son back on the right path, and she didn’t notice the additional person in the house until she heard the voice and realized Mo Yan had arrived.

Seeing Mo Yan, Wu’s found an outlet for her emotions. Ignoring that this was a family disgrace, she grabbed Mo Yan’s hand and choked up, "If only I had known earlier, had known that he’d been enchanted by such an unworthy woman, I would have accepted the proposal when the matchmaker came, anything is better, anything is better than that woman."

Previously, Dani’s explanations were vague and Mo Yan didn’t know the identity of the girl Tie Tou fancied. Hearing Wu’s words now, her eyelids twitched involuntarily: Could it be someone else’s wife?

Wu’s subsequent words dispelled Mo Yan’s guess but left her even more shocked at the woman’s identity:

"...With so many good girls in the world, who wouldn’t he take a fancy to, but he just had to fixate on a woman from a brothel! As a woman myself, Aunt Wu sympathizes with that woman’s plight but will never, ever allow such an unclean person to become my daughter-in-law, never..."

Before Wu’s could finish, Tie Tou, who had not spoken until then, suddenly raised his head and loudly defended, "Mother, Qingqing is a good girl. She’s not unclean; I like her, she didn’t seduce me. If you want to blame someone, blame me, Mother. Qingqing is not at fault."

In all the time Mo Yan had known Tie Tou, this was the first time she had heard him raise his voice and say such a long speech. It was clear that the girl from the brothel had truly entered his heart.

Just as Mo Yan was considering how to resolve this intense conflict between mother and son, Wu’s suddenly stood up, raised the wooden club, and struck Tie Tou’s shoulder with great force.

The blow was too swift for Mo Yan to prevent it.

The club hit Tie Tou’s body with a thud. A pained expression crossed Tie Tou’s face, but he endured the acute pain and continued to defend the girl in his heart: "Mother, Qingqing really is a good girl! Aside from her background, she is more than I deserve! You look down on her background, but it’s not something she chose for herself. You always apologized to Dani, saying you should’ve stopped grandmother from selling her away; at least in your heart, you love Dani. But Qingqing has never been loved since she was young. When she was as old as Dani, she was sold to a brothel by her family as a way to pay off debts! She was too young then, how could she have resisted anyone? She reluctantly fell into disrepute, but she never debased herself and even took the opportunity to buy her freedom, wanting to live an honorable life. For that alone, she is not a bad girl! Mother, if you don’t have sympathy for her, pity me, your son. If I can’t marry her, I’d rather stay single for a lifetime!"

Tie Tou finished in one breath, looking directly at his mother with a steadfastness in his eyes that had never been there before. Knowing him, saying he would remain unmarried for life wasn’t just talk.

With a clatter, the club fell to the floor.

Wu’s stepped back twice and collapsed into the chair as if her soul had left her body, tears streaming down her face. It was unclear if she was crying for Dani, whose fate was unknown, or for what Tie Tou had said...