My Beloved Super Fierce Wife
Chapter 405 Swearing to Defend the Innocence of the Young Master of Yingzhou

Chapter 405: 405 Swearing to Defend the Innocence of the Young Master of Yingzhou

Wan Manzhu’s expression stiffened.

Her eyes fixated uncontrollably on a certain room, as if trying to see through the walls.

She didn’t want to leave, yet she feared ruining the image that Grandfather Ruan and Grandmother Ruan had of her.

She could only manage a forced curl of her lips.

"...Alright, then I’ll head back first and come find Brother Yingzhou... Comrade Gu later."

Having said that, she got up reluctantly.

She left with frequent looks back at the room she had left.

The Ruan family matriarch couldn’t stand people who lacked propriety.

Wan Manzhu had just hit upon her pet peeve.

After her figure disappeared, the Ruan family matriarch said to Xiuying, "Xiuying, close the door. We won’t be receiving guests at home for the next few days."

It looked like Wan Manzhu hadn’t given up on Yingzhou yet.

She had to protect her grandson from her.

Xiuying responded cheerfully, "Alright!!"

Determined to defend the honor of young master Yingzhou.

As soon as Wan Manzhu stepped out of the Ruan family’s door, her face fell instantly.

Outside the Wan family’s gate.

A woman in her twenties saw Wan Manzhu coming out of the Ruan family’s house and her smile vanished.

"Wan Manzhu, what were you doing at the Ruan house?" the woman asked with an inquisitive look.

Seeing her arch-enemy, Wan Manzhu forced herself to perk up.

She rolled her eyes.

She responded coldly, "None of your damn business!"

Not in the mood to deal with the woman, she turned and walked home.

Wan Manzhen, worried that her cousin might cause another scandal, lost the desire to go out and followed her inside the house.

Wan Manzhu, hearing footsteps, stopped and looked at her.

"Why are you following me?"

Once inside the house, Wan Manzhen lost her restraint.

Her expression serious.

"Our family is not on the same level as the Ruan family, please, I’m begging you, stop causing trouble."

"Back then, when you caused that disgraceful scandal, you had the luxury of fleeing abroad where you never had to hear the sharp, spine-breaking gossip.

But what about us? You never thought about that, did you?

We finally got people to forget about that incident, and now you’ve come back. Fine, you have returned, we can’t stop you from doing that.

But... can’t you just be a little thoughtful and not provoke those you shouldn’t?"

Over the past years, our family has been on a steady decline while the Ruan family has been rising step by step.

Even though we’re neighbors, the gulf between us has become vast.

It’s only this naive cousin, who has just returned and is unaware of the world, who thinks our family in Sea City still has the same influence that shakes the community.

Wan Manzhu retorted unhappily, "How am I being inconsiderate?"

She sat down on the sofa, crossed her legs, picked up a piece of candy from the table, and tossed it into her mouth.

Without even glancing at her annoying cousin, she said, "You’re only a year older than me, don’t act like you’re one of my elders."

Her father and mother couldn’t control her.

Yet this cousin from a side branch of the family sure had a lot to say.

Wan Manzhen didn’t want to control Wan Manzhu either, but they were family.

One’s glory was the other’s glory; one’s shame, the other’s shame.

She and her two younger sisters were soon to discuss marriage proposals, and they couldn’t let Wan Manzhu, the black sheep, spoil it for them.

"You think I want to control you? If you didn’t share the name Wan, I wouldn’t give a damn about you," Wan Manzhen said sarcastically.

Her tone carried a warning.

"The Ruan family is out of your league. You better give up on that eager heart of yours. If you affect the others in our family, believe me, I will slap your face."

At those words, Wan Manzhu thought of the slap she received when she was sent back by the Ruan family, the burning pain.

She shuddered inwardly.

But when she thought of Gu Yingzhou, she was filled with endless courage.

"Just because you say I can’t reach him doesn’t make it true..." Wan Manzhu said defiantly.

"My childhood affection with Brother Yingzhou, Grandfather Ruan, and Grandmother Ruan all like me very much. Sooner or later, I will become Brother Yingzhou’s bride, just you watch."

After dropping her harsh words, she huffed back to her room.

Wan Manzhen’s mood was completely ruined by her capricious cousin.

Exhausted, she sat down to think about her future escape routes.

With such a troublesome cousin at home, she was truly afraid.

The only way to protect her branch of the family was to split from the main house.

But separating households was easier said than done!

-

As the Wan sisters argued, the Ruan family happened to be discussing them.

The Ruan family matriarch thought of the vastly different Wan sisters and let out a long sigh.

"Manzhen is good, but Manzhu, with her temper..." She shook her head, lamenting, "A young lady must be raised tenderly, but indulgence without principle will do no good. Marrying her off would be like picking a fight with the family she marries into."

As neighbors, the Ruan family knew the Wan family’s affairs inside out.

Wan Manzhu resembled the elderly Mrs. Wan, who doted on her exclusively.

She spoiled her to the point of wayward ignorance.

Manzhen and her sisters, following their mother, at least had some sense.

Gu Yingzhou could not agree with his grandmother’s words.

"People are different, and Wan Manzhu has bad roots. Who has ever seen a tree infested at its roots grow well?"

His Tangbao was also raised pampered by the family.

Yet,

She was grateful, dutiful to her parents, respectful to her brother and sister-in-law, and patient with her nephews and nieces...

So, pampering isn’t the crucial factor, it’s all about the seeds you sow.

Seeing her grandson’s exceedingly serious expression, the Ruan family matriarch almost laughed out loud.

She knew he was thinking of his partner, but did he have to be so defensive?!

Old Master Ruan, reflecting on the Wan family’s downward trajectory, also shook his head.

"Sigh, with Old Wan gone, there’s no pillar in the household. The younger generation isn’t productive. I’m afraid they won’t be able to live off their inheritance for long."

The Ruan family matriarch had no sympathy for the Wan family.

You reap what you sow.

If Mr. Wan and his wife hadn’t indulged in favoritism, they wouldn’t have brought a good family to such a state of decline.

Gu Yingzhou silently listened to his grandparents’ conversation.

He glanced at the wall adjoining the Wan’s large courtyard, his brow furrowing slightly.

"Grandpa, Grandma, let’s keep our distance from the Wan family in the future."

It’s difficult to adjust from luxury to frugality.

The Wan family was accustomed to the good life.

The feeling of falling from a high place is surely unpleasant.

It would be fine if they didn’t set their sights on his family, but if they did, trouble was likely to ensue.

Gu Yingzhou thought of the people he knew and decided to find a couple more individuals to look after his grandparents.

Although this may seem a bit paranoid, being extra cautious in protecting one’s relatives is never unfounded.

Old Master Ruan and the Ruan family matriarch perceived the concern in their grandson’s words.

Their hearts warmed.

The Ruan family matriarch smiled and said, "Don’t worry, we didn’t have much interaction with them anyway. It was only because Manzhu heard you were back that she came looking for us."

Manzhu had been back for some time and had not once come to visit.

So, the intention behind the visit wasn’t for the sake of visiting.

The intention was crystal clear.

Gu Yingzhou, feeling unlucky, fell silent for a moment, then said, "...I’m sorry."

Old Master Ruan immediately bristled.

"Are you treating us like outsiders with that kind of talk? Are we not family to you?"

He considered himself a cultured and excellent grandfather...

Why was Yingzhou still so formal with them?

It baffled him!

Gu Yingzhou could see that his grandfather was competing with his own father yet again.

He was used to it and felt no excess of emotion.

"...It’s not that."